COVER STORY IP RANKINGS MAY 2020 - IP...Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), describes the...

18 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – MAY 2020 W W W.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM

IP RANKINGS HONG KONGPATENTS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• Bird&Bird• Deacons• DLAPiper• HoganLovells• MayerBrown• Orrick,Herrington&Sutcliffe

TIER 2• AWAAsia• Barron&Young• CMS• ELLALAN• FangdaPartners• FreshfieldsBruckhausDeringer• JonesDay• Morrison&Foerster• NixonPeabody• Oldham,Li&Nie• QuinnEmanuelUrquhart&Sullivan

• StephensonHarwood• Wilkinson&Grist• Winston&Strawn• VivienChan&Co

TIER 3• Dechert• EagleIP• Morgan,Lewis&Bockius• NortonRoseFulbright• RobinBridge&JohnLiu• Ropes&Gray• SquirePattonBoggs

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• AWAAsia• Baker&McKenzie• Bird&Bird• CMS• Deacons• DLAPiper• ELLALAN• HoganLovells• MayerBrown• Orrick,Herrington&Sutcliffe• SIPS• StephensonHarwood• Wilkinson&Grist• VivienChan&Co

TIER 2• Dechert• FangdaPartners• FreshfieldsBruckhausDeringer• MinterEllison• MMLCGroup• NixonPeabody• NortonRoseFulbright• Oldham,Li&Nie• QuinnEmanuelUrquhart&Sullivan

• RobinBridge&JohnLiu• RouseHK• Simmons&Simmons

TIER 3• Barron&Young• CliffordChance• JonesDay

C O V E R S T O R Y

Withthecoronaviruspandemiccertaintopulldownglobaleconomicprospectsfromthisyearon,2019couldgodowninhistoryasboththelasthurrahbeforetheimpendingslumpandthepreludetoaneweraininno-vationinindustriespushedtotheforetomitigatetheunprecedentedhealthcrisis.

“Last year was the best year wehave experienced in the course of thepast decade,” was how Francis Gurry,theoutgoingdirector-general ofWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganization(WIPO),describesthe2019performanceofWIPO’sservices.

Internationalpatent,trademark,andindustrialdesignapplicationsfiledwiththeWIPOsystemsallpostedrecordgrowthslastyear,accordingtotheUnitedNations(UN)agencyforIP.Year-on-yearinterna-tionalpatentapplicationsfiledwiththePatentCooperationTreaty(PCT)grewby5.2percentto265,800;internationaltrademarkapplicationsfiledwiththeMadridSystemgrewby5.7percentto64,400;andindus-trialdesignapplicationsfiledwiththeHagueSystemgrewby10.4percentto21,807.

ForthefirsttimeinthelonghistoryofPCT,Chinabecamethebiggestuserofthesystemlastyear,WIPOreported.ThiswasapositionpreviouslyheldconsistentlybytheUnitedStatessincethesystembeganoper-ationsin1978.Chinafiled58,990PCTappli-cationslastyear,a200percentincreasefromthe276applicationsitfiledin1999.

“China’srapidgrowthtobecomethetopfilerofinternationalpatentapplicationsviaWIPOunderlinesalong-termshiftinthelocusofinnovationtowardstheEast,withAsia-basedapplicantsnowaccountingfor

morethanhalfofallPCTapplications,”saysGurry.

ChinaandAsia’snewdominantroleinglobalinnovationwasalsohighlightedinaseparateWIPOreporton“TheGeographyof Innovation: Local Hotspots, GlobalNetworks”thatwaspublishedlastyear.Thereportfindsthatwhileinnovationhasbecomemorecollaborativeandtransna-tional,itremainsconcentratedinahandfulofcountriesandevenwithinthesecountries,inparticularcitiesandregions.

China,Japan,andSouthKoreawerethree of the five countries, along withGermanyandtheU.S.,whichaccountedformostofthepatentproductionandscientificactivityfrom2015to2017.

“ChinaandtheRepublicofKoreaarelargelyresponsiblefortherisingshareofnewareasinknowledgeproductionandinnovation;together,theyaccountforover20percentofpatents registered in theyears2015–2017,comparedtounderthreepercentin1990–1999,”notesthereport.

Patents filed in Asia rose to 48percentfrom32percentsincethe2000s,whilescientificpublicationsincreasedto36percentfrom17percent.“ThisreflectstheriseofChinaandtheRepublicofKoreaandcomesdespitetherelativedeclineinJapan’sshareofpatentsandpublications,”thereport furtherelaborateswhilealsoemphasizingtheemergenceofnewglobalinnovationproducers,amongthemIndiaandSingapore.

AtestamenttoAsia’sriseintheglobalIPandinnovationscene,amajorshiftinleadershipatWIPOfavouringtheAsiangroupissettohappenthisyear.

As Asia becomes a major innovation hub, and the filing ofpatents and trademarks continues at pace, law firms specialising inintellectual property are finding themselves increasingly in demand.

In the 2020 edition of its annual list, ALB once again picks thetop firms for IP work across the region.

BYMARICELESTAVILLOANDASIANLEGALBUSINESS

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• Morrison&Foerster• Spruson&Ferguson• SquirePattonBoggs

INDIAPATENTS

TIER 1• AjaySahni&Associates• AnandandAnand• Chadha&Chadha• Khaitan&Co• K&SPartners• Lakshmikumaran&Sridharan• L&LPartners• Remfry&Sagar

TIER 2• AZB&Partners• Beruar&Beruar• CyrilAmarchandMangaldas• FoxMandal&Associates• IndusLaw• Khurana&Khurana• RahulChaudhry&Partners• Singh&Associates• Majmudar&Partners• Mason&Associates• R.K.Dewan&Co• SamvadPartners• Singh&SinghLall&Sethi• Subramaniam,Nataraj&Associates

TIER 3• ALMTLegal• DePenning&DePenning• FidusLawChambers• Mason&Associates• PerfexioLegal• RNAIPAttorneys• Saikrishna&Associates• ZeusIP

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• AjaySahni&Associates• AnandandAnand• AZB&Partners• Beruar&Beruar• Chadha&Chadha• CyrilAmarchandMangaldas• FoxMandal&Associates• IndusLaw• Khaitan&Co• KLaw/Krishnamurthy&Co• L&LPartners• RahulChaudhry&Partners• Remfry&Sagar• SujataChaudhriIPAttorneys• Saikrishna&Associates• Singh&Associates

TIER 2• FidusLawChambers• Khurana&Khurana• Lakshmikumaran&Sridharan• Majmudar&Partners• Mason&Associates• R.K.Dewan&Co• RNAIPAttorneys• SamvadPartners• Singh&SinghLall&Sethi• Subramaniam,Nataraj&

Associates• ZeusIP

TIER 3• DePenning&DePenning• K&SPartners• Krishna&SaurastriAssociates• Mason&Associates• PhoenixLegal

INDONESIAPATENTS

TIER 1• AmBadar&Partners• DwipoLubisBaskoro&Partners• HHPLawFirm• Rouse/Suryomurcito&Co• SKCLaw• Tilleke&Gibbins

TIER 2• AcemarkIP• AMRPartnership• BarumunInternationalPatent• BiroOktroiRoosseno• GeorgeWidjojo&Partners• HadromiAdnanIPGroup• InterPatentOffice• JanuarJahja&Partners• K&KAdvocates• PacificPatentMultiglobal• Roosdiono&Partners

TIER 3• AssegafHamzah&Partners• BudidjajaInternationalLawyers• CitiusIntellectualProperty• Lumenta,Sitorus&Partners• Makarim&TairaS.• Pulungan,Wiston&Partners• PrawiranegaraInternationalPatent&Trademark

• SS&RLegalConsultants• StephensonHarwood

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• AssegafHamzah&Partners• HHPLawFirm• InterPatentOffice• JanuarJahja&Partners• K&KAdvocates• Roosdiono&Partners• Rouse/Suryomurcito&Co• SKCLaw• Tilleke&Gibbins

TIER 2• AcemarkIP• AmBadar&Partners• BarumunInternationalPatent• BiroOktroiRoosseno• BudidjajaInternationalLawyers• DwipoLubisBaskoro&Partners• GeorgeWidjojo&Partners• HadromiAdnanIPGroup• PacificPatentMultiglobal

TIER 3• AssegafHamzah&Partners• CitiusIntellectualProperty• HeruLukito&Partners• Lumenta,Sitorus&Partners

• Makarim&TairaS.• Pulungan,Wiston&Partners• Prawiranegara• StephensonHarwood

JAPAN DOMESTICPATENTS

TIER 1• Abe,Ikubo&Katayama• AndersonMori&Tomotsune• MoriHamada&Matsumoto• NagashimaOhno&Tsunematsu• Nakamura&Partners• Oh-EbashiLPC&Partners

TIER 2• Abe&Partners• Atsumi&Sakai• FukamiPatentOffice• ItohInternationalPatentOffice• Nishimura&Asahi• Ohno&Partners• OndaTechnoIntl.PatentAttys.• RyukaIPLawFirm• SeiwaPatent&Law• ShigaInternationalPatentOffice

• SoeiIntellectualPropertyLaw• Sugimura&Partners• TMIAssociates

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• AndersonMori&Tomotsune• Atsumi&Sakai• MoriHamada&Matsumoto• NagashimaOhno&Tsunematsu• Nakamura&Partners• TMIAssociates

TIER 2• Abe,Ikubo&Katayama• FukamiPatentOffice• ItohInternationalPatentOffice• Nishimura&Asahi• Oh-EbashiLPC&Partners• Ohno&Partners• OndaTechnoInt.PatentAttys.• RyukaIPLawFirm• SeiwaPatent&Law• ShigaInternationalPatentOffice

• SoeiIntellectualPropertyLaw• Sugimura&Partners

JAPAN INTERNATIONALPATENTS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• Finnegan,Henderson,Farabow,Garrett&Dunner

• HoganLovells• Morgan,Lewis&Bockius• Morrison&Foerster• Orrick,Herrington&Sutcliffe• QuinnEmanuelUrquhart&Sullivan

• Ropes&Gray

TIER 2

• Foley&Lardner• MayerBrown• SquirePattonBoggs

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• HoganLovells• Morrison&Foerster• Orrick,Herrington&Sutcliffe

