Intellectual property: foreign firms

DLA Piper

The 'very strong' intellectual property and technology practice at DLA Piper continues to be a leading force in the industry, assisting major international clients with multijurisdictional IP transactions, trade mark, copyright and patent issues as well as unfair competition cases. The team advises clients from a large number of sectors, from banking and finance to technology, energy, retail and life sciences. It particularly stands out for its expertise in managing trade mark portfolios and its strong patent prosecution capabilities. Practice head Horace Lam is based in Beijing and handles complex IP issues such as brand protection, cross-border IP litigation and global trade mark portfolio management. Over in Shanghai, Ting Xiao is an expert in patent enforcement, litigation, and prosecution, especially within the life sciences and healthcare sector. Allen Xu resides in Beijing and assists with a mix of contentious and non-contentious issues.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘DLA Piper has always been experts in handling the challenging Chinese trade mark landscape. Horace Lam has been great at building a team that can handle a large portfolio efficiently. They are incredibly responsive and can generate helpful and thorough work product quickly. I have not met many other teams in China that can provide this breadth of assistance on a large portfolio.’
‘Horace Lam is incredibly smart. While he will perform whatever task you wish at whatever scale you are interested in, he also will work with you to create an efficient and practical-minded approach to the complex issues dealing with the Chinese register. ’
‘Ting Xiao provides professional services in the field of biomedicine, especially in the intersection of pharmaceutical registration and intellectual property, providing unique insights and high-quality legal services.’
‘The team is incredibly responsive, and tailors their communications to the intended audience. They take a practical, business-friendly approach to resolving legal issues without use of unnecessary legalese. Their advice is typically concise, helpful, and easy to understand.’
‘Horace Lam is always available regardless of what time zone you are working from. He understands client needs and tailors his advice to the specific circumstances at hand. His instincts about how to approach a given issue are typically on point, and consistently delivers favourable results. Allen Xu works closely with Horace and communicates efficiently and effectively. They are a very strong team.’
‘We’ve had a great experience working with Horace Lam. We are impressed by his professionalism and his focus on problem-solving in the real world. Horace Lam has continued to impress us with his ability to guide us through complex situations, with his deep understanding of how much we value our brand. ’
‘Outstanding of counsel Allen Xu is an excellent young lawyer who treats clients very seriously and is very responsible for his work. He can always answer clients' questions carefully and provide solutions that best meet the actual interests of clients. He can understand the needs from the perspective of clients and solve problems.'
‘Ting Xiao has a strong background in science and engineering and law which gives her a unique advantage in solving technology legal problems. Her extensive experience in the field of intellectual property enables her to handle a variety of complex cases and provide in-depth and comprehensive legal advice.'

Key clients

Manolo Blahnik
HSBC
McDonalds
PokerStars
Hillhouse Group
Corinthia Hotels Limited
Lululemon
Hyatt

Work highlights

Advised HSBC on trade mark filing, prosecution, portfolio management, oppositions, enforcement, and disputes across Asia, including their new and established brands.
Advised McDonald’s on a full range of trademark and brand protection matters in Hong Kong, the PRC, Taiwan, and Macau.