The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > Hong Kong > Intellectual property

Headed by the 'superb' Matthew Laight, Bird & Bird's four-partner team has a strong reputation in Greater China and throughout Asia Pacific, as a result of its competencies across the spectrum of IP matters, including as it relates to trade mark protection and portfolio management, IPR commercialisation and litigation. Benefiting from numerous practitioners with specialist science and engineering backgrounds, the firm is perhaps best known for its 'very strong capability on the patent litigation front', particularly on behalf of life sciences and healthcare clients. Its knowledge within the patents space is underscored not only by numerous high-profile litigation victories over the years but also by its ongoing role as sole external adviser to the Hong Kong government on its plans to reform the Hong Kong patent system, introduction of the brand new Original Grant Patent system, and the formation of Hong Kong's first-ever patent office. Alison Wong heads up the firm's life sciences practice in Asia and is noted for an ability to effectively coordinate complex patent litigation throughout the region. Counsel Victor Tse's experience as both a lawyer and a patent attorney ensures he is a firm favourite with clients across both advisory and litigation. Recently promoted to partner, the 'responsive and practical' Hank Leung has a growing reputation in the region on behalf of clients in the technology, media, luxury, retail and consumer goods industries across brand protection and transactional IP matters.

Deeply entrenched in the local business ecosystem and also benefiting from excellent insights of the regulators and courts by virtue of the firm's longstanding presence in the country, Deacons has a very balanced offering across the spectrum of IPR, from both a contentious and non-contentious perspective. Patsy Lau now leads the firm's efforts on the trade mark front, following Vivian Poon's recent departure, and is noted for her ability to provide a 'very effective and coordinated service' to local Hong Kong businesses on their global portfolio management requirements, as well as on behalf of international clients on their Greater China strategies. The firm also benefits from the expertise of numerous patent attorneys who provide the technical input in relation to patent prosecution work, as well as on patent litigation. The team is also regularly involved in complex and high-profile disputes, including Charmaine Koo's representation of Alibaba as the defendant in a closely watched case brought by cosmetics supplier, Mary Kay, against it, raising complex questions regarding online content provider liability for a third-party seller’s product as well as jurisdictional issues regarding e-commerce sites operating across borders.

Co-headed from Hong Kong by Chiang Ling Li and Haifeng Huang , and also able to tap into a strong presence in mainland China (as well as a fully licensed IP agency in Beijing), Jones Day provides a 'well-rounded offering' to multinational corporates and local entities across their IP prosecution, litigation, and commercial activity/portfolio management. The firm is particularly strong on behalf of technology and life sciences companies, with work including patent litigation and technology licensing disputes. Huang has an excellent track-record representing US and Chinese entities in IP disputes; he recently successfully represented Qualcomm in the defence of a high-profile trade mark action filed against it by a Shanghai company which asserted that Qualcomm's Chinese company name infringed the plaintiff's trade marks. The team also regularly provides the IP due diligence on M&A matters involving significant IP assets.

Benefiting from vast experience across Hong Kong and Asia Pacific, Mayer Brown 's four-partner team provides 'practical, business-oriented and responsive' advice to local and international clients from the fashion, consumer goods and technology sectors, in particular. Rosita Li is particularly strong at handling trade mark litigation and portfolio management for some major brands; she recently secured victory for Timbird in litigation against a PRC company for using its logo for the defendant's hotel. The team has also successfully developed a strong offering in relation to digital copyright matters. 'Vastly experienced' team head Gabriela Kennedy is one of the few practitioners listed as an IP arbitrator with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and also handles a wide range of issues including enforcement, litigation and licensing for high-profile clients throughout the region. Amita Haylock was made partner in November 2019. Janice Yip, a former solicitor with the Intellectual Property Department of Hong Kong, and Joanna Hui were recent new additions to the team.

Headed by the 'extremely helpful and accesible' Eugene Low  from Hong Kong, and also benefiting from a significant presence in Beijing and Shanghai, Hogan Lovells is able to provide a coordinated and efficient service to international and Asian clients on the protection, exploitation and enforcement of their IPR. On the contentious front, the firm is well-versed in handling trade mark and copyright litigation, and as a result of the firm's establishment of Hogan Lovells Fidelity in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, is one of the few foreign law firms that can provide direct IP litigation representation in China. Counsel Andrew Cobden has vast contentious experience in the market (he has higher rights of audience before the Hong Kong courts), and is particularly noted for his expertise handling patent litigation within the pharmaceutical sector.

Led by the 'smart and diligent' Justin Davidson, Norton Rose Fulbright provides a 'helpful and knowledgeable service' to multinationals and Asian companies, including on patent and trade mark prosecution, commercialisation and enforcement. Aided by a huge global network of offices, the team is particularly accomplished at managing the IP portfolios of major international businesses. As well as spearheading the Greater China aspects of the global portfolio requirements of  international clients, the team is also the driving force behind the coordination of the international strategies of Hong Kong-based companies (including Crown Worldwide). Davidson is also very well regarded for his patent litigation expertise, which regularly sees him acting for technology and pharmaceutical entities in multi-jurisdictional disputes throughout Asia. Senior associate Maggie Chong is also recommended and regularly assists clients with managing, protecting and commercialising their intellectual property portfolios across Asia.

Although it is perhaps less active on IP litigation than some ranked firms, Wilkinson & Grist is 'very strong in relation to trade mark filing and prosecution' and picks up a tremendous volume of work on behalf of  international clients in the food and beverage, automotive and luxury goods industries.

Led by Ling Ho from the firm's Hong Kong office and also supported by practitioners spread through the firm's Asia Pacific network of offices, Clifford Chance excels in acting for international corporates (many of them institutional clients of the firm) on their Greater China trade mark/brand portfolio management matters, as well as for regional clients on their international IP requirements. Recent highlights include Ho's work, alongside  practitioners from the firm's Shanghai office, for an infant nutrition company in an appeal to the PRC Supreme People's Court on trade mark infringement and unfair competition actions against a Chinese entity. The team also excels at handling transactional/commercial IP matters, with regular work including advice on technology transfers, licensing arrangements, joint venture agreements and IP due diligence related to M&A handled by the firm.

Led from Hong Kong by the 'humble yet decisive' Edward Chatterton and able to leverage an 'impressive global platform', DLA Piper provides 'knowledgeable and pragmatic advice' to international and regional entities from IP-rich industries including, fashion and luxury brands, life sciences, pharmaceuticals and technology. Particularly strong in relation to IP portfolio management, the team is able to provide a very cohesive service to clients across the Greater China region, in particular, by virtue of a strong presence on the ground in Beijing and Shanghai. The team also regularly advises on IP-related commercial issues (including the drafting of license, franchising and  publishing agreements), while on the litigation front it has considerable experience handling domain name disputes, copyright litigation and trade mark enforcement matters.

Spearheaded out of Hong Kong by Jezamine Fewins, Stephenson Harwood's team provides 'client-oriented and insightful' advice across a range of matters, particularly as it pertains to the enforcement of IPR. Increasingly visible in the local market and also able to leverage the expertise of lawyers on the ground in mainland China, the team has recently handled a raft of passing off and infringement actions on behalf of domestic and international clients from the technology and financial services sectors. Leveraging her employment law expertise, Fewins also has a particular specialty in representing clients on matters involving the theft of trade secrets and confidential information by employees. Former practice co-head Jonathan Chu, together with senior associates Mengyi Chen and Candy Tong agreed to join CMS associated Hong Kong firm Lau, Horton & Wise LLP in January 2020.

Headed from Hong Kong by Gordon Milner and also aided by a significant presence in mainland China, Morrison & Foerster has a focus on helping regional and international technology and life sciences companies successfully commercialise their intellectual property rights, including providing advice on licensing arrangements and technology transfers. The team also often handles the IP due diligence associated with transactions undertaken by the firm in the TMT sector.

Led by the experienced Vera Sung, Oldham, Li & Nie's 'responsive' five-strong team provides 'very appropriate advice' to local SMEs and larger international businesses across a range of contentious and non-contentious IP issues. The firm is particularly active in the publishing, retail and travel sectors and regularly acts for respondents and claimants in trade mark and passing-off actions.

Led by John Slater , Simmons & Simmons' Hong Kong office forms an integral component of the firm's overarching international brands group which assists corporates on the protection and commercialisation of their intellectual property rights throughout EMEA and Asia Pacific. As well as helping coordinate the trade mark and patent portfolio strategies of multinationals throughout Greater China, Slater has also been pivotal to securing work for local clients, including most recently Ant Financial.

Led by Gino Cheng  – who is praised for his 'ability to understand complex technologies' – Winston & Strawn LLP is known in the market for the ease with which it is able to 'work seamlessly together' with lawyers from across the firm's international network on cross-border contentious matters. This manifests itself most clearly and commonly by the team's representation, alongside the firm's market-leading US offering, of Asian clients on patent disputes in the US federal courts and International Trade Commission (ITC) investigations. While this remains the core of the practice, the team has been increasingly active in relation to handling local disputes/arbitration including as it relates to trade secrets.