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 10.
The recognition, presented under the Legal Honor Middle East, acknowledged Kezo’s work in dispute resolution, corporate and commercial law, and media and entertainment.
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, sponsorships and partnerships.
A graduate of National Law University, Jodhpur, Kezo has built a diverse legal career spanning human rights, constitutional and criminal law, commercial law and dispute resolution. She later completed an LLM in Corporate and Financial Laws from Jindal Global Law School.
During her law school years, Kezo gained international recognition through competitions in negotiation, mediation and humanitarian law. In 2013, she reached the quarter-finals of the International Chamber of Commerce International Commercial Mediation Competition in Paris. In 2014, she won the Best Model Essay at the Jean-Pictet Competition on International Humanitarian Law in Sintra, Portugal.
Her professional career began while she was still a student, when she worked with law chambers and leading law firms in Delhi and Mumbai. She subsequently joined the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative as a Project Officer, working on human rights, constitutional and criminal law, prison oversight and public policy.
Over the years, Kezo has advised businesses across sectors including technology, healthcare, construction, financial services and consumer industries. Her current role with the Delhi Capitals places her at the intersection of law, professional sport, media, entertainment and commerce.
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.
The Dubai recognition adds to her professional journey from Shillong and Jodhpur to international legal competitions and the Indian Premier League, highlighting the growing presence of professionals from Nagaland and the Northeast across diverse fields.
