Naga lawyer, Aphune Küvephulü Kezo has been named Emerging In-House Counsel of the Year 2026 at the LexTalk World Conference in Dubai, recognising her legal expertise across corporate law, dispute resolution and sports entertainment.
DIMAPUR — Naga lawyer Aphune Küvephulü Kezo has been named “Emerging In-House Counsel of the Year 2026” at the LexTalk World Conference & Exhibition held in Dubai on September 9 and the 10th.
The recognition, presented during the conference, acknowledged her work in dispute resolution, corporate and commercial law, and media and entertainment, an update stated.
Kezo is Consultant-Legal Manager at JSW GMR Cricket Private Limited, associated with the Delhi Capitals IPL franchise in New Delhi.
Her responsibilities include commercial contracts, corporate and regulatory matters, dispute resolution, intellectual property, sponsors
hips and partnerships.
Her career has spanned several legal disciplines and sectors, including technology, healthcare, construction, financial services and consumer businesses.
Kezo completed her higher secondary education at Pine Mount School, Shillong, where she served as captain of Collie House and president of the Interact Club, a school-level organisation associated with Rotary International.
She subsequently appeared for India’s first Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and secured admission to National Law University, Jodhpur.
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During law school, she participated in international competitions focused on negotiation, mediation and humanitarian law.
In 2013, she reached the quarter-finals of the International Chamber of Commerce International Commercial Mediation Competition in Paris.
The following year, she won the Best Model Essay award at the Jean-Pictet Competition on International Humanitarian Law, organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sintra, Portugal.
Kezo began gaining practical legal experience at the age of 18, working with law chambers and leading law firms in Delhi and Mumbai while still a student. Her early exposure included litigation and commercial law.
After graduation, she joined the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative as a project officer, where she worked on human rights, constitutional and criminal law, prison oversight and public policy.
She later pursued commercial law and dispute resolution, combining legal analysis with business strategy and sector-specific advisory work. She also completed a Master of Laws in Corporate and Financial Laws from Jindal Global Law School.
In her current role with the Delhi Capitals, Kezo works at the intersection of professional sport, media, entertainment and commerce, advising on contracts, sponsorships, intellectual property, partnerships, regulatory obligations and disputes.
Her latest recognition adds to a career marked by academic achievement, international exposure and professional experience across legal disciplines.
Kezo’s journey from Shillong and Jodhpur to international competitions, human-rights work, commercial legal practice and the IPL highlights the growing professional opportunities for young lawyers from Nagaland and the Northeast, the update stated.