TIER 2• Finnegan,Henderson,Farabow,Garrett&Dunner

• Foley&Lardner• MayerBrown• Morgan,Lewis&Bockius• SquirePattonBoggs

MALAYSIAPATENTS

TIER 1• LAWPartnership• Marks&Clerk• ShearnDelamore&Co• Skrine• Tay&Partners• Wong&Partners• ZICOIP

TIER 2• Christopher&LeeOng• RahmatLim&Partners• RajaDarryl&Loh• ShookLin&Bok

TIER 3• LeeHishammuddinAllen&Gledhill

• WongJinNee&Teo

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• LAWPartnership• LeeHishammuddinAllen&Gledhill

• Marks&Clerk• RahmatLim&Partners• ShearnDelamore&Co• Skrine• ShookLin&Bok• Tay&Partners• Wong&Partners• ZICOIP

TIER 2• Christopher&LeeOng• RajaDarryl&Loh• WongJinNee&Teo

PHILIPPINESPATENTS/COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• ACCRALAW• CastilloLamanTanPantaleon&SanJose

• CruzMarcelo&Tenefrancia• QuisumbingTorres

C O V E R S T O R Y

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Deep & Far is confident to be the best IP firm, and is prepared to take challenge for verification of its competence by receiving from the client, e.g. 1) a pending or granted patent for comments about how it can improve the claims, 2) a pending patent specification without the claims for drafting the claims for comparison with the original claims, or 3) an initial disclosure for preparing a claim set at the same time with the firm the client is currently using so that the client can compare and find out which firm can provide the better claims. The claims Deep & Far prepares always trap therein all competitors of the clients.

台北市中山北路三段27號13樓 業務涵括知識產權之申請、侵權及訴訟13th Fl., 27 Sec. 3, Chung San N. Rd., Taipei 104, Taiwan, R.O.C.Phone: 886-2-25856688 Fax: 886-2-25989900/25978989

Email: email@deepnfar.com.tw Website: www.deepnfar.com.tw

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

C O V E R S T O R Y

• RomuloMabantaBuenaventuraSayoc&delosAngeles

• SyCipSalazarHernandez&Gatmaitan

• Villaraza&Angangco

TIER 2• Baranda&Associates• BengzonNegreUntalan.Simply,IP

• BetitaCabilaoCasuelaSarmiento

• CaragCaballesJamora&Somera

• MarksPro• PuyatJacinto&Santos

SINGAPOREPATENTS

TIER 1• Allen&Gledhill• AmicaLaw• Baker&McKenzieWong&Leow• Bird&BirdATMD• DentonsRodyk• Drew&Napier• Donaldson&Burkinshaw• JurisAsia• Lee&Lee• Marks&Clerk• Rajah&Tann

TIER 2• DaviesCollisonCave• EvershedsHarryElias• JoyceA.Tan&Partners• GatewayLawCorporation• MayerBrown• MorganLewis• OCQueenStreet• RavindranAssociates• RHTLawAsia• Spruson&Ferguson• Viering,Jentschura&Partner

TIER 3• CantabIP• CNPLaw• MirandahAsia• StephensonHarwood• WongPartnership

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• Allen&Gledhill• AmicaLaw• Baker&McKenzieWong&Leow• Bird&BirdATMD• DentonsRodyk• Drew&Napier• Donaldson&Burkinshaw• EvershedsHarryElias• GatewayLawCorporation• JurisAsia• Lee&Lee• OCQueenStreet• Rajah&Tann• RHTLawAsia• WongPartnership

TIER 2• CNPLaw• JoyceA.Tan&Partners

• RavindranAssociates• Robinson

TIER 3• DaviesCollisonCave• MayerBrown• MirandahAsia• MorganLewis• StephensonHarwood• Spruson&Ferguson

SOUTH KOREAPATENTS

TIER 1• Bae,Kim&Lee• Kim&Chang• Lee&Ko• Ropes&Gray• Shin&Kim• Yoon&Yang• Yulchon

TIER 2• C&SPatentandLawOffice• Dr.AhnInternationalPatentLawOffice

• Finnegan,Henderson,Farabow,Garrett&Dunner

• LeeInternationalIP&LawGroup• RoyalPatent&LawFirm

TIER 3• AIPPatent&LawFirm• AJUKimChang&Lee• BarunIP&Law• CentralIntellectualProperty&Law

• Cho&Partners• KasanIP&LawFirm• Kim,Choi&Lim• KoreanaPatentFirm• MuhannPatent&LawFirm• StephensonHarwood• YangjaeLawFirm• YOUMEPatent&LawFirm• Y.P.LeeMock&Partners• 5TInternationalPatentLawFirm

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• Bae,Kim&Lee• Kim&Chang• Lee&Ko• Shin&Kim• Yoon&Yang• Yulchon

TIER 2• AJUKimChang&Lee• Finnegan,Henderson,Farabow,Garrett&Dunner

• KBKPatentLawOffice• LeeInternationalIP&LawGroup

• Ropes&Gray

TIER 3• BarunIP&Law• CentralInternationalLawFirm• Cho&Partners• Jipyong• Kim,Choi&Lim• MuhannPatent&LawFirm

