Introduction You’ve just come up with a catchy name for your new business, but there’s one crucial step before you can start splashing that name everywhere—ensuring no one else has a claim to it. This is where the world of trademarks and, specifically, trademark oppositions come into play. Think of a trademark opposition as someone
Introduction Picture this: A young entrepreneur named Alex (all names have been changed to protect the innocent) launches a trendy eco-friendly shoe line named “VerdeVoyage” in the U.S. After gaining popularity stateside, Alex decides to expand to China. However, unbeknownst to Alex, 绿行 (lvxing), which translates to “Green Journey”, is already a registered trademark for
Cannabis Brands and China Challenges Cannabis brands account for a sizeable component of my law firm’s intellectual property work (and, indeed, our work generally). Historically, there has been little overlap between our cannabis and China practice areas, beyond our representing a number of cannabis ancillary product companies on their China manufacturing matters. This is starting
China is Central to Latin American Counterfeiting Issues Counterfeit challenges in Latin America are closely tied to manufacturing in China because a significant proportion of these counterfeits trace back to China. This means an effective brand protection strategy for Latin America often requires an effective brand protection strategy for China as well. For many brands,
Introduction As we regularly stress on these pages, trademarks (and other intellectual property) are often a brand’s most valuable assets. It therefore follows that international trademark protection should be a key priority for brands engaged in international business. Globalization and Trademark Realities In this age of increasing globalization, where phones and ATM cards from your
Introduction Navigating the intricate landscape of intellectual property (IP) protection in China is a paramount concern for businesses in today’s global market. Countering counterfeiting and IP infringement requires a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond borders. This post sets out the five keys to safeguarding your IP assets from and within China. From registering your IP
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
About a decade ago, I gave a speech on software outsourcing at a major software event. Last week, I found my outline for that speech and this post is based on that outline, revised and updated. It is largely based on my experiences and what I have learned from talking with clients and other businesses
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
