We are delighted to have received such glowing results in this year’s Legal 500 for Asia-Pacific.
China – Foreign Firms
Tier 2
Rouse’s IP group is ‘outstanding’ and has ‘excellent understanding of the Chinese business and legal context’. It excels in patent infringement and enforcement, where household name and multinational brands turn to the experienced team for investigations and litigation. Its team of over 260 professionals is spread across the firm’s Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong offices. Linda Chang manages the department’s operations in China from the Shanghai office; key contacts include August Zhang, who has longstanding experience in trade mark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition matters, and Carol Wang, whose practice takes in copyright, brand and design protection and patent prosecution and litigation. Also recommended are Tim Smith and Australia-qualified consultant Charlotte Trinh.
Leading Individuals – Linda Chang
Recommended – August Zhang, Carol Wang, Tim Smith, Charlotte Trinh
Hong Kong
Tier 3
Working closely with colleagues in China, the five-strong team at Rouse Legal Hong Kong provides a ‘superb soft IP offering’ on Greater China matters and is noted for its ability to effectively coordinate regional trade mark filing programmes for international clients. Theresa Mak is advising Wrigley Company on its trade mark portfolio and IP protection strategy in Hong Kong and Macau. The team is also praised for its ‘excellent customs work’, which frequently sees it working with customs officials on border seizures and conducting inland raids. Adelaide Yu and Chris Vale are also recommended. Other clients include MARS Inc, Jaguar Land Rover and Samsonite.
Recommended – Adelaide Yu, Chris Vale
Indonesia
Tier 1
Suryomurcito & Co. in association with Rouse handles a range of IP matters, with a strong track record in contentious matters. Lisa Yong heads the practice and recently advised on the raids of two distributors selling counterfeit pipes. Nick Redfearn advised on trade mark prosecution for Procter & Gamble. Kin Wah Chow worked on a trade mark cancellation for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and advised Harley-Davidson on raids against three online retailers. Tania Lovita was instructed by Morgan Stanley regarding the domain name morganstanley.id. Senior associate Arifia Fajra handled patent prosecution for Unilever.
Leading Individual – Gunawan Suryomurcito
Philippines
Tier 1
IP boutique Baranda & Associates is led by patent specialist Edmund Baranda, and provides the full range of IP legal and consultancy services, with strength on both the contentious and non-contentious side. Jose Genilo was recently made partner.
Thailand
Tier 2
Rouse is a well-known IP outfit in the Bangkok market and handles contentious and non-contentious patent, trade mark, copyright and geographical indication work. The team handles filing, prosecution and litigation, but also has experience in commercial contracts and provides consultancy services. The department is divided into three groups: a trade mark team headed by Nuttachai Unaratana, a patent group led by Prasit Siricheepchaiyan and a disputes group headed by Peeraya Thammasujarit. Fabrice Mattei is the managing partner for Thailand and Myanmar. Clients of the department have included MIT, The New Era Cap Co and Asahi Golf Co.
Leading Individual – Fabrice Mattei
Vietnam
Tier 3
Rouse Legal’s Vietnam office, led by Chris Vale, undertakes trade mark matters for leading Western brands across a range of sectors, covering registration and anti-counterfeiting advice. Vale, executive Yen Vu and senior associate and trade mark head Anh Nguyen advised Wrigley Company on registering the word ‘extra’ for chewing gum, following an initial refusal. Other clients include the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Van Yen and Moc Chau communities, which the firm assisted with registering geographical origins for Van Yen cinnamon and Moc Chau Shan Tuyet tea in Thailand. Other clients include Pharmavite, and leading players in publishing, the media, and engineering.