Sixty-three firms from 24 Asia-Pacific jurisdictions took home trophies at the 16th annual Asia IP Awards, held November 6, 2025, at The Godown in Kuala Lumpur. The awards named top trademarks, patents, copyright and, for the first time, portfolio management practices as determined by in-house counsel from Asia, Europe and the Americas. More than 5,000 in-house counsel were polled by Asia IP magazine throughout the first part of 2025. The complete list of winners follows. 

The historic Godown is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur in a restored colonial-era warehouse, and is one of the city’s premier arts and entertainment spaces. The Godown was designed to evoke a sense of openness, inclusiveness and interconnectedness between humans and nature, and aims to foster a more inclusive, caring and eco-centric society through its support of the local artist community and advocacy for nature conservation and social equity. 

“Law firms are doing exceptional intellectual property work in Asia,” said Asia IP publisher Darren Barton. “Each year, the competition to win an Asia IP Award becomes more and more competitive. Our winners should be proud of the recognition they’ve received from their peers.” 

Eighteen law firms won multiple awards at the event, in multiple practice areas, in multiple jurisdictions or a combination thereof. Regional powerhouse Tilleke & Gibbins won eight awards, including the regional Asia Pacific award for its patent work, its patent work in Cambodia, its patent prosecution work in Indonesia, its patent work in Laos, its work in Myanmar, its patent prosecution and patent litigation work in Thailand, and its patent prosecution work in Vietnam. Global firm Baker McKenzie-affiliated firms won six awards on the evening, including the regional Asia Pacific award for its trademark work, its trademark work in China, its patent litigation and portfolio management work in Hong Kong, its trademark litigation work in Indonesia (as HHP Law Firm), its copyright work in Malaysia (as Wong & Partners) and its trademark work in Vietnam. Bird & Bird won three awards, including the regional Asia Pacific award for its copyright work, its copyright work in China and its copyright work in Singapore (as Bird & Bird ATMD). 

Other firms winning multiple awards included Allens for work in Australia; S&O IP for work in Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia and Vietnam; Deacons for work in China and Hong Kong; Nakamura & Partners and TMI Associates for work in Japan; Kenfox IP & Law Firm for work in Laos and Vietnam; Wong Jin Nee & Teo for work in Malaysia; AJ Park for work in New Zealand; Ali & Associates for work in Pakistan; Drew & Napier and Allen and Gledhill for work in Singapore; Kim & Chang and Lee & Ko for work in South Korea; and Pham & Associates for work in Vietnam. 

The China awards given at the evening’s ceremony honour international law firms for their work in China. Leading Chinese law firms are recognized annually with the Asia IP China Awards early each year.  

“In-house counsel know that they’ll get the results they’re after by using lawyers and law firms based here in Asia and the Pacific,” said Asia IP managing editor Gregory Glass. “The work done here is of excellent quality.” 

Asia IP is a vital source of intelligence for IP-owning companies active in Asia, and international law firms which want to keep ahead of the key issues. The magazine includes a range of in-depth features, news and analysis designed to meet the information needs of in-house counsel, senior business leaders and partners at Asian and international law firms.  

The 2026 Asia IP Awards will be held in Hong Kong in November 2026.  

– Asia IP 

Sydney-based Allens is known for an acclaimed practice with expertise across the full gamut of intellectual property matters. IP practice leader Miriam Stiel is a member of the Enforcement Committee of the International Trademark Association and the AI & New Emerging Technologies and Women In IP Committees of the Intellectual Property Owners’ Association. The firm has acted in Federal Court proceedings on behalf of Wesfarmers in relation to allegations of copyright infringement and misleading and deceptive conduct. The past year has seen the firm acting for the Australian Olympic Committee for trademark, copyright and brand protection issues and Airbnb for trademark enforcement, prosecutions, oppositions and revocation actions and others. 

