Companies often put too much faith in patents alone to protect their intellectual property (IP) when manufacturing and selling overseas. But a one-size-fits-all approach to IP protection rarely works. Though patents have benefits in some cases, they are frequently not the most effective or economical choice. A wiser strategy involves exploring multiple IP protections and
If you have a foreign subsidiary, you need to protect your intellectual property (IP) and company policies with tailored employment agreements. Otherwise, you risk losing valuable assets, facing legal disputes, and damaging your reputation. In this post, we’ll show you how to create an effective overseas subsidiary employment agreement package that covers all the essential
How to Protect Your IP with International NNN Agreements If you are a US company that wants to do business with a foreign company, you may need to share some of your intellectual property (IP) with them. This could include your trade secrets, designs, prototypes, formulas, or other confidential information. However, sharing your IP can
CHINA TRADEMARKS Securing Trademarks in China China’s massive consumer market represents a tremendous opportunity for companies to build their brands. However, substantial risks of trademark squatting, counterfeits and other infringements make registering and protecting your trademarks in China absolutely essential. This in-depth guide provides practical insights on the benefits, process, tips and potential pitfalls of
1. The Changing Nature of Securing Trademarks in China Once upon a time, securing English-language trademarks in China was relatively straightforward. Our China trademark lawyers would determine the appropriate trademark category or categories under China’s trademark system, select the right class (or classes) and subclass (or subclasses), and secure approval from the China Trademark Office
I spoke with a new client yesterday regarding the importance of his company obtaining trademarks in China. At the end of the conversation, the client was so “psyched” about getting the trademarks, he asked if there are ever times a company does not need to register its brand name as a trademark in China. Though
It’s no secret that China is the world’s leading source of counterfeit goods. Barely a day goes by without an American or European company contacting one of our intellectual property lawyers to get counterfeit products removed from a Chinese e-commerce site. Even though it may seem there’s no way to protect your brand from counterfeiters
Our international trademark attorneys recently won an appeal of an earlier refusal of a China trademark registration application. This case demonstrates the complex strategies often required to secure trademark protection for brands in China. As execution of these strategies can take time, brands willing to take the long view are likely to see better results.
Color claims for trademarks should in general be avoided. To be clear, there are situations when claiming color on a trademark registration application makes sense, but these situations are not common. What’s more, color claims might create issues in the future, if you stop using your trademark exactly as registered. Claiming a color or colors
China Domain Name Scams If your company has done anything in China (even just sending someone there to meet with a supplier), you have probably received a somewhat official-looking email offering to “help” you stop someone from taking your domain registry in China or maybe somewhere else in the world. Picture this: Your company finally
