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Burdick & McDonough and Schweiger & Partners Have Merged

27 August 2012

Burdick & McDonough and Schweiger & Partners Have Merged

US-based Carroll, Burdick & McDonough and German IP boutique firm Schweiger & Partners have merged. The combined firm has offices on three continents, including Asian offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore. A statement indicates the merged firm will focus on intellectual property and patent litigation, as well as US and worldwide products liability litigation and complex commercial litigation. “Intellectual property portfolios are an integral aspect of global business operations,” said Vicki Freimann, managing partner of the US offices of CBM. The firm has added several international partners in 2012, including Paolo Beconcini in Beijing. Beconcini specializes in international and Chinese intellectual property and product liability, advising German and multinational firms on intellectual property matters. He advised the MAN Group in the landmark design patent infringement lawsuit Neoplan v. Zonda.


Tony Tan Hui, a PRC patent agent, has joined Wilkinson & Grist’s Beijing patent team. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in ornamental horticulture and his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology, both from China Agricultural University. He has more than six years of patent prosecution experience in the fields of chemistry, pharmaceuticals, biochemistry and molecular biology.

Katten Muchin Rosenman has announced the opening of its new office in Shanghai, the firm’s first in China. Intellectual property, foreign direct investment in China, outbound investment by Chinese investors, cross-border mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors in China will be among the services offered by the firm. “Katten’s new office in Shanghai represents a big step in the growth of our firm internationally and will allow us to significantly expand our existing China Practice,” said Vincent AF Sergi, national managing partner at Katten. “With China’s continued economic growth and importance in the global economy, having on-the-ground resources in Shanghai will help us enhance the services we are able to provide our clients in this market.”

The office will be led by Feng Xue, chair of Katten’s Asia-China practice and managing partner of the Shanghai office.

Ashurst has announced that it is lodging an application for a licence to operate a fully practising office in Beijing and that, pending the grant of a licence, will be opening a representative office in the city. The firm recently announced the appointment of finance lawyer Patrick Phua to strengthen its China practice. He joined from the Beijing office of Mallesons Stephen Jaques.

“One of the key drivers for Ashurst and Blake Dawson in combining our businesses was the opportunity the joint platform provides us to attract outstanding legal talent at all levels in Asia,” said Geoffrey Green, who heads the firm’s Asia operations. “Patrick’s appointment is an early and very pleasing indication that we are on the right track in this regard.”

Hogan Lovells has named litigator Eugene Chen partner in its Shanghai office. Chen’s practice focuses on cross-border disputes and investigations in the United States, China, and elsewhere in Asia. His disputes practice includes patent infringement litigation, trademark and copyright issues, compliance and FCPA investigations, large and small scale product liability suits, commercial contract and unfair competition disputes, and US consumer class action lawsuits. 

Hogan Lovells has named two IP lawyers as partners in China. Zhen (Katie) Feng and Rae Yan were both named partner in the firm’s intellectual property, media and technology practice group. Yan practices in Beijing, while Feng is based in the firm’s Shanghai office.

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