Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

CCPIT Patent and Trademark specialises in enforcement, prosecution and litigation and also helps foreign and domestic clients with international filing issues.

The firm has been active in a number of high-profile issues such as representing a US lamp company in filing two claims relating to design patents, as well as its counsel of a Danish company in filing a prosecution before the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People’s Court. The firm also represented Shimano in its retrial case for patent infringement. The case dated back to 2003 when Shimano discovered that some of the products manufactured and sold by Chinese companies had constituted infringement and filed a lawsuit in the Ningbo Intermediate People’s Court against the companies. The case was led by IP advisers Ma Hao, Xin Zhesheng, Fu Jianjun, Wu Lili and Wu Lei.

Established in 1993 as the first foreign-related non government-operated patent and trade mark agency, Liu Shen & Associates is known for its work in contentious issues as well as patent engineering services with a focus on the electronics and pharmaceuticals industries. The firm files more than 10,000 patent applications every year, and among its clients are Sony, Samsung, Siemens and Procter & Gamble.

A recent hire in 2008 was Jay Sha who, as co-founder of Jeekai & Partners, brought his team across to help boost the IP power of Liu Shen. The firm now boasts an IP team of more than 20 partners with other notable names being Yang Wu, Michella Ma and Jianying Yu.

China Patent Agent has more than 420 staff including patent and trade mark attorneys across Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

The firm represented Nan Sing before the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People’s Court against the Trade Mark Review and Adjudication Board (Trab) on reversing the latter’s decision of trade mark registration refusal. China Patent Agent won the case. Its client list includes Royal Phillips Electronics, General Electric and Du Pont.

The firm specialises in patents, trade marks, copyright and computer software, anti-unfair competition and trade secrets, tech-trade and a range of other IP rights issues. Among its senior management and leading figures are Wu Daijian, Charles Ziangling Zeng and Zhengfa Wang

With its IP work focusing on engineering, chemical engineering and biotechnology, China Science Patent & Trademark Agents advises on technology licensing and transfer as well as patent research and patent watch.

The practice at China Sinda has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years and has strengthened its capability across both patents and trade marks. Recent work includes acting for China Environmental Project against Japanese company Fujikasui and Huayang Electric in Fujian Province for patent infringement.

The 13-partner practice, which is led by President Gary Zhang and includes former acting chief judge for the IP tribunal of Beijing First Intermediate Court Zhang Guangliang, works for such prestigious clients as 3M, Google, Motorola, NEC, Sharp and Toyota.

Ford Global Technologies turned to Kangxin Partners for a patent infringement case. The firm assisted Ford in persuading the court to suspend the case and the patentee agreed to withdraw the litigation.

King & Wood has been retained by the Beijing Organising Committee (BOCOG) as its legal counsel since 2002. The firm has been providing legal advice with respect to intellectual property rights protection related to the Olympic Games. Other key clients include Nokia, Alcatel and Johnson & Johnson. The firm recently partnered with Australian firm Gilbert + Tobin, providing it with greater exposure in the region.

The firm’s strength lies in its contentious trade mark work. 2008 was a particularly busy year with its work for BOCOG. Other recent case developments include advising Royal Philips Electronic in a patent infringement and unfair competition case relating to DVDs.

Among its leading lawyers are Yang Xiaoli who heads the firm’s trade marks team, and Li Yong who heads the patent team.

Zhongzi Law Office has recently broadened its services to technological matters such as document research and translation, as well as pharmaceutical protection. It is best-known for its trade mark prosecution representation. The firm’s practice encompasses patents, trade marks, copyright, unfair competition, trade secret, trade dress, breeders’ rights, integrated circuit layout design, franchising, licensing, intellectual property management and transactions.

Leading figures include Bonan Lin, Xiaoguang Yang and Xuemin Chen. The firm’s representatives sit on the Board of China Intellectual Property Society (Sips), and are directors of the Chinese Group of AIPPI.

Hylands Law Firm

A young firm with a big future, Hylands Law Firm covers patents, trade marks and copyright but is particularly strong on copyright disputes and projects. A recent high profile mandate was its work for the Olympic Games’ official internet and mobile phone broadcaster carrying out defensive strategies and cracking down on pirate broadcasting and website downloading. Senior partners Ma Xiaogang and Lian Yunze are two of the key names at Hylands.

Jeekai & Partners

Seven-partner IP boutique Jeekai & Partners is headed by Robin Zhao who was formerly group chief at CCPIT. The firm houses 60 patent attorneys specialising in chemistry and material science, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, electronics and mechanics.

Wan Hui Da Law Firm

Wan Hui Da houses more than 100 attorneys covering work across trade marks, patents, copyright and domain names. With bases in each of the major Chinese IP jurisdictions of Guangzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai, the firm’s specialised litigation lawyers practice in all administrative, criminal and civil proceedings related to intellectual property rights.