• StephensonHarwood• YOUMEPatent&LawFirm• YPLeeMock&Partners

TAIWANPATENTS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• Finnegan,Henderson,Farabow,Garrett&Dunner

• JonesDay• LeeandLi• SaintIslandInternationalPatent&LawOffices

• TaiEInternationalPatent&Law• TIPLO

TIER 2• Chen&Lin• FormosanBrothers• FormosaTransnational• Tsar&Tsai• WinklerPartners

TIER 3• Deep&Far• Eiger• Tsai,Lee&Chen

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• Chen&Lin• Eiger• LeeandLi• SaintIslandInternationalPatent&LawOffices

• TaiEInternationalPatent&Law• Tsar&Tsai• TIPLO• WinklerPartners

TIER 2• Deep&Far• Finnegan,Henderson,Farabow,Garrett&Dunner

• FormosaTransnational• FormosanBrothers• JonesDay• Tsai,Lee&Chen

THAILANDPATENTS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• DomnernSomgiat&Boonma• Rouse• Tilleke&Gibbins• ZICOIP

TIER 2• Apisith&Alliance• Chavalit&Associates• Satyapon&Partners• SiamPremierInternational• Vidon&Partners

TIER 3• AnandaIP• Dej–Udom&Associates

• DharmnitiLawOffice• MayerBrown

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• DomnernSomgiat&Boonma• Tilleke&Gibbins• ZICOIP

TIER 2• Apisith&Alliance• Chavalit&Associates• Rouse• Satyapon&Partners• SiamPremierInternational• Vidon&Partners

TIER 3• AnandaIP• Dej–Udom&Associates• DharmnitiLawOffice• MayerBrown

VIETNAMPATENTS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• Pham&Associates• Tilleke&Gibbins• Vision&Associates

TIER 2• HoganLovells• IndochineCounsel• InvestConsultGroup• Rouse• SBLaw• ZICOLaw

TIER 3• BROSS&Partners• IPMAXLaw• Phuoc&Partners• MayerBrown

COPYRIGHT/TRADEMARKS

TIER 1• Baker&McKenzie• BROSS&Partners• HoganLovells• IPMAXLaw• Tilleke&Gibbins• Vision&Associates

TIER 2• IndochineCounsel• InvestConsultGroup• Pham&Associates• Rouse• SBLaw• ZICOLaw

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Deep & Far is confident to be the best IP firm, and is prepared to take challenge for verification of its competence by receiving from the client, e.g. 1) a pending or granted patent for comments about how it can improve the claims, 2) a pending patent specification without the claims for drafting the claims for comparison with the original claims, or 3) an initial disclosure for preparing a claim set at the same time with the firm the client is currently using so that the client can compare and find out which firm can provide the better claims. The claims Deep & Far prepares always trap therein all competitors of the clients.

台北市中山北路三段27號13樓 業務涵括知識產權之申請、侵權及訴訟13th Fl., 27 Sec. 3, Chung San N. Rd., Taipei 104, Taiwan, R.O.C.Phone: 886-2-25856688 Fax: 886-2-25989900/25978989

Email: email@deepnfar.com.tw Website: www.deepnfar.com.tw

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

C O V E R S T O R Y

COUNTRY REPORTS

Hong KongLast December, Hong Kong startedacceptingandexaminingfilingsunderanewpatentsystemwhichcreatesadirectrouteforapplicantsofstandardpatentprotection.

“TheOGP(originalgrantpatent)systemdemonstratesthegovernment’scommitment to bringing the localpatentsystemonparwiththemain-streampatentpracticesoftheinterna-tionalcommunity.ItwillalsofacilitatethedevelopmentoftheinnovationandtechnologysectorinHongKong,”saysDavidWong,HongKong’sdirectorofIP.

Asoneofthebusiertradehubsintheregion,HongKongwasaroutinelegforgloballawfirmsmanagingforeignIPformultiplejurisdictionsintheregion.Passingoffand trademark infringe-mentcases involving foreignbrandsweresomeofthetopcaseshandledbytoplawfirmslastyear.

Inmostcases,thework,fromduediligence,toprosecution,orenforce-ment,bundledtheterritorywithneigh-bouringMacauandChina.Inonekeyaccount forMcDonald’s, DLA PiperhandledIPmanagementfortheiconicAmericanbrandinHongKong,Macau,andMainlandChinaasitrampedupitsbrandprotectionstrategyintheregionfollowingthedivestmentofitsassetsinthethreeterritoriestoCITICandCarlyleinadealreportedlyworth$2billion.

Inanotherlandmarkcasehandledlastyear,MayerBrownworkedwiththeAsiaVideoIndustryAssociationtofindasolutiontocopyrightinfringementinInternetstreamingpendingchangesinHongKong’scopyrightregulation.

IndiaIPisbothasourceofprideandamatterofcontentioninIndiaespeciallywithsome of its trading partners whichdemandhigherlevelofprotectionfortheirexportedIPs.

TheU.S.forinstance,inits2019Special301ReportthatputIndiaonthePriorityWatchListcontinuedtopushforreformsinthecountry’spatentsystem.

