Bird & Bird‘s 'unrivalled' Greater China IP team is highly experienced in trade marks, patents, trade secrets, copyright and designs, covering both strategic commercial IP advice along with IP disputes. It is additionally well known for its sector specialisms in technology and innovation-driven areas, such as life sciences, healthcare, retail, consumer, media, entertainment and sports (including e-gaming). The firm also has its own IP consultancy in Beijing, which facilitates the conduct of trade mark and copyright matters directly before mainland Chinese government departments; and through its association with  PRC firm Lawjay Partners, it assists with litigation before China's courts. Christine Yiu is the key Shanghai partner; and in Beijing, Rieko Michishita is routinely instructed by Japanese companies, and counsel Dorie Wong is a May 2022-elevated partner. Over in Hong Kong, Matthew Laight is the Asia-Pacific IP group leader, while Hank Leung is a brand and product design expert.

DLA Piper‘s Greater China team has enviable sector expertise in media, sports, entertainment, consumer goods, food, retail, life sciences and technology. The group manages the IP portfolios of major global brands, while its IP advice covers cross-border anti-piracy operations, global trade mark clearances and disputes, acquisitions, and IP tax restructuring. The Asia IP practice is co-led by Beijing-based Horace Lam, whose practice covers pan-Asia brand protection strategies, cross-border IP litigation, infringement and enforcement work, technology and knowhow transfer and licensing, and IP structuring and transactions; and brand protection and enforcement specialist Edward Chatterton in Hong Kong. The mainland group also features recently promoted partner Ting Xiao, the leader of the firm’s patent practice in China; and senior IP team consultants Allen Xu and Asher Yan. In late 2021, William (Skip) Fisher relocated from Shanghai to the firm’s Seattle office, while Reking Chen left the firm in November 2022.

Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s ‘very strong‘ Greater China practice is sought out by pharmaceutical industry, internet and technology companies for cutting-edge IP issues, such as patent linkage and best practices, including the protection of employee-related trade secrets; and through the firm’s associated legal practice in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, Fujian Fidelity Law Firm, the team routinely acts in heavyweight IP litigation. On the mainland, China and US-qualified head of Asia IPMT Helen Xia is a specialist in IP disputes, portfolio management, obtaining and enforcing IP rights, and commercial licensing; and Zhen (Katie) Feng focuses on IP litigation and brand protection work. At counsel level, Grace Guo‘s practice ranges from trade marks and copyright, to domain names, patents and trade secrets; and Yu-An Chang advises multinational and Chinese companies on the procurement, protection, enforcement and commercialisation of IP assets. Eugene Low heads the IPMT group in Hong Kong.

With 'extensive experience and capabilities', Jones Day‘s China IP practice has a notably strong track record in the technology and life sciences sectors. It is routinely instructed by large companies on major IP matters; and its broad experience covers IP prosecution, litigation and transactions in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Europe and the US. Representative areas range from multinational companies' inbound disputes, IP transactions and China portfolio strategies, to acting for Chinese companies in outbound litigation. The firm can also boast its own IP agency in China. On the mainland, former co-chair of the IP subcommittee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Anthony Chen, has longstanding experience in cross-border, China-related IP matters; and 2021-appointed partner Guoping Da regularly acts in IP enforcement and infringement actions. Chen and Da are both 'extraordinary attorneys'. Over in Hong Kong, Haifeng Huang maintains a broad IP disputes practice.

Deacons‘ Hong Kong-based IP team, which also leverages support from representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, acts for some of the world’s best-known brands. The firm houses patent attorneys, who are  qualified in Australia, China, Europe and the UK, and has a longstanding track record  in handling large trade mark portfolios and prosecution matters. The IP department is co-led by IP expert Charmaine Koo, and Annie Tsoi, who consistently acts for leading companies from the luxury goods, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, entertainment, fashion and electronics sectors. Also integral to the group are patents and designs practice leader, Catherine Zheng, a specialist in China IP protection strategy and contentious matters; Dora Si, who provides 'quick responses' and 'firm and concise advice', and advises on China-related data privacy and cybersecurity issues; and China-focused technology specialist Ian Liu, who is particularly active in IP litigation and enforcement work, along with commercial IP matters.

