IHC Magazine: Dec 2024 issue with Counsel of the Year Awards 2024 and focus on Dispute Resolution

December 19, 2024
In this issue, we celebrate the IHC Counsel of the Year Awards, featuring insights from winning teams, delve into the future of dispute resolution with insights from in-house counsel, and sit down with Ben Bury, General Counsel of Gammon Construction, for an insightful Q&A. We also bring you the latest news, deals, and career moves shaping the in-house legal landscape.

Johnson Stokes & Master makes comeback as independent Hong Kong law firm

December 4, 2024
Iconic Hong Kong law firm Johnson Stokes & Master unveiled a new chapter as a leading independent Hong Kong law firm, as of December 2, 2024. The firm received approval from The Law Society of Hong Kong to revert to its legacy name, following the partnership’s separation from Mayer Brown, with whom JSM entered into a combination in 2008. The JSM’s Management Committee is led by Senior Partner Terence Tung, with Commercial Managing Partner Hannah Ha, Dispute Resolution Managing Partner Geoffrey Chan and Real Estate Managing Partner Keith Cheung. “Our vision is to support our clients to capitalise on an exciting and unique range of local and global opportunities” said Mr. Tung. “Strategically this entails focusing our capabilities as a pre-eminent law firm in Hong Kong, particularly in those sectors significant to the growth of Hong Kong as a super-connector between Mainland China and global markets.” “With more than a third of our Hong Kong lawyers dual-qualified from key international jurisdictions, our clients benefit from our deep experience and understanding of the application of those laws across the world’s most dynamic markets, including Belt and Road Initiative countries,” he added. The 160-year-old Hong Kong partnership is one of the largest law firms in Hong Kong, with more than 120 lawyers, including 40 partners. With representative offices established in Beijing and Shanghai, and an Intellectual Property Agency Office in Beijing, JSM has been working in Mainland China since the 1990s representing clients in cross border transactions and disputes. Core to JSM’s strategy is harnessing the Firm’s experience in high-growth sectors and related services, such as cybersecurity, ESG, insurance, private capital and...

The Greater China IP Updates – November 2024

November 18, 2024
Taiwan Publishes IPR Statistics for Patents in 2nd quarter of 2024 In the second quarter of 2024, TIPO processed a total of 17,683 patent applications, comprising 11,988 inventions, 3,766 utility models, and 1,929 designs, as well as 23,885 trademark registration applications.  Compared to the same quarter in 2023, the number of patent applications from resident applicants saw a 2% decline, while applications from non-residents increased by 6%.  Overall, there was a positive growth trend in the total number of applications compared to the same period last year.  In terms of resident invention patent applicants, TSMC has maintained the top position for 8 consecutive years since the second quarter of 2017.  Second was Nanya Technology, third was AU Optronics, fourth was Inventec, and fifth was Innolux.  As to the non-resident invention patent applicants, Applied Materials was top of the list, Samsung Electronics was second, Qualcomm was third, Tokyo Electronics was fourth, and Coupang was fifth.  Looking at invention patents from the source countries, Japan was first, the US was second, China was third, South Korea was fourth, and Germany was fifth. For design patents, residents filed 855 design patent applications, and non-residents filed 1,074 design patent applications.  Shu-Te University was the top applicant for design patents in this period, L&F Plastics was second, Compal was third, Tong Yah was fourth, and Delta was fifth.  Amongst non-residents design patent applicants, Zhejiang Smart Intelligence was first, Ford Global Technologies was second, BMW was third, Molex was fourth, and China Wonderland was fifth. Looking at trademarks from the source countries, China was first, Japan was second, the US was third, South Korea was...