“India has yet to take steps toaddresslong-standingpatent issuesthat affect innovative industries.Companies across different sectorsremainconcernedaboutnarrowpatent-abilitystandards,thepotentialthreatofcompulsorylicensingandpatentrevo-cations,aswellasoverlybroadcriteriaforissuingsuchlicensesandrevocationsundertheIndiaPatentsAct,”itsays.

IPisofparticular importanceinIndia’spharmaceuticalindustry.India’sgenericdrugs industry istheworld’sbiggestandlocalmanufacturersareeithercompetitorsorcollaboratorsoftheworld’stoppharmaceuticalcompa-nies.Naturally,thecaseloadoftoplawfirmsinIndialastyearincludedfilingsandlitigationcasesforbothdomesticandforeignpharmaceuticalfirms.

Outsidepharmaceutical,Anand

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&AnandhandledalandmarkcaseforFeridAllaniagainsttheUnionofIndiawhichcouldpavethewayforsoftwareinnovationpatents,atimelydevelop-mentamidsttheriseofAIsandblock-chain technologies. In its decision,thecourtforthefirsttimegaveanewinterpretationofSection3(k)ofIndia’sPatentsActwhichexcludesalgorithmsfromgettingapatent.

Incopyright,oneofthebigtrans-actionshandledbyAZB&PartnerswasThomasCookIndia’s$1.9millionacquisi-tionofthe‘ThomasCook’brandforIndia,SriLankaandMauritius.ThisenabledThomasCookIndiatoretainthebrandinthethreejurisdictionsdespiteThomasCookUKenteringintoliquidation.

AjaySahni&Associateswereinthetoptierinbothpatents,aswellastrademarksandcopyright.Owingtoaboom in theeCommerce industry,the firm received severalmandatestoinitiateenforcementactionagainstcounterfeitersonpopulareCommerce

websitesandsocialmediaplatforms,sayspartnerKritikaSahni.“Withbusi-nessesgoingdigitalandgettingaccesstoaglobalaudience,infringersareusingmoresophisticatedtechniquessuchasautomatedbotstocreatenewselleraccountsorsocialmediahandleswhenpreviousonesgetdelistedorblocked,”shesays.“Anotherdisturbingtrendthatemergedwasthemushroomingoflocalstartupsthatstealfrompatentsownedbylargermultinationalcompanies,oftennotcommercialisedinIndia,andreceivelargeseedorpre-seriesAfundingfromVCs,usuallywithoutconductingIPduediligence.Wereceivedmanybriefstocontestpre-grantoppositionsagainstsuchinfringingpatentapplications–thatwereoftenonafast-trackroute,owingtotheapplicant’sstartupstatus.”

IndonesiaDespiteexperiencingaslowereconomicgrowthof5.02percentin2019,SoutheastAsia’slargesteconomycontinuedtobe

anin-demandmarketforforeignbrandsintheregion.

Withitsstrongconsumermarketandhavingthefourthlargestpopulationintheworld,IPprotection,especiallyofcopyrightandtrademarks,accountedforabigshareinthecaseloadofIPlawfirmsinIndonesia.

BasedonWIPOdata,trademarkfilingshadbeenonanincreasesince2015,postingagrowthof59percentinfouryears.TrademarkfilingsviatheMadridsystemstoodat65,206in2018.PatentfilingsviaPCT,meanwhile,wereat1,451inthesameyear.

AtthetopofthelistofconcernsofIPholdersinthecountryaretherela-tivelywidespreadpiracyandcounter-feiting.Oflate,lawfirmshavehandledanincreasingnumberofIPdisputesontheInternetandsocialmedia.

While IP work continued to becopyright and trademark-heavy,patentprotectionisgaininggroundinIndonesia.

www.drewnapier.com • ip@drewnapier.com • T: +65 6535 0733

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C O V E R S T O R Y

Lastyear,theDirektoratJenderalKekayaanIntelektualsignedanagree-mentonreinforcedpartnershipwiththeEuropeanPatentOffice,thesecondIPofficetodosoinSoutheastAsiaafterMalaysia.Theagreementisaimedatstrengtheningbilateralcooperationoncapacityforsearchingandexaminingapplications amid steady growth inpatentfilings.

Demandforcomplexpatentworkhas also started to pour in. Tilleke&Gibbins handled one for PingAnTechnology,thetechincubatorandAIR&DarmofChina’slargestinsurancecompany.

JapanDespitetherelativelysluggishperfor-manceofIPfilingsinJapaninrecentyears compared to its East Asiancounterparts, it remainsoneof thetop producers of innovation in theregionandanindispensablemarketforforeignIP.

Japan’s totalnumberofpatentapplicationsdeclinedby1.78percentto 307,969 in 2019.Whiledomesticfilingswereslightlydown,internationalpatentapplicationsgrewby4.6percentto66,968fromthepreviousyear.Patentregistrationstotalled179,910lastyear.

KoreaLastyear,SouthKoreaintroducedanewlaw,theMedicalDeviceIndustryandInnovativeMedicalDeviceSupportAct,whichisaimedatpromotingthedevel-opmentofnewinnovativetechnologiesandcreatinganewbreedoflocalinno-vativecompanies.

TherewasnoshortageoflandmarkcasesinSouthKorealastyear,especiallyinhealthcare.

