Bird & Bird > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Firm Profile
Bird & Bird Offices
6/F, The Annex
Central Plaza 18 Harbour Road
Wanchai, Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong
Bird & Bird > The Legal 500 Rankings
Hong Kong > Intellectual property Tier 1
Often working closely with practitioners on the Mainland, Bird & Bird's Hong Kong team provides a comprehensive non-contentious and contentious IP offering to both large and smaller retail and consumer, life sciences and technology companies on the protection and enforcement of their IPR. Hank Leung is well-versed in advising on trade mark and copyright matters, including portfolio management and the effective commercialisation of IPR through licensing and other contractual agreements. Leung is particularly adept at advising gaming clients on IP matters, work which has recently included innovative issues relating to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the space. Ted Chwu has also been at the vanguard of new technologies and business models, handling a considerable volume of work as it relates to NFTs, the blockchain and AI. In her role as head of life sciences and healthcare throughout APAC, Alison Wong handles a range of IP and regulatory issues for clients in the sector, including in the context of commercial contracts and patent litigation. Matthew Laight, who heads up the firm’s overarching APAC IP offering, is also very adept at handling patent litigation, and is regularly involved for technology clients bringing infringement claims throughout China, as well as internationally. Victor Tse, who was promoted to partner in May 2023, effectively parlays his technical background in science to good effect when handling complex IP litigation.Practice head(s):
Hank Leung
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Riot Games
Helen of Troy
Water21 Holdings Limited
International Olympic Committee
Edwards Lifesciences
Anker Innovations Limited
Merck KGaA
Chinachem Group Corporation Limited
Xeniro
Anycubic
Autel
Knorr-Bremse Asia Pacific
Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-cardiovascular Health Engineering Limited
Computime Group Limited
Beckmann AS
Hong Kong > TMT Tier 1
Singled out for its expertise in commercial and regulatory TMT matters, Bird & Bird‘s broad offering covers NFT transactions, autonomous driving, cloud, IT and telecoms work. Fintech and payments mandates also continue to be a strength for a group that has seen an increase in instructions relating to data protection and privacy matters, namely security assessments. Leadership duties are split between Beijing-based partner James Gong and Wilfred Ng, who joined from Tencent in November 2022 and spearheads the corporate and commercial TMT team in Hong Kong. Matthew Laight’s caseload includes contentious and non-contentious IP matters, while Hank Leung’s IP know-how extends to mandates involving monetisation in China and across the APAC region. Calista Chiu is another key contact in the group. Clarice Yue left the firm in December 2022.Practice head(s):
James Gong; Wilfred Ng
Other key lawyers:
Matthew Laight; Hank Leung; Calista Chiu; Olivia Cheng
Testimonials
‘Bird & Bird provides quality service at a reasonable price. It has a strong TMT practice.’
‘Wilfred Ng is a strong technical lawyer who is prudent and gives practical advice. He is sincere and a pleasure to work with.’
Key clients
Riot Games
Water21 Holdings Limited
Hong Kong > Data protection and cyber security Tier 2
The team at Bird & Bird regularly handles a varied range of mandates involving cross-border data transfer agreements, security breaches, and privacy impact assessments. The group has experienced an increase in data localisation and transfer matters after China’s implementation of the PIPL. The team frequently acts for clients from a broad range of sectors, including banking, technology, and transport, who collect and transfer sensitive data. Having joined the team from an in-house position at Tencent in November 2022, ‘one of a kind‘ practice head Wilfred Ng is noted for his broad experience in advising on data protection compliance and GDPR related matters.Practice head(s):
Wilfred Ng
Other key lawyers:
Calista Chiu
Testimonials
‘Bird & Bird no doubt is excellent at delivering updates on data-related developments and artificial intelligence across the legal industry. They are well aware of new developments and always keen to offer support whenever they can.’
‘Wilfred Ng is definitely one of a kind, he would patiently listens to and digests your query with respect and cautiousness. He doesn’t rush to offer you hasty advice, but always makes sure that his advice is supplemented with thoughtful consideration from a practical perspective.’