Davies Collison Cave’s patent attorneys are responsible for among the highest number of originating patent applications across all technical disciplines, and offer expertise in relation to all aspects of IP-related enforcement and litigation matters. The firm’s clients range from multinational corporations to start-ups across a wide range of technology areas, and with differing commercial requirements, so the firm’s team specializes in tailoring IP enforcement and litigation solutions to align with each client’s commercial objectives. DCCL regularly handles complex IP litigation and related matters before the Federal Court of Australia, as well as the state supreme courts, the AAT, and the Australian Patent and Trademark offices. 

Spruson & Ferguson companies are incorporated entities owned by IPH Limited, a publicly listed holding company for a number of IP professional services brands operating across Asia and the Pacific. The team is mostly made up of professionals with solid, real-world experience in science, engineering, legal, defense, telecommunications, ICT, electronics, computing and finance, thus boosting their capabilities of delivering effective, insightful solutions to their clients. Simon Potter is managing director for Australia; he has also overseen the development of the firm’s chemical and life sciences patent team in Australia.  

Sydney-based independent boutique Halfords IP is a full-service IP firm providing trademark, patent and design services to startups, established businesses, universities and research organizations and other entities. Its independence gives it flexibility with how it treats its clients, and the ability to retain high quality staff members. Partner Aparna Watal is the firm’s key trademark contact; she is a highly skilled trademark attorney with extensive experience in advising clients on all aspects of trademark matters, from brand selection, expansion and commercial exploitation to brand enforcement. Watal also advises on domain name disputes in Australia and New Zealand and on the intricate landscape of Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP), where she collaborates with fashion houses and indigenous communities alike, offering tailored solutions to address their unique needs and challenges. 

Remfry & Son traces its roots to 1827 in British India; the firm has been advising on matters of law in Bangladesh since the country’s formation in 1971. The firm is noted for its work in trademark, patent, copyright, design and domain name management. Its clientele is made up of small local businesses, FTSE companies and large organizations, including Honda, BMW, KFC, Suzuki, Google, Facebook, Twitter, New Zealand Dairy, LG, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi. 

With four partners, four associates and one consultant, CCW Partnership is a full-service commercial law firm in Brunei. The firm was founded in 1980 and used to be known as Choo, Chan & Wong; today, it has a leading reputation in IP and other areas of commercial and civil disputes, including construction, banking, property and insurance. Partner On Hung Zheng is a key IP contact at the firm; he has appeared before the High Court and Court of Appeal of Brunei Darussalam. The firm files more than 100 trademark and patent applications each year, and has acted in trademark infringement proceedings and trademark opposition proceedings. 

The Tilleke & Gibbins office in Phnom Penh provides guidance to clients on all aspects of intellectual property in Cambodia, and advises on licensing and regulatory issues for clients in sectors such as chemicals, food and agribusiness, franchising, life sciences, and technology. Its Cambodia practice offers a team of dedicated Khmer advisors who draw on the international expertise of its Bangkok office to provide advice on IP, licensing, and regulatory issues. Partner and director Jay Cohen leads the IP practice; Sokmean Chea is highly-regarded for her work with clients on a range of IP issues; and David Mol is regularly praised by clients for his responsiveness and practical, business-minded advice. The firm’s IP team in Phnom Penh consists of two partners and nine associates, making it one of the largest in Cambodia.  

S&O IP deals with the full range of IP matters in Cambodia, from registration and commercialization to enforcement, with a strong focus on trademarks and copyrights. The firm works closely with enforcement authorities at all levels and has an in-house investigation team that identifies sightings, conducts in-depth investigations and monitors online counterfeits. Daniel Greif, the firm’s director for Southeast Asia, has consistently been rated as one of the leading trademark lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region; trademark agent Celine Heng is a key contact in Phnom Penh.  

Bird & Bird established its Hong Kong office in 1995, followed by Beijing in 2004 and Shanghai in 2008. The China and Hong Kong team is led by partner Matthew Laight, who has represented some of the world’s leading companies in a broad range of sectors including electronics, pharmaceuticals, communications, information technology, media, broadcasting, and food and beverage. Ted Chwu is head of greater China and co-head of global tech and comms at the firm. 

Deacons combines one of the most established teams in Hong Kong with a solid presence in China. The firm’s patent lawyers have been providing advice to clients in Hong Kong for more than 100 years, and have had an established patent practice in China for more than 20 years, on inventions ranging from baby strollers to mechanics and electronics to genetic sequencing to biotherapeutics to plant variety rights and autonomous vehicles. Key contacts include Catherine Zheng, who heads the firm’s IP department and specializes in cross-border IP protection strategy and contentious matters, and Ian Liu; Liu is qualified to practice in the Greater Bay Area, and previously worked in the hi-tech software industry with a Silicon Valley-based company and was a financial software consultant with Reuters. 

Baker McKenzie has offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and maintains an impressive team of IP specialists backed by an international network. Senior consultant Loke-Khoon Tan has a well-deserved reputation for his practice on IP law in China, with particular emphasis on the structuring of intellectual property rights and anti-counterfeiting planning. The next generation of the firm’s IP leaders include partners Ruby Chan, Isabella F.C. Liu, Shih Yann Loo, Andrew Sim and Grace Wong. 

Long-time Hong Kong lawyer Ella Cheong practices her craft from Hong Kong-based ELLALAN along with managing partner Alan Chiu. The firm, which until June 2020 had been known as Ella Cheong & Alan Chiu, advises on IP enforcement, transactional and commercial IP and internet-related issues, as well as matters concerning entertainment and media, dispute resolution, commercial law and regulatory law. The firm boosted its entertainment and media capabilities in late 2023 with the arrival of senior consultant Kenny Wong. 

Baker McKenzie has offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, and maintains an impressive team of IP specialists backed by an international network. Senior consultant Loke-Khoon Tan has a well-deserved reputation for his practice on IP law in China, with particular emphasis on the structuring of intellectual property rights and anti-counterfeiting planning. The next generation of the firm’s IP leaders include partners Ruby Chan, Isabella F.C. Liu, Shih Yann Loo, Andrew Sim and Grace Wong.

Deacons combines one of the most established teams in Hong Kong with a solid presence in China. The firm’s patent lawyers have been providing advice to clients in Hong Kong for more than 100 years, and have had an established patent practice in China for more than 20 years, on inventions ranging from baby strollers to mechanics and electronics to genetic sequencing to biotherapeutics to plant variety rights and autonomous vehicles. Catherine Zheng heads the firm’s IP department and specializes in cross-border IP protection strategy and contentious matters. 

East IP was formed through the combination of four well-known practices, including a combination of Hong Kong-based SIPS, Beijing East IP and East IP Law Firm. The new East IP is also being joined by a team of six partners from Zhong Lun led by China trademark veteran Jimmy Huang. The new East IP Group is co-chaired by SIPS founder Joe Simone and the head of the firm’s patent practice, Xiaodong Li, while Huang leads the trademark prosecution team. The firm notes that women comprise half of its partners and 72 percent of its 90-member IP team. East IP partners include Joe Simone, Dan Plane and Helen Tang, who were SIPS founding partners, and Joann Chan, Joshua Miller and Mai Lin. 

Beruar & Beruar’s practice areas include copyright, trademarks, patents, design, geographical indications, dispute resolution, corporate advisory, investigation and enforcement. Partner Rahul Beruar co-founded the law firm and heads its IP practice. Heading the dispute resolution team is partner and co-founder Nidhi Jain. The firm successfully represented India Today Group, the media brand operating the leading national news channel AAJ TAK. Beruar & Beruar initiated trademark infringement proceedings against a news platform which operated under the infringing mark AAJ TAK WATCH. The firm secured an injunction against the defendant restraining them from using the infringing mark and secured removal of the infringing website and social media platforms. The firm was also named enforcement firm of the year at the 2025 Asia IP India Awards. 

Strong IP player DePenning & DePenning is known for its non-contentious work. The Chennai-based firm handles IP searching, investigation, drafting, registration and enforcement as well as opposition procedures. Its services also cover domain names, geographical indications and portfolio management. With offices in Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the firm has been serving clients for more than 165 years, and remains a popular firm for multinationals doing work in India. The firm also won the pharma, biotech and life science firm of the year at the 2025 Asia IP India Awards. 

Anand and Anand is one of India’s top IP firms, housing more than 200 professionals led by managing partner Pravin Anand, who was the recipient of the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) prestigious 2021 President’s Award. Pravin Anand, Safir Anand and Vaishali Mittal are all excellent lawyers and key to the firm’s trademark practice, which handled more than 3,000 successful trademark oppositions last year, as well as more than 2,500 trademark applications. In an unprecedented feat, the firm secured well-known status for 11 marks belonging to various leading Indian and international companies, all on the same day, including marks owned by pharma giant Abbott Laboratories, ecommerce platform Nykaa, apparel manufacturer Jockey, Indian conglomerate Tata Group, Indian Hotels Company and Titan Company and Japanese multinational Bridgestone Corporation. The firm, which has 27 partners, five associate partners and 86 associates, won multiple awards at Asia IP’s 2025 India Awards, including national firm of the year. 

IP powerhouse Remfry & Sagar is a go-to firm for multinationals in India. The firm has pioneered patent litigation in India’s post-TRIPS regime, advising, and acting on behalf of, leading international pharmaceutical companies on seminal matters including Section 3(d) of the Patents Act and the issue of compulsory licensing. More recently, telecom disputes involving fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing agreements in standard-essential patents (SEPs) have been an area of focus. The firm has one of the largest, most experienced patent litigation teams in the country. Led by managing partner Ashwin Julka, the firm also won multiple awards at Asia IP’s 2025 India Awards, including national firm of the year runner-up. 

Managing partner Justisiari Perdana Kusumah and partner Risti Wulansari lead K&K Advocates, a boutique firm specializing in IP matters with particular strength in patent, trademark and copyright registration and enforcement. The firm is regularly sought by multinational clients and foreign governments. It also acts for or is involved with bodies responsible for developing IP and technology laws. In recent litigation, it represented one of the largest chemical suppliers in ASEAN on an industrial design lawsuit. 

Tilleke & Gibbins’ Jakarta office began serving clients in September 2013. Its leading Southeast Asian IP practice has decades of experience in the region and has been instrumental in the development of IP law and practice in many jurisdictions. Director Wongrat Ratanaprayul has advised on a portfolio of more than 1,500 industrial designs, copyright and trademarks for a global jewelry designer and manufacturer. The firm is regularly entrusted by leading IP firms in South Korea to act for LG Electronics on patent prosecution matters in Indonesia, including translating patent specifications and filing local patent applications; over the past year, it assisted LG Electronics with the prosecution of more than 110 patents in Indonesia. It also assisted a Chinese law firm in conducting freedom-to-operate searches on sanitary pad technology in Indonesia, which uncovered 45 patents and/or patent applications for the client to assess the risks in selling their sanitary products in the Indonesian market. 

HHP Law Firm, formerly known as Hadiputranto, Hadinoto & Partners, is the Indonesian member firm of Baker McKenzie. Its IP team helps international clients with cease-and-desist campaigns, anti-counterfeiting raids, infringer investigations and other related matters. The IP team is led by partner Daru Lukiantono, who has experience in complex intellectual property due diligence and management cases; in addition to copyright work, he also has a range of experience in patent prosecution, patent portfolio management, commercial patent work and patent litigation. Nidya Kalangie has deep experience in IP brand protection, litigation and commercial advisory matters. 

Spruson & Ferguson, one of the largest IP firms in the Asia-Pacific region, has a 130-year history of providing IP services to local and global companies. Its Indonesian office was established in 2016, with a team composed of patent and trademark attorneys, engineers and scientists. Principal Amy Chan, who leads the firm’s Asia trademarks practice group from offices around the region, manages the global trademark portfolios of foreign and multinational clients from a wide range of industries; she regularly assists clients in conducting clearance searches, brand strategy management, trademark applications and trademark opposition matters. The firm is part of IPH Limited, the IP company holding company. 

Pulungan, Wiston & Partners represents clients in a wide variety of matters involving acquisition, maintenance, utilization, protection and enforcement of IP arising under local and foreign IP laws. By virtue of its partners’ long-standing international presence, the firm is positioned to serve the needs of both domestic and international clients.  

Nakamura & Partners in Tokyo is an international patent law firm which provides IP services inside and outside of the jurisdiction. Shinichiro Tanaka is a key partner the legal section of the firm, and Daisaku Fujikura is head of the trademark section. Yuriko Sagara and Shoichi Satake are part of the firm’s entertainment practice, while Akira Watanabe and Masahiko Matsuno are members in its media practice. Clients include Sony and FujiFilm. 

Osaka-based Abe & Partners, handles the complete range of IP matters, as well as a variety of corporate and commercial practices. The firm recently represented Regeneron Pharmaceuticals against Samsung Bioepis in an unfair competition preliminary injunction appeal case, receiving a dismissal decision. The firm also handles disputes in technical fields including pharmaceuticals, chemistry, life sciences, IT, electronic devices and machinery. Takenori Abe has been called “a stellar lawyer, backed up by a small-but-efficient team.” 

Yoshiyuki Inaba and Toyotaka Abe are key practitioners at TMI Associates. The firm is one of Japan’s five largest firms, with more than 90 patent and trademark attorneys in addition to some 570 attorneys-at-law and more than 100 paralegals and other staff members. The firm has assisted Stokke, a Norwegian maker of childrens’ chairs, in court in an attempt to stop the sale of lookalike chairs in Japan; the trademark prosecution team at the firm has now filed a mark for a 3-dimensional trademark. The firm’s clients range from venture businesses to well-established high-tech companies. It also liaises with government agencies and has increasingly has had opportunities to advise on policy.  

Tilleke & Gibbins provides legal advice for foreign investors and others in Laos through its office in Vientiane. The firm has particular expertise in trademark and other IP law in Laos, but is also positioned to provide advice on a range of corporate and commercial matters. Prisna Sungwanna heads the firm’s Laos office. The firm has a strong bench of local talent in its office in Vientiane currently at the associate level. 

S&O IP deals with the full range of IP matters in Cambodia, from registration and commercialization to enforcement, with a strong focus on trademarks and copyrights. The firm works closely with enforcement authorities at all levels and has an in-house investigation team that identifies sightings, conducts in-depth investigations and monitors online counterfeits. Daniel Greif, the firm’s director for Southeast Asia, has consistently been rated as one of the leading trademark lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region; senior associate Narisara Jessica Sangiumpun is the firm’s assistant director in Laos. 

MdME Lawyers was only established in 2006, but it has quickly grown to include some of the most experienced and most active IP lawyers based in Macau, with additional offices in Hong Kong and Lisbon. Partner João Encarnação, head of the IP team, has advised and assisted on prosecution of thousands of applications for trademark, design, patent and other IP rights in Macau and overseas. The firm’s clients encompass key corporations operating in Macau, covering diverse sectors such as banking, insurance, finance, gaming, real estate, energy, construction, infrastructure, retail, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. 

C&C Lawyers & Notaries provides legal advice and services on a wide range of legal issues for both domestic and international clients. In addition to general advice on IP issues, the firm’s practice includes registration and IP portfolio maintenance; IP enforcement and protection; licensing and franchising; anti-counterfeiting and customs actions. Partner Lu Zhao leads the IP practice and acts as the top liaison for the firm’s Chinese-speaking clients. The need to provide specific and focused IP solutions led the C&C group to create IPSOL, a full-service dedicated intellectual property agency. Focused on the planning, registration and management of trademarks, patents and other IP rights, IPSOL offers solutions that maximize the protection of IP assets. C&C also has offices in Portugal, East Timor and Cabo Verde. 

Wong & Partners is the Malaysia member firm of Baker McKenzie. Led by partners Celia Cheah and Serene Kan, the firm is known for its work in copyright, trademark and patent work. Cheah has more than two decades of experience in the creation, protection, commercialization and enforcement of intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, industrial designs and copyrights. Kan heads the firm’s technology practice group, where her practice includes technology and media transactions, technology and licensing agreements, data privacy and protection, e-payments and ecommerce. She advised a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars on its video streaming feature from the perspective of telecommunications law, media law and broadcasting law in Malaysia. 

IP and technology boutique Wong Jin Nee & Teo provides a wide-spectrum of IP and technology law services and is renowned for its work in trademark application, litigation, as well as brand protection and enforcement work. Partners Jin Nee Wong and Bong Kwang Teo are recognized for their expertise in handling both litigation and non-contentious matters that extend to integrated IP services including portfolio management and exploitation both locally and abroad. 

Well-established IP specialist Marks & Clerk handles all areas of intellectual property, with particular strengths in life science, information technology and electronics. The firm has a global reputation for delivering quality parent prosecution and its Malaysia office handles patent drafting to UK and European standards. The patent practice, led by director Chris Hemingway, is one of the very few Malaysian patent practices to have a UK- and Europe-qualified patent attorney which, it says, has found that this expertise has attracted drafting work that otherwise would likely have been sent offshore to firms in Singapore or Australia. Key patent clients include Petronas, NGLtech, Panasonic, Sengenics, Vulcan Photonics and LuxTag, as well as a number of the local Universities such as USM, UTP, IIUM and UMP. New clients include Cancer Research Malaysia, Areodyne, Medika and Cryocord. 

The IP and technology team at Rahmat Lim & Partners offers a wide range of contentious and non-contentious IP-related services and advises on a broad spectrum of enforcement, management and transactional issues. The firm assists clients in making urgent court applications for injunctions and search and seizure orders as well as participating in raid actions. The firm also works on criminal copyright enforcement of data centres hosting AI and experimental IP litigation, such as fair doctrine defences for copyright infringement in the AI context. Partner Pauline Khor, head of the intellectual property and technology department, is known for her fresh perspective and creative resolutions and has 18 years of experience advising and acting for foreign and local multinational companies. Notable clients include Chanel, Walt Disney, Sony and Philips.  

Full-service firm Shearn Delamore & Co’s IP practice is led by Karen Abraham, with its IP team providing professional services for more than 40 years and being widely recognized as one of the leading firms in Malaysia. The firm is one of the very few firms in Malaysia which manages very large trademark portfolios of clients, with several large profile clients with sizable trademark portfolios worldwide, namely the Astro and Petronas groups. With a team comprising of more than 100 support staff, clerks and lawyers and its international networks, the firm has the ability and capacity to handle urgent and bulk filings within the day. Other trademark clients include technology companies such as Google, Facebook and Tesla; pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer; and luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton Malletier and LVMH Fashion Group, Hermes and BVGARI. Other top practitioners include Jyeshta Mahendran, Indran Shanmuganathan, Timothy Siaw, Janet Toh, Raghuram Supramanium and Sook Eng Sim. 

Full-service IP firm S&O IP specializes in advising clients on all aspects of intellectual property in Eurasia from registration to enforcement, as well as commercialization. The firm is known for its focus on understanding clients’ business needs and providing a responsive and effective response. The firm’s Eurasia team includes attorneys, IP consultants, and trademark and patent agents from eight different countries. The firm is rapidly expanding in China and Southeast Asia.  

Regional firm Tilleke & Gibbins has particular strength in intellectual property in its Yangon office. The Myanmar practice is supported by a team of more than 150 lawyers and consultants spread across five other countries. Yuwadee Thean-ngarm is a partner and director of the Yangon office; in 2017, she was elected secretary-general of the Thai Business Association of Myanmar, further strengthening an already significant platform for advocacy of IP legislative development and the firm’s ties with the Myanmar business community. Notable clients include Bayer, CBS Corporation, Red Bull, Siam Cement and Sanofi.  

U Myint Lwin Law Office is one of the most reliable firms in the country, with founder Myint Lwin providing consistent, high-quality service. The firm, which was founded in 1994, works with domestic and international clients in obtaining and maintaining trademark registrations.  

Pradhan & Associates is a top-tier full-service commercial law firm which has been involved in high-profile transactions and has advised foreign governments, bilateral and multilateral agencies and Fortune 500 companies. It provides services in connