What we're seeing as companies diversify beyond China
In recent years, a large chunk of our work has been helping long-term and new
China clients shift manufacturing and supply chains to other parts
of Asia, as well as to Latin America and Europe. As they diversify,
the same problem keeps surfacing: their international trademark
(and, more broadly, IP) portfolios have dangerous gaps.
As they enter new markets, some companies end up relying on
scattered local counsel, leading to fragmented portfolios that
create real risks: missing coverage, inconsistent ownership, and
overlapping filings.
Consider one case. A medical device manufacturer operated in
China for 15+ years with strong trademark protection. When the
company shifted a chunk of its production to Vietnam and began
selling in Thailand, it learned that a local distributor had
already registered their core brand name in both countries. The
business strategy went global, but the brand protection