The broad sector expertise of Mayer Brown‘s Hong Kong-based IP practice covers several key areas, including financial services, construction, manufacturing, retail, luxury and fashion. It also fields specialists in the real estate, hospitality and TMT sectors. The group handles hundreds of IP disputes each year, including matters involving company hijacking cases, litigation and arbitration, many of which comprise insolvency issues or cross-border elements. It also assists global brands with strategies for enforcing IP rights, covering customs seizures and administrative actions. Co-leader of the global IP practice, Gabriela Kennedy, a go-to practitioner for technology start-ups, media companies and universities, also leads the firm's trade mark agency in Beijing. Also highly regarded are Amita Haylock, whose IP rights practice ranges from trade marks, to copyright, designs and patents; and counsel, Michelle Yee, a brand management expert.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP‘s broad China IP practice ranges from patents, trade marks and trade secrets, to copyright. In relation to the IP aspects of technology disputes, clients particularly appreciate the firm's large team of patent attorneys, who have engineering, science and law degrees, but are also qualified as patent agents and lawyers. The mainland China-based group is also sought out for its experience in China-US IP litigation, and is a go-to practice for the representation of Chinese companies before the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The expertise of China IP head Xiang Wang covers patent, copyright and trade mark infringements, trade secrets' misappropriation, and industrial espionage; and Yufeng (Ethan) Ma regularly assists with IP litigation before the ITC and the US federal courts. The team also features Shelley Zhang, whose practice comprises patent enforcement litigation and invalidation proceedings, trade secret enforcements, anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy.

Operating out of Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shanghai, SIPS – Simone Intellectual Property Services is a go-to practice for the registration, enforcement and licensing of China-related IP rights, particularly trade marks and copyright; and the firm's trade mark agency, SIPS (Shanghai), is authorised to act in trade mark prosecutions before the China National Intellectual Property Administration. As of mid-2021, the firm is a member of an IP services firm group that includes a patent agency (Beijing EastIP) and investigation firm (SinoFaith). Dividing his time between Hong Kong and Shanghai, Joe Simone is a widely respected China IP expert; and in Hong Kong, Dan Plane specialises in enforcements, prosecutions and anti-counterfeiting, along with supply chain integrity, while Helen Tang is Hong Kong practice head. Over in Shanghai, US-qualified Joshua Miller is an enforcement and registry expert; and in Beijing, trade mark prosecution and enforcement specialist Irene Liu is office general manager.

Clifford Chance LLP‘s Greater China and Asia Pacific IP group comprises both IP specialists and commercial lawyers from the firm's corporate, litigation and dispute resolution teams, who consistently handle both contentious and transactional IP issues. With longstanding experience in advising clients on IP-related matters in the Greater China region, Hong Kong-based IP Asia group head Ling Ho 'impresses with her analysis', while in Shanghai Lei Shi is a PRC-related IP disputes expert. In April 2022, Yi Yang, who advises multinational clients from the pharmaceutical, healthcare, consumer goods and manufacturing industries on IP matters, was made partner.

A go-to practice for companies requiring brand protection globally, K&L Gates‘ Greater China IP practice ranges from portfolio management and prosecution work to litigation. Its expertise covers patent litigation, section 337 investigations before the US' ITC, and portfolio development matters in the US, Asia, Australia and Europe. Dividing his time between Hong Kong and Beijing, Jay Chiu is a widely respected US-qualified IP litigator; and Beijing counsel Edward Yao advises on IP creation, protection and enforcement work, along with anti-counterfeiting and licensing programmes. Hong Kong-based Winnie Chan advises on trade marks, copyright, designs, patents and domain names.

With experience in the pharmaceutical, biologics, diagnostics, medical devices, medicinal chemicals and vaccine sectors, Morrison Foerster‘s IP practice ranges from prosecution and litigation, to licensing work. In Hong Kong, Asia technology head Gordon Milner assists with IP matters, while Chuan Sun in Shanghai 'provides excellent technical and commercial advice'.

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s Hong Kong-based Greater China IP team advises on the acquisition, exploitation, use and enforcement of IP rights. It also regularly litigates all IP classes in courts and tribunals across Hong Kong and mainland China. Justin Davidson assists with both contentious and non-contentious IP issues across Asia.

Ropes & Gray LLP stands out for its life sciences-related IP credentials. The Shanghai team is also active in technology-related IP work. Experienced practice head Geoffrey Lin consistently plays a key role on the firm's IP matters in China, while counsel David Chen is an IP transactions and data privacy expert.