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.
You registered your trademark in China, meaning congratulations are in order for having taken this critical step to protect your intellectual property. Now, how do you leverage your trademark registration for maximum effect? Here are some tips: 1. Record Your Trademark with China Customs Recording your registered trademark with China Customs is an important safeguard
Understanding Apostilles Apostilles are certificates issued by governments in accordance with the 1961 Apostille Convention, which confirm the authenticity of documents. A document apostilled by Party A is considered authenticated by Party B, without a need to legalize or authenticate the document at a Party B’s embassy or consulate. The Apostille Convention enters into force
Offshore companies are widely used by businesses and individuals for a variety of purposes. So pervasive is their use in China that even smalltime accountants in Hong Kong offer incorporation services in jurisdictions like the British Virgin Islands (BVI). While there is nothing inherently wrong with the use of offshore entities, you should be wary
Protecting Your Brand Name as Manufacturing Leaves China The recent decade-low in China’s manufacturing exports has pushed many Chinese factories into survival mode, leading to an escalation in trademark theft incidents as they seek new revenue channels. The ongoing trade skirmishes between China and economic powerhouses like the United States and the European Union have
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, meaning “the more that changes, the more it’s the same thing,” is a phrase coined by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, a French novelist and editor, often shortened to plus ça change. When it comes to doing business in China, it sure seems to be that way, with businesses tripping
China Trademarks and Global Political Conflicts Russia’s War and Its Impact on China Brands Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights the brand risks international companies face when geopolitical conflicts force a market exit. Many companies that left Russia found their trademarks being used without their consent, leading to a devaluation of their brand. In particular, the
Have a China Brand Protection Strategy The essential first step in most China IP strategies is to register your trademarks with China’s Trademark Office. Because China is a first-to-file country, until you register a trademark in China you have no rights in that trademark. But a trademark registration alone will not limit the spread of
A China Trademark is a Terrible Thing to Waste I often get emails from people asking what my law firm charges for registering trademarks in China and I always respond by quoting our rate for a trademark analysis and stating that we will not “just” register their trademark in the category they tell us. If
The Importance of International Trademark Protection With the increasing internationalization of business and heightening geopolitical tensions, protecting your brand’s identity internationally is more important than ever. Yet many companies still fail to recognize that they need an international trademark strategy. This post outlines why neglecting global trademarks poses risks and explains how to mitigate those
The Madrid Trademark System Securing global trademark protection is crucial for establishing strong brand recognition internationally. This post provides an overview of the Madrid Trademark System and how it can be leveraged to improve your global trademark protections, along with examining the alternative procedures required for territories outside the Madrid framework. The Madrid Trademark System
