Fred leads Harris Sliwoski’s intellectual property practice and is the coordinator of the firm’s international team. Much of Fred’s practice consists of helping cannabis businesses protect their brands. He also works with entrepreneurs and companies entering the Web3 space, a new frontier for IP law. Prior to joining Harris Sliwoski, Fred worked overseas for more than a decade, in both government and private sector roles. Fred is a regular contributor to the award-winning China Law Blog and Canna Law Blog.
Fred began his career overseas as a U.S. consular officer in Guangzhou, China, where he advocated for fairer treatment of American companies and citizens in China and for stronger intellectual property rights enforcement. After entering the private sector, Fred worked at a Shanghai law firm as a foreign legal advisor and later joined one of the oldest American law firms in China, helping foreign companies navigate the Chinese legal environment. He also led the legal team at a Hong Kong-based brand protection consultancy, spending most of his time out in the field, protecting clients against counterfeiters and fraudsters in Greater China, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In addition to his IP work, as a native Spanish speaker, Fred works closely with different Harris Sliwoski teams on Latin America and Spain matters. Fred also provides advice to cannabis industry participants and other businesses on import and export transactions.
Fred is an ardent supporter of FC Barcelona—and would be even in the absence of Catalan forebears who immigrated to Puerto Rico in the mid-1800s.
Understanding International Trademark Basics Protecting your brand internationally is essential to prevent counterfeiting, unauthorized use, and legal conflicts. This Q&A covers key trademark principles, international registration options, enforcement strategies, and practical considerations to help businesses secure and defend their trademarks worldwide. A. The Basic International Trademark Questions 1. What is a trademark, and why is
Many companies assume they don't need to worry about trademark protections in China if they have no plans to sell or manufacture there. That's a risky mistake. China counterfeiters frequently exploit well-known (and even lesser-known) brands, flooding global markets with knockoff products that damage reputations and eat into legitimate sales.
When it comes to China, you should register the brands you use, protect against squatters, and register in multiple classes.
When Xi Jinping took office in 2013, I—like many others—hoped that his leadership would improve China’s trajectory. But over time, my optimism faded as the country became more repressive, and the spaces I once enjoyed began to disappear. I was living in Shenzhen in 2013. Whenever I read Western media hopes that Xi might potentially
Imagine you want to register “Big Dork” as a trademark in China, only to have it rejected because someone else already owns “Big Work.” Absurd? Welcome to the peculiar world of Chinese trademark law, where the trademark office and courts often reach dramatically different conclusions about what constitutes a “confusingly similar” mark. To make things
Managing Intellectual Property Rights in the U.S. Customs Regulatory Environment For companies that import products into the United States, U.S. Customs plays a critical role in enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights by ensuring that counterfeit goods and infringing products do not enter the country. This post explores how IP holders can navigate the U.S. Customs
You Need a China Brand Protection Strategy China’s position as a global manufacturing hub makes it a fertile ground for counterfeit goods, and China leads the world in counterfeiting, by far. To protect your intellectual property (IP) effectively in China, a strategic approach is essential. This guide will walk you through the key steps—from trademark
In Penn State Vintage Trademarks: Protecting the Future via the Past I reecently wrote a blog post that discussed a recent case in the United States, where Penn State University successfully defended its vintage sports logos against unauthorized use, highlighting the significance of safeguarding historic/vintage trademarks. Trademark protection for retro and vintage designshas also long
Bad Faith Trademark Filings in China China is a Hotspot for Trademark Squatting Every year, thousands of international brands discover that their trademarks have already been registered in China by third-party entities. Imagine spending years building a brand, only to be locked out of the Chinese market by an opportunistic trademark squatter. For companies caught
Trademark Protection for International Companies Thinking your trademarks are safe just because you registered them? Think again—especially if your business is expanding abroad. Trademark protection is crucial for companies manufacturing and distributing products overseas. While many large multinationals have armies of lawyers monitoring their intellectual property rights (IPR), small- and medium-sized businesses expanding internationally often
