Bird & Bird > Shanghai, China > Firm Profile
Bird & Bird Offices
36/F BUND CENTER
222 YAN AN DONG ROAD
SHANGHAI 200002
China
Bird & Bird > The Legal 500 Rankings
China > Intellectual property: foreign firms Tier 1
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 > TMT: foreign firms Tier 1
Bird & Bird’s expertise in the TMT sector is reflected in its in-depth knowledge of both commercial and regulatory areas, notably in complex data and data protection projects. The firm advises on the full spectrum of issues that arise from tech transactions, encompassing a diverse array of legal domains ranging from IP, cybersecurity, and data protection, to employment, corporate, and dispute resolution. Its clients operate in industries such as cloud, IT and telecom, e-commerce and IoT, as well as life sciences tech. Leading the department is James Gong, a TMT specialist with an acute focus on data protection and cybersecurity, as well as regulatory and transactional matters. Gong expertly guides both foreign and domestic multinational companies in navigating data compliance projects, especially those with cross-border elements.Practice head(s):
James Gong
Key clients
Sony
Riot Games
Stryker Pacific Ltd
Anker Innovations Limited
Water21 Holdings Limited
ALK-Abelló A/S
Work highlights
- Advised Sony on compliance with PRC data protection laws and regulations.
- Advising on the management of Riot Games’ extensive trade mark portfolio in China, Hong Kong and Macau, and assist the client with protection of their game characters and e-sport league properties.
- Advised Stryker Pacific Ltd on its compliance with the applicable privacy and data protection legislations and provided DPO services where required.
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 > Labour and employment: foreign firms Tier 3
China > Life sciences and healthcare: foreign firms Tier 3
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
China > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 4
Bird & Bird‘s China practice fields sector experts in aviation, energy, automotive, life sciences, sports, retail, technology and manufacturing. Recent highlights include advising Chinese electric car company Human Horizons on its strategic market entry into Europe. Focused on advising Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies on entering overseas markets, John Shi leads the Asia-Pacific corporate group from Beijing, where Sarah Zeng and James Gong are also key corporate partners. Shanghai-based Sven-Michael Werner has longstanding experience of advising multinational companies that conduct business in China.Practice head(s):
John Shi
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Shanghai Alliance Investment Co., Ltd.
NORINCO International Cooperation Ltd
Jin Jiang International (Holdings) Co., Ltd.
Xizi United Holding Corporation
Human Horizons
Work highlights
- Advised Shanghai Alliance Investment Co on its German subsidiary KLEO Connect’s satellites businesses and operations, in relation to corporate governance and joint venture issues.
- Advised NORINCO International Cooperation on setting up a new holding company/structure for its renewable energy investment projects in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Advised Human Horizons, a Chinese company based in Shanghai that makes electric cars and develops autonomous driving technology, on its strategic market entry into Europe.
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 communication |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Sven-Michael Werner | Partner | View Profile | |
Christine Yiu | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 1,200 at this office : 7Other
Contacts : Justin Walkey (justin.walkey@twobirds.com)Comparative Guides
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