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.
Introduction Since last month’s post covering international aspects of trademark infringement litigation, we’ve gotten some questions about what resolution options are available short of full-blown litigation. Obviously, trademark infringement is a significant concern for businesses and individuals seeking to protect their brands. But, sometimes, settlement or other mutual agreements to resolve these problems can make
Israel is in the throes of a polarizing debate over the future of its judicial system. If reforms being pursued by the current Israeli government are adopted, critics argue, the country’s very “democracy and system of checks and balances” may be at risk. In the eyes of some opponents of the proposed overhaul, its consequences
Hace unos días tuve la oportunidad de sentarme con varios miembros de la Asociación Interamericana de Propiedad Intelectual (ASIPI) para discutir el tema de la protección de la propiedad intelectual en el contexto aduanero estadounidense. Las preguntas y respuestas que entraron en esta discusión se exponen a continuación. En el contexto del comercio exterior,
With its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that held that the U.S. Constitution generally protected the right to an abortion. Following Dobbs, U.S. states will be free to regulate abortion as they see fit. While primarily a matter of import for
The differences between U.S. state laws can be considerable. For many observers from abroad, this is one of the most striking features of the American legal system. Understanding these differences is key for the success of foreign businesses that want to establish a presence in the United States. One key consideration is taxes. Most states
Back in December, we discussed the U.S. State Department’s plans to start issuing gender-neutral passports. On April 11, 2022, the new policy took effect, with passport application forms (DS-11) now offering an X gender marker. The DS-11 describes the X as standing for “unspecified or another gender identity.” Passport applicants can select the X gender
In a sign of Web3’s mainstreamization, companies in the space are sponsoring soccer teams. For readers not familiar with the topic, soccer sponsorships are a really big deal. Spain’s Real Madrid gets €70 million a year from Emirates to display the airline’s name on their shirts. The Dubai-based airline, by the way, sponsors three other
Across practices, we are seeing the internet turn into an enemy for businesses dealing with federal law enforcement. Companies of all stripes need to be aware of the dangers of the Internet, and in particular what is being said about them online. If your products are subject to federal government scrutiny, you should be aware
If you’re not American, U.S. politics can be confusing. And believe us, even if you are American, they’re confusing. The United States has been mired in a partisan struggle for several decades (some would say, for the past 245 years), and during the past 10 years it has been particularly difficult to pass legislation through
With the rapid growth of the Web3 economy shaking up things across legal fields, it is not surprising that the registration of Web3 trademarks is raising novel issues. Web3 businesses should, of course, keep these issues on their radar when crafting brand strategies, but at the same time they must not neglect trademark basics. Similarity
