Transforming Legal Practice with AI

May 9, 2023
Opportunities and Challenges Ahead As technology continues to advance, the legal industry remains no exception to its effects. Law firms are now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to assist with tasks such as contract drafting, legal research, and even predicting case outcomes. While the use of AI in the legal field is still relatively new, it has already shown promising results in increasing efficiency and reducing costs. However, as with any new technology, there are also concerns about the potential risks and drawbacks. Interestingly, this introductory paragraph (along with its cautious acknowledgement of AI risks) was not written by me at all, but by ChatGPT – itself an AI chatbot tool developed by OpenAI and launched in late 2022. Its release, together with other natural language processing models like Google Bard and Bing AI, have dominated headlines by making generative AI widely accessible with exciting opportunities for application in fields such as law. The use of AI in the legal profession is, of course, not new. For instance, it is reported that Shearman & Sterling have used a wide variety of AI tools, including Kira for due diligence, while White & Case is reported to use tools such as Brainspace and Relativity to assist with document review for discovery. However, this new wave of innovative AI platforms represents a potentially steep upgrade on previous tools with widescale adoption predicted. Indeed, hot on the heels of the ChatGPT release came Allen & Overy’s announcement in February 2023 of its global integration of “Harvey” – an AI platform founded by a team of former lawyers, entrepreneurs and engineers and built on...

Data Protection and Cybersecurity Developments 2023

May 9, 2023
An Exploration of Data Protection and Cybersecurity Developments in the Digital Economy Era : How China, India, Vietnam and Thailand are keeping up with digital evolution In today’s digital age, data protection and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly important world over. The Asian legal landscape, being no exception, is ushering in an enormous amount of change – with privacy laws anticipated, by the end of this year, to have grown by 25% since 2021. With the rise of technology, sensitive data is being collected and stored at an unprecedented rate, making it vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This is especially true in countries like China, India, Vietnam and Thailand that are experiencing rapid growth in their digital economies. Here, we shine a spotlight on these countries and explore the latest changes and upcoming amendments to their data protection and cybersecurity laws and regulations. China With the ever-accelerating growth of technology, comprehensive data protection and cybersecurity laws in China have become crucial. In recent years, the Chinese government has implemented a number of changes to its laws in order to protect citizens’ personal information and ensure that companies are compliant with international standards, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These changes include new regulations on data collection, storage, usage and cross-border data transfers; increased penalties for violations; and improved enforcement mechanisms. In 2021, China enacted its comprehensive data protection “rulebook”, the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) which, while neither as prescriptive nor as detailed as the GDPR, imposes strict requirements on companies that collect and use personal information, and gives individuals greater control over their own data. For example,...

The Greater China IP Updates – April 2023

April 26, 2023
TSMC Tops List of Patent Applications in Taiwan For the seventh consecutive year, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, took the top spot among patent applicants in Taiwan.  The latest figures just in are for 2022, and TSMC filed a total of 1,534 applications, which was actually a 21% drop from 2021.  All of TSMC’s patent applications were for invention patents.  Last year, the total number of invention patent applications stood at 50,242 cases, which was a 10-year high.  Of the foreign applicants, US-based semiconductor equipment supplier Applied Materials Inc. last year was Taiwan’s largest patent seeker, filing 881 applications comprising 847 invention patents, 2 utility model patents and 32 design patents.  Qualcomm dropped from first to second place with 763 applications, which was 10% lower than 2021.  South Korean conglomerate Samsung Electronics Co. took third place in the foreign applicants’ rankings with 675 applications, an increase of 30%, followed by Japan-based semiconductor supplier Tokyo Electron Ltd. with 487 applications.  Most of the foreign patent applicants were from the semiconductor, information technology and chemical industries.  Categorized by country, Japan held the top spot with 13,128 applications, the US was second with 8,517 and China third with 4,424.  Amongst local applicants, PC brand Acer was second last year with a total of 530 patent applications, which was an increase of 15%.  Third was flat panel maker AUO Corp. with 505, up 7% and ahead of smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc. with 412 applications in fourth position.  It should be noted that Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. was not in the leading ranks of applicants because a...

Firms Of The Year Results 2022 Vietnam

April 19, 2023
In-House Community Firms of the Year 2022 – Top Law Firms in Vietnam Winners in ⭐bold Honourable mentions in italics Alternative Investment Funds (Including Private Equity)   ⭐ YKVN ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ VILAF Frasers Law Company Allen & Overy Banking And Finance   ⭐ YKVN ⭐ VILAF ⭐ Frasers Law Company Baker McKenzie Allen & Overy Compliance And Regulatory   ⭐ VILAF ⭐ Frasers Law Company ⭐ YKVN Baker McKenzie Tilleke & Gibbins Russin & Vecchi Antitrust/ Competition   ⭐ LNT & Partners ⭐ Baker McKenzie GV Lawyers Capital Markets   ⭐ VILAF ⭐ YKVN ⭐ Allen & Overy Frasers Law Company Corporate And M&A   ⭐ LNT & Partners ⭐ VILAF ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ YKVN Russin & Vecchi Bizconsult Law Firm   Employment   ⭐ Phuoc & Partners ⭐ Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers ⭐ Tilleke & Gibbins ⭐ Vision & Associates Vision & Associates Russin & Vecchi Frasers Law Company International Arbitration   ⭐ LNT & Partners ⭐ YKVN ⭐ Dzungsrt & Associates Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers VILAF Real Estate/ Construction   ⭐ ZICO Law ⭐ VILAF ⭐ Baker McKenzie Allen & Overy Frazers Law Company Energy & Natural Resources   ⭐ Lexcomm Vietnam ⭐ Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer ⭐ Hogan Lovells ⭐ VILAF YKVN EPLegal Limited Litigation And Dispute Resolution   ⭐ GV Lawyers ⭐ YKVN ⭐ VILAF Bizconsult Law Firm LNT & Partners Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers Tillike & Gibbins Restructuring & Insolvency   ⭐ Allen & Overy ⭐ Baker McKenzie GV Lawyers Intellectual Property   ⭐ Pham & Associates ⭐ Bross & Partners ⭐ Vision & Associates Tilleke & Gibbins Baker McKenzie Projects And Project Financing   ⭐ YKVN ⭐ Lexcomm ⭐ Russin & Vecchi Allen & Overy Frasers Law Company LNT & Partners Most Responsive International Law Firm – Vietnam   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Tilleke & Gibbins ⭐ Allen & Overy Intellectual Property   ⭐ Pham &...

Firms Of The Year Results 2022 UAE

April 19, 2023
In-House Community Firms of the Year 2022 – Top Law Firms in UAE Winners in ⭐bold Honourable mentions in italics Alternative Investment Funds (Including Private Equity)   ⭐Al Tamimi & Co ⭐ Hadef & Partners ⭐ King & Spalding Gibson Dunn Clifford Chance Compliance And Regulatory   ⭐ Eversheds Sutherland ⭐ Hadef & Partners ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Gibson Dunn HFW Clyde & Co Intellectual Property   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Rouse ⭐ Bird & Bird ⭐ Clyde & Co Hadef & Partners Baker McKenzie Antitrust/ Competition   ⭐ Gladari Advocates & Legal Consultants ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Al Tamimi Afridi & Angell Corporate And M&A   ⭐ Hadef & Partners ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Clyde & Co ⭐ Clifford Chance Amereller King & Spalding Baker McKenzie International Arbitration   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Clyde & Co ⭐ Dentons Stephenson Harwood Banking And Finance   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Afridi & Angell ⭐ Clifford Chance ⭐ Hadef & Partners King & Spalding HFW Employment   ⭐ Afridi& Angell ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Clyde & Co ⭐ KBH Hadef & Partners Eversheds Sutherlandr Islamic Finance   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Afridi & Angell ⭐ White & Case ⭐ Clyde & Co Allen & Overy Hadef & Partners Capital Markets   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Latham & Watkins ⭐ Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Energy & Natural Resources   ⭐ Shearman & Sterling ⭐ Clyde & Co ⭐ Allen & Overy Dentons Afridi & Angell Litigation And Dispute Resolution   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Hadef & Partners ⭐ Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants ⭐ Alsuwaidi & Company ⭐ BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates  Horizons Law Baker McKenzie Projects And Project Financing   ⭐ Dentons ⭐ Cyde & Co ⭐ Afridi & Angell Al Tamimi Restructuring & Insolvency   ⭐ Al Tamimi ⭐ Clyde & Co ⭐ Addleshaw Goddard DLA Piper Most Responsive International Law Firm – UAE   ⭐ Clyde &...

Firms Of The Year Results 2022 Thailand

April 19, 2023
In-House Community Firms of the Year 2022 – Top Law Firms in Thailand Winners in ⭐bold Honourable mentions in italics Alternative Investment Funds (Including Private Equity)   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Latham & Watkins Weerawong C&P Banking And Finance   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Chandler MHM ⭐ DFDL Linklaters Compliance And Regulatory   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Tilleke & Gibbins BRS Attorneys Antitrust/ Competition   ⭐ Tillike & Gibbins ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ Chandler MHM Baker McKenzie Linklaters Capital Markets   ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Linklaters ⭐ Kudun & Partners Capital Law Allen & Overy Tilleke & Gibbins Corporate And M&A   ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ Chandler MHM ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Linklaters Thanathip & Partners Kudun & Partners Allen & Overy Siam Premier Employment   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Tilleke & Gibbins ⭐ R&T Asia Chandler MHM Siam Premier Litigation And Dispute Resolution   ⭐ Watson Farley & Williams ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ Kudun & Partners DLA Piper Chandler MHM Restructuring & Insolvency   ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ Baker McKenzie Tilleke & Gibbins Energy & Natural Resources   ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ DFDL ⭐ Chandler MHM Limited Watson Farley & Williams Baker McKenzie Projects And Project Financing   ⭐ Chandler MHM ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Weerawong C&P Linklaters DFDL Technology, Media, Telecommunications   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ DFDL Tilleke & Gibbins Intellectual Property   ⭐ Tilleke & Gibbins ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Satyapon & Partners Ananda Intellectual Property LawPlus Real Estate/ Construction   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Siam Premier DLA Piper Linklaters Most Responsive International Law Firm – Thailand   ⭐ Baker McKenzie ⭐ Linklaters ⭐ Allen & Overy International Arbitration   ⭐ Herbertsmith Freehills ⭐ Baker McKenzie Tilleke & Gibbins Watson Farley & Williams Most Responsive Domestic Law Firm – Thailand   ⭐ Chandler MHM ⭐ Kudun & Partners ⭐ Weerawong C&P ⭐ Tilleke & Gibbins For more information about the...