Yulchon successfully repre-sentedGSKinapreliminaryinjunctionproceedinginatrademarkinfringementandunfaircompetitioncaseagainstadomestic pharmaceutical companyover itsdisk-shaped inhalerbearing

similarappearancetoGSK’sDiskus.Inthisparticularcase,thefirmwasabletoconvincethecourtthattherewasalikelihoodofconfusiondespiteitbeingaprescriptiondrug.

MalaysiaFollowingMalaysia’simplementationofitsnewtrademarklawlastyear,asubse-quentincreaseinfilings,especiallyfornon-traditionaltrademarksisseen.

TheTrademarksAct2019offersprotectionforshapeofgoods,pack-aging,sound,scent,colour,holograms,positioningandsequenceofmotionsthatcouldbegraphicallypresentedtoidentifygoodsandservices.ThenewlawhasalsoraisedpenaltyfortrademarkinfringementstoRM1million($232,070),amaximumoffiveyearsimprisonment,orboth.

In 2019, trademark filings inMalaysiawere upby 6.6 percent to46,530whileregistrationsdippedby43.6percentto19,481.Industrialdesign

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numberofcopyrightcases involvingpartiesbasedinotherpartsofAsia.

OnelandmarkcopyrightcaseinSingaporelastyearwastheonehandledby Allen & Gledhill for Sea Group/Garena.Itwastoutedasthefirstcopy-rightcaseinthecity-staterelatingtothemobilegameindustry.

TonyYeo,managingdirectorandheadofTier1firmDrew&Napier’sIPpractice,andYvonneTang,adirectorintheIPpractice,saythatthedepart-menthasbeenkeptbusythisyearas2020broughtonawholenewsetofchallenges.“InlightoftheCOVID-19pandemic, the department had toquickly adapt to allow for work tocontinueseamlessly,firstonanalter-nativeteambasisasabusinessconti-nuitymeasureandsubsequentlytoafullwork-from-homebasis,”theysay.“ThesemeasureswereimplementedswiftlyandefficientlytoallowDrew&Napiertohonouritscommitmenttoourclientstocontinuetoprovideexcellentserviceregardlessofthecircumstanceslikewehavedonesoforthepastyears.Wearegratefulforourclients’continuedtrustandconfidenceinourwork.”

SignificantmilestonesforDrew’sIPpractice in2019-20 includedYeobeing appointed to the IntellectualPropertyofSingapore’s(IPOS)panelofIPAdjudicatorsforatwo-yeartermstartingApril2019.“OnlyaverysmallnumberofleadingprivatepractitionersareappointedasIPAdjudicators,”sayYeoandTang.“AsanIPAdjudicator,TonyrecentlyheardatrademarkoppositionmatteratIPOS.Thematterispendinghiswrittenjudgment.”

Also,ateamcomprisingYeoandfellowdirectorMerylKoh,andseniorassociate JavierYeo, represented IIaTechnologies,anindustryleaderandmanufactureroflab-growndiamondswiththelargestdiamondgrowingfacilityintheworld,inapatentinfringementsuitcommencedbyElementSixTechnologies,asubsidiaryoftheDeBeersGroup,inSingaporeHighCourtSuitNo.26of2016.“ThesuitincludesacounterclaimbyIIaTechnologiesto invalidateandrevokeElementSixTechnologies’patentsintheSingaporeHighCourt.Thesuitwasoneofthelongestpatentinfringement

trialsheardinSingapore,spanningoversevenweeksintwotranches,”sayYeoandTang.“Theissuesinthesuitinvolveextremelytechnicalandcontentiousandhighlycomplexpatentinvalidationandinfringementissues,makingitoneofthemostcomplexpatentinfringementcasethattheSingaporeHighCourthasheard.Thereweretwopatentsconcerned,bothofwhichrelatetodiamondsgrownbychemicalvapourdeposition(CVD).”

TheyaddthattheSingaporeHighCourtdelivered itswritten judgmentonFeb.7 thisyear.“TheHighCourtagreedwithIIaTechnologiesthatoneofElementSix’spatentwasneithernewnorinventiveandorderedforthepatenttoberevoked,”sayYeoandTang.“Asaninvalidpatentisacompletedefencetoinfringement,theHighCourtalsofoundthatIIaTechnologiesdidnotinfringethesaidpatent.Asfortheotherpatent,theHighCourtfoundthatthepatentwasvalidand infringed. IIaTechnologieshasfiledanappealagainstthisfindingandDrew&NapierwillrepresentIIaTechnologies Pte Ltd at the appealbeforetheCourtofAppeal.”

Additionally,Tangandherteam,senior associate JaswinKaur KhosaandassociateEdsmondCheong,alsosuccessfullyrepresentedAdidasinitsappealagainstthedecisionofPrincipalAssistantRegistrarofTrademarks,inatrademarkoppositioncommencedin2016againstamarkfiledinClass25byLutongEnterprisewhichresembledaninversionoftheiconicAdidastrape-zoidmark.

TaiwanTaiwan,aknowntechnologymanufac-turinghub,isseentobeabigwinnerfromtheU.S.-Chinatradewar.ArecentreportbytheUNConferenceonTradeandDevelopment(UNCTAD)estimatedtheamountofwindfalltotheislandfromthetradetensiontoreach$4.2billion.

