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.
Registering U.S. State Name Trademarks in China Many brands, from craft breweries to universities, incorporate their U.S. state names into their trademarks. This not only reflects their origins but also evokes a sense of heritage and trust. However, for brands looking to enter the vast Chinese market, a significant hurdle awaits. Registering trademarks that include
How to Deal with IP Infringement Our international intellectual property lawyers are often called upon to help companies whose IP has been compromised or infringed upon. We have formulated the following basic checklist for handling these IP problems, be they international or domestic. 1. Identify the client’s IP problem This step is sometimes straightforward, but
China Trademarks Matter We are on record (and then some) about the importance of registering your trademark in China. In spite of our efforts — or perhaps because of them — nearly every week someone contacts us after discovering someone else has registered “their” trademarks in China. Most people lump all such third-party registrants together
Should I study in China? This is a question many university students are asking themselves, particularly following the stabbing of four American instructors in the northeastern city of Jinan. While students considering studies in China need to be aware of certain risks, the question is not one that lends itself to a straightforward answer. Whether
China Trademarks: Meet Goldilocks In going through old emails, I found one I wrote to an Australian client seeking Chinese government approval to sell its product in China. The client wanted to know if it should register a China trademark for its brand name and logo, even though there was a good chance the product
The Legal Differences Between Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China Special administrative regions (SARs) like Hong Kong and Macau hold a unique position within China. In some respects, the two SARs are as much a part of China as Beijing and Shanghai. When it comes to most practical purposes, though, they are separate jurisdictions—and companies
When companies come to my law firm to protect their brand names from Chinese copycats, our international trademark lawyers typically tell them that applying for such a trademark takes about a week, but actually getting the trademark takes about ten months. We then tell them that until they get their Chinese trademark, they will be
China Trademark Registered? Here’s How to Keep it Working for You What happens when you register a China trademark? What follows is an example of the emails our China trademark lawyers send clients after their trademark is registered, with some additional notes in bold italics. Dear Roberta, I am pleased to enclose the registration certificate
Balancing Between U.S. and China Regulations Companies that do business in or with both China and the United States must navigate the geopolitical tensions between these two countries The escalating legal and regulatory conflicts between these superpowers have created a challenging “compliance dilemma.” In this post I explore the intricacies of this dilemma and what
Understanding Copyright Protection for Your Creative Work in China China still presents exciting opportunities for creators of all kinds. But protecting your intellectual property from China can be difficult. When it comes to copyright, however, there’s good news: copyright protection in China often arises automatically upon creation, similar to the US and EU. However, enforcing
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