Baker McKenzie names New Global India Practice Chair

November 13, 2024
Baker McKenzie has appointed Mini Menon vandePol as the new Chair of the Firm’s Global India Practice. She succeeds Singapore-based principal Ashok Lalwani, who served in the role for 12 years, and will continue to serve as a member of the India practice’s Steering Committee. Ashok will be relocating to the Firm’s Dallas office next year, where he will be focused on supporting the Firm’s clients with their US-India opportunities and building out the US-India practice. Born in India and raised in Australia, Mini joined Baker McKenzie’s Melbourne office in 1998 and relocated to the Hong Kong office in 2014. She is the Asia Pacific Head of Baker McKenzie’s Investigations, Compliance & Ethics Group, and has served on the Firm’s India Practice Group Steering Committee since 2018. Mini has played a key role in driving the India strategy, advising both multinational and Indian clients on their inbound and outbound expansion activities. As Chair, she will continue to drive this work, while spearheading the Firm’s efforts to prepare for the liberalization of India’s legal market. Mini is widely recognized as a leading investigations lawyer with a career that spans 30 years. “I am very excited to take on the leadership of our Global India Practice and feel privileged to contribute to India’s dynamic and exciting economic vision. India’s fast-growing economy, expansive and young workforce, aspirational consumer base, and increasing relevance in global supply chains have accelerated India’s economic development and foreign direct investment. Bringing global best practices and experience will be integral in supporting our international and domestic clients to leverage these trends and grow their businesses,” Mini commented. Peerapan Tungsuwan, Global Executive Committee Member...

The Greater China IP Updates – September 2024

November 2, 2024
AMD Unveils Locations for Research and Development Centers in Taiwan In a vote of confidence in Taiwan’s role as a tech ecosystem, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) has chosen to locate its new R & D centers in Tainan and Kaohsiung.  The new facilities are part of a NT 8.64 billion dollar project to advance its development of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and silicon photonics.  AMD is the latest in a series of global semiconductor companies seeking to build their R & D centers in Taiwan under the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ A+ global R & D and innovation partnership program.  The US chip company was granted a subsidy of NT 3.31 billion dollars in July, which accounts for about 38% of the company’s costs for this investment.  AMD’s decision came as Taiwan has formed an extensive supply chain to provide components for the world’s AI devices, from AI chips made by TSMC to AI servers assembled by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and Wiwynn Corp., amongst others.  AI chip giant Nvidia Corp. has set up its first AI R & D center in Taipei’s Neihu District and is scouting sites for a second, likely in Kaohsiung.  Semiconductor equipment makers ASML Holding NV, Lam Research Corp. and Applied Materials Inc. previously also received grants to set up local R & D sites through the same program.  Another developing trend is that, in order to expand the local tech talent, Kaohsiung has been working with the nation’s prestigious schools.  At the beginning of this year, National Tsing Hua University signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kaohsiung...

Confirming Solidarity for a Green World – Acts impact louder than words at COP29

October 30, 2024
Valuing life with a climate change countering motto ‘save our planet’ ambitions remain on top priority for the world, enabling action at COP29 hosted by Baku for 2024. COP29 President-Designate letter describes the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan as “a litmus test” for the Paris Agreement, global climate action, and cooperation, with a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on climate finance as its “centerpiece” with an active engagement of global, regional, national, and subnational groups by adopting an advanced “holistic view” of sustainable development with an exclusive process that delivers inclusive outcomes. At COP29, the participating countries will be further reporting on their respective actions post COP28 and reaffirming their commitments towards climate change objectives while exploring opportunities. Diversified Partnering Options Vietnam signed the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) on 14 December 2022 with G7 countries and as it maintains momentum, there are challenges pertaining to mobilization stream when it gets elevated considering economic instability posed to due fluctuating global economic and security dynamics. On one hand, Vietnam focusses on integrating the local industry as a trend towards its Industrial Revolution 4.0, while modernising and digitalising the power systems and networks by embracing smart technologies. In its green journey the country acknowledges and emphasize on the importance of integrating renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower when in parallel it promotes its energy security with other sources of electricity generation. On the other hand, financing remains a riddle that is yet to be solved. Although, international commitments, green funds, bonds, and credit sources are in abundance to ensure a sustainable energy transition, but bankability consistently...