China IP Risks are Rising With the fraying of relations between China and the West, Chinese companies are becoming increasingly concerned about their ability to maintain long-term relationships with foreign companies. Add in a flailing Chinese economy and you can understand why the incidence of Chinese companies “grabbing” IP from the foreign companies with which
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
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
Avoiding China IP Licensing Pitfalls In recent years, our law firm has represented dozens of businesses licensing their intellectual property (IP) to companies in China, covering a wide range of sectors from product manufacturing and distribution to entertainment. Despite their sophisticated IP licensing experience, many businesses are often unprepared for many common pitfalls in China
Why NDAs Are Useless for Protecting Your Intellectual Property in China Since we started this blog, we have emphasized the importance of using NNN Agreements for China, and not Western Style NDA Agreements. Most companies now understand this, but twice in the last few weeks I have had to tell an American company that it
China Intellectual Property Protections If you are doing business in or with China (and this includes having your products made in China), you need to safeguard your intellectual property (IP) rights there. Intellectual property encompasses intangible creations such as trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets. Trademarks: These are recognizable symbols, phrases, or logos that identify
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