The Government of TaiwanlaunchedlastyearaprogramtoluremoreTaiwanesecompaniesoperatingintheMainlandforatleasttwoyearsandareaffectedbythetradetensiontomovebackhome.Thetransferscouldgiveaddedlifttoitstechnologyindustry.

Lastyear,patentapplicationsin

applicationsby3.1percentto1,904whileregistrationsweredownby16percentto1,238.Meanwhile,patentapplicationsin2019grewby3.3percentto7,743whileregistrationsfellby3.8percentto4,213.

PhilippinesThePhilippinessawrecordgrowthinIPprotectionfilingsin2019,withtotalfilingsincreasingby10percentfromthepreviousyearto43,000.

Being a consumption-driveneconomywithstronggrowthprospects,filingsfortrademarkslastyeargrewby10percentto39,399.Mostofthefilingswereintheareasofagriculturalprod-uctsandservicesandpharmaceuticals,health,andcosmetics.

Industrial design applicationsgrewby7percentto1,631;utilitymodelfilingsincreasedby4percentto2,228;andpatentfilingsgrewby2percentto4,024from3,962.ThetopfilersforpatentprotectionwerefromtheU.S.,Japan,andChina.

Like the rest of the developingeconomiesintheregion,IPprotectioninthecountry ishamperedbycoun-terfeitingandpiracy.Thecaseloadofthetoplawfirmsincludedconductingcriminalraidactionsformostlyforeignbrands.TheincreasingpopularityoftheInternethasalsocreatedanewavenueforcounterfeitersandcopyrightpiratestodistributefakeproducts.

SingaporeInastepaimedatstrengtheningitsposi-tionastheregion’salternativedisputeresolutionhubforIP,SingaporeworkedwiththeWIPOArbitrationandMediationCentertoofferreducedratestobusi-nessesandcreatorswhooptformedia-tiontoresolvecopyrightdisputesinthecity-state.Thepreviousarrangementonlycoveredpatents,registereddesigns,andtrademarks.

“Thegoalisforthediversestake-holdersinthecopyrightandcreativeindustries to gain greater access tomoreefficientandcost-effectiveroutesto resolve their copyright disputes,including those relating to collec-tivemanagementandorphanworks,”theSingaporeIPOfficesays.Itnotesthattherehadbeenanincreaseinthe

25ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – MAY 2020W W W.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM

Taiwanincreasedby2percentfromthepreviousyearto74,652.Ofthetotal,inventionpatentswereat48,268;designpatents at 8,804; andutilitymodelpatentsat17,580.

Thegovernmentreportedthatthetotalinventionpatentapplicationsfiledbyresidentsat18,984in2019wasthehighestinfiveyearsduetoincreasesinthenumberofapplicationsfiledbycorporations, large enterprises andsmallandmedium-sizedenterprises.Inpatents,JapanesefirmswerethetopapplicantsfollowedbyChinesefirms.

Inadditiontopatentfilings,toplawfirmsinTaiwanforIPwerekeptbusyhandlinginfringementcases,withsomepatent-relatedcasesmattersofcross-borderlitigation.

Meanwhile,trademarkapplicationsat86,794werethehighestsince2001.“Thiswasduemainlytoa3percentincreaseinresidentapplications,”thegovernmentreports.

“Some industrieshavestronglybackedupeitherthepatentortrademark

filingsin2019soeverythinglooksquitewell fromtherelevantstatistics,”CFTsai,managingpartnerofTaiwanesefirmDeep&Far,said.“However,fromthefirm’sperspective,2019wasahard-shipyearbecausethisfirmwassubjecttoalasttransitionperiodfromhuman-basedmanagementtodeeplycomputer-basedonebywhichwehaveseenvarioussignsofrecoveryevenattheseCOVID-19rampantmonths.”

ThailandIPprotectionhasimprovedconsider-ablyinThailand,butafewchallengesremained,atleastthat’saccordingtotheU.S.inits2019Special301Report.

“Concernsremainregardingtheavailabilityofcounterfeitandpiratedgoods,both inphysicalmarketsandonline,”itsaysinitsunilateralreviewofIPprotectionofitstradingpartners.ThereportputThailandonthewatchlistwithVietnaminAsia,whileChina,India,andIndonesiawereontheprioritywatchlist.

Indeed,IPprotectionanddeploying

anti-counterfeitingmeasuresfortheirclientsformedabigpartoftheworkoflawfirmsinThailandlastyear.

Forthebiggerlawfirms,theworkcoveredmanagingIPportfolioforthelargerSoutheastAsia.Inonecase,ZICOIPdidthetrademarkportfoliomanage-mentineightcountriesinSoutheastAsiaforpropertyandcasualtyinsurerChubbLimited.

VietnamVietnampassedanew law lastyeareffectingkeychangestoitsIPregula-tionandtomakeitmorealignedwiththetermsofanewtradeagreementitsignedwith10countries,theComprehensiveandProgressiveAgreementforTrans-PacificPartnership(CPTPP).

Amongthechangesarethelongergraceperiodforpatentapplicationsfromthedateofpublicdisclosureto12monthsfromtheprevioussixmonthsandthetermsindeterminingcommonnameofgoodsinapplicationsforgeographicalindications.

AjaySahni&Associates(ASA)isaboutiquecorporatelawpracticefocusedonintellectualproperty,innovationandtechnology.Thefirmwasfoundedin1983withtheobjectiveofrenderingcreative,robustandeffectivestrategiclegaladviceandrepresentationalservices.

ASAiscommittedtodeliveringout-of-the-box,avant gardesolutionstocomplexproblemsfacedbyitsclients.Theteamstrivestoworkwithitsclientsaspartners,helpingthemmanageriskandnavigatechallenginglegalandbusinesslandscapes.

ASAhasaverystrongdisputesandenforcementpracticewithover100reportedjudgmentsinleadinglawjournalsandreportstoitscredit.ThefirmhandleslargeIPportfoliosformanyFortune500clients(bothIndianandinternational)ontheprosecu-tionside.Ithasvariousawardsandlistingstoitscredit,suchastheInternationalClientChoiceAward(Trademark),World Trademark Review(Leadingfirmandindividualinenforcement&litigationaswellasprosecution&strategycategories),Thomson Reuters Asian Legal Business IP Rankings(Tier1firmforTrademarkandCopyright,Tier2firmforPatent)andThomson Reuters Asian Legal Business India Rising Stars 2019,amongothers.Itsmembersserveonvariouscommitteesandexpertgroupsininternationalassocia-tions,aswellasgovernmentbodies.

ASAworkswithasophisticatedartificialintelligenceandautomationbasedin-housetrademarkportfoliomanagementsystemtomanagecompliances,monitorthreatsandalertsforclients.ItisalsothefirstlawfirminIndiatoofferblockchain-basedIPprotec-tionservices.

ASAisledbyitsfounderAjaySahni,whohasbeenpractisingIPlawsince1983attheSupremeCourt,highcourts,districtcourtsandtribunallevelsacrossIndia.Hehasarguednumerouslandmarkcases,manyofwhichhavebeenreportedinleadinglawreportsandjournals.Hisdisputeresolutionexperiencecoversawidespectrumofindus-tries,includingpharmaceutical,retail,infrastructure,realestate,automotive,finance,fast-movingconsumergoods,power,telecommunications,education,chemicalandindustrialproducts.

A strong founderMrSahni’sexperienceisevidentinthenumberofkeypositionsheholdsorhasheld:• formervicepresidentatIntellectualPropertyAttorneysAssociation,NewDelhi;• formervicepresidentatAsianPatentAttorneysAssociation(IndiaChapter);• invitedbytheRajyaSabhaSecretariat(upperhouseoftheParliamentofIndia)

andexaminedasanexpertwitnessbytheParliamentaryStandingCommitteeonCommerceinrelationtotheTrademarks(Amendment)Bill2007;

• memberontheAdvisoryBoardofThe Patents and Trademarks Cases,aleadingmonthlyjournalofIPcaselawinIndia;

• regularspeakeronIPlawsattheInstituteofCompanySecretaries,theInstituteofCharteredAccountants,theHaryanaPoliceAcademyandtheExportPromotionCouncilofIndia;and

• formerlyappointedasaseniorpanelcounselintheHighCourtofDelhiforconductingcentralgovernmentcases.

Inaddition,MrSahnihaswrittenextensivelyonthesubjectofIPlaw,includingas:• arevisingauthorofLal’sCommentary on the Indian Copyright Act,1957;and• aco-authorofsevenvolumesofthebooktitledCases and Materials on Trademarks

and Allied Laws.

Firm’s key service offeringsLitigation, enforcement and dispute resolution• Handlingcivil,criminalandregulatorycasesoninfringementofpatent,trademark,

copyright,design,tradesecrets,unfaircompetition;commercialmediationandarbitration

• IPdawnraids,enforcementcasesanddomainnamedisputes• Disputestrategy,riskassessment,draftingofsubmissions,preparationofdocumen-

tation,evidence,witnessesProsecution, compliance and audit• IPprosecution• Entryassistance:clearancesearches,landscapestudies,freedom-to-operatesearches• IPauditsandhealthchecks• IPcompliancemanagementservices• Cutting-edgetoolsbasedonautomationandAIfor360-degreeIPmonitoring,threat

assessmentandcompliancemanagementservicesTransactional• AcquisitionandcommercialisationofIPassets• IPvaluation• Technologytransactionsandlicensing• SafeguardingIPassetsinmergers,acquisitionsandjointventuresAdvisory and public policy• Anti-counterfeitinvestigations,forensicsandenforcementstrategy• Customsborderprotectionassistanceandstrategy• Branding,advertising,marketing,packagingandlabellingstrategies• Drugandpharmaregulatoryfilings,representationandsupport• Dataprotectionandprivacy• Publicpolicyadvisory,advocacyandstrategiclitigationsupport

AjaySahni&Associates177, Lawyers’ Chambers, Delhi High Court, New Delhi 110003 T +91 11 41032782, 41022982 E postbox@asahni.co W www.asahni.co

BROUGHTTOYOUBYA JAY SAHNI & ASSOCIATES