‘Calista Chiu clearly has a in-depth understanding of the latest developments and provides tremendous support by summarising the ask and delivering a consolidated and thoughtful legal position. She is an invaluable asset to Wilfred’s team.’
‘Wilfred Ng is a fresh face in Bird & Bird with in-house experience. He has been extremely helpful in all fronts and has been very responsive. I believe that Wilfred’s past experience would be a great asset to the team to understand the pain points of his clients and can help to providing practical solutions for different issues.’
‘Bird & Bird has a strong TMT team which can advise on the latest legal developments and requirements.’
‘Wilfred Ng is a very reliable and strong technical lawyer. He is sincere, prudent and places great emphasis on quality of work.’
Hong Kong > Labour and employment Tier 2
Acting independently, as well as in coordination with the firm's other 32 offices worldwide, the team at Bird & Bird advises on both domestic Hong Kong and international employment matters, solidifying its position as a key choice for international corporates involved in cross-border employment projects across various industries, including technology, life sciences, healthcare, financial services, and retail. Recently promoted to partner, Diana Purdy takes the helm of the team, advising on a complex array of employment matters. Notably, Pattie Walsh, despite her relocation to the San Francisco office, continues to play an active role in the group, harnessing her profound knowledge of the Hong Kong market and advising international clients on contract negotiations, high-profile redundancies, and workplace restructurings. Supporting the team, the ‘technically excellent’ associate Elaine Yeung capitalises on her prior in-house experience within the aviation and sports sectors; this perspective positions Yeung as a valuable advisor for corporates within these domains, as well as various other sectors.Practice head(s):
Diana Purdy
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Bird & Bird offer excellent technical skills with good commercial acumen.’
‘Elaine Yeung in particular is technically excellent and user-friendly.’
China > Data protection: foreign firms Tier 2
Bird & Bird has a mainland China presence for data protection law through Beijing-based James Gong. Gong has a strong understanding of the local regulatory landscape in China having worked in this field for a decade. He regularly assists major multinationals, including Sony, with their GDPR and systems compliance matters. He is also well-placed to advise on data transfers and breaches.Practice head(s):
James Gong
Other key lawyers:
Ying Zhong; Jacqueline Che
Key clients
Sony
ALK-Abelló A/S
Stryker Pacific Ltd
Work highlights
- Advised Sony on compliance with PRC data protection laws and regulations.
- Advised ALK-Abelló A/S on its compliance with data protection laws, as well as identifying and mitigating data security and cybersecurity risks.
- Advised Stryker Pacific Ltd on its compliance with the applicable privacy and data protection legislations and provided DPO services where required.
China > Intellectual property: foreign firms
With the experienced duo Christine Yiu (Shanghai) and Hank Leung (Hong Kong) at the helm, Bird & Bird‘s comprehensive offering covers all areas of IP, including trademarks, patents, trade secrets, copyright and designs. The team has an enviable track record in litigation and providing strategic commercial IP advice; the department’s combined sectoral experience encompasses the tech, life sciences, healthcare, retail, consumer goods, media, entertainment and sports (including e-gaming) sectors. In Beijing, Rieko Michishita handles contentious and non-contentious IP matters and is a regular advisor to Japanese companies; Dorie Wong‘s workload includes protection strategies, trademark portfolio management and litigation. Also in Beijing, the firm’s IP consultancy enables the team to conduct trademark and copyright matters before mainland Chinese government departments, including registration and enforcement matters; and through its association with PRC firm Lawjay Partners, it assists with litigation before China’s courts. The Hong Kong-based Asia-Pacific IP group head Matthew Laight is also recommended.Practice head(s):
Christine Yiu; Hank Leung
Other key lawyers:
Rieko Michishita; Dorie Wong; Matthew Laight; Alison Wong; Victor Tse
Key clients
VMI Holland B.V.
Riot Games
Water21 Holdings Limited
International Olympic Committee
Edwards Lifesciences
Anker Innovations Limited
ENGIE Energie Services SA
Sandler Systems LLC
BABYBJORN AB
AVISTA Group Limited
Merck KGaA
Chinachem Group Corporation Limited
Knorr-Bremse Asia Pacific
Work highlights
- Acted for VMI Holland B.V. in three patent ownership disputes in a landmark decision made by the Supreme People’s Court.
- Advise the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on its global IP portfolio.
- Advised Merck KGaA on a long-standing trademark, unfair competition and breach of contract litigation with Merck Sharpe & Dohme.
China > Life sciences and healthcare: foreign firms
Bird & Bird, which has a strong track record for advising clients in the biotech space, is recommended for its expertise in advising on the digital aspects of the healthcare and life sciences sector, as well as providing employment and IP filings support. The team is led by Hong Kong based Alison Wong, who has experience in patent litigation, licensing matters and the legal implications of clinical trials. James Gong, who works at the firm’s Beijing office, provides expertise on Chinese data protection and security laws for medical industry clients.Practice head(s):
Alison Wong
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘In the fields of anti-corruption compliance, digital compliance and personal privacy, and labour, the law firm has provided strong training guidance for the company.’
‘The work efficiency is high and the service price is reasonable. They have strong legal experience and business insight, and are capable of providing practical advice.’
Key clients
Edwards Lifesciences
Merck KGaA
Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-cardiovascular Health
Engineering Limited (“HKCOCHE”)
ALK-Abelló A/S
Stryker Pacific Ltd.
Work highlights
Bird & Bird > Firm Profile
The firm: Bird & Bird is the go-to international law firm for companies working with disruptive technology. Whether traditional businesses leveraging cutting-edge technology or start-ups changing the status quo, the firm guides clients through all the regulatory, legal and commercial aspects of this fast-moving environment. It combines exceptional legal expertise with deep industry knowledge and refreshingly creative thinking, to help clients operating at the forefront of their industries to achieve their goals.
Bird & Bird organises itself around its clients, with lawyers typically arranged in groups which focus on key industries and sectors. This structure drives the firm to develop and maintain high-level expertise in practice areas and geographic regions which serve the needs of its client base. It provides a broad advisory, transactional and contentious capability, with the sector and practice groups interacting to provide the best possible service to clients.
Asia Pacific: the firm has been guiding clients in Asia Pacific for over 20 years. Its offices in the region are located in key business centres in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. The team of over 130 highly qualified and multilingual lawyers and legal professionals combines exceptional expertise with deep industry knowledge and refreshingly creative thinking to help clients achieve their commercial goals.
Through a series of strategic and dynamic co-operations with leading local firms in Malaysia, South Korea and Indonesia, it has an extended geographic footprint to assist clients with their requirements in these countries.
China: the firm uses its extensive experience in China to help clients navigate the complexities of China’s business and regulatory environment. This includes advice on business structures, corporate establishment and finance, M&A, commercial arrangements, technology licensing and transfer, information technology and communications services and infrastructure, the protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights, dispute resolution and regulatory compliance. Further, through its formal association with Lawjay Partners, a PRC law firm, the firm can assist clients in contentious matters in mainland China by litigating in the Chinese courts.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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Commercial | |||
Competition | |||
Corporate | |||
Dispute resolution | |||
Regulatory | |||
Projects and energy | |||
Employment | |||
Intellectual property | |||
Outsourcing | |||
Privacy and data protection | |||
Technology and communications |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Ms Calista Chiu | Associate | View Profile | |
Ted Chwu | Partner | View Profile | |
James Gong | Partner | View Profile | |
Matthew Laight | Partner | View Profile | |
Hank Leung | Partner | View Profile | |
Wilfred Ng | Partner | View Profile | |
Diana Purdy | Partner | View Profile | |
Pattie Walsh | Partner | View Profile | |
Ms Alison Wong | Partner | View Profile | |
Elaine Yeung | Senior Managing Associate | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 1,200 at this office : 36Other
Contacts : Justin Walkey (justin.walkey@twobirds.com)Comparative Guides
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Top Tier Firm Rankings
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Firm Rankings
- China > Data protection: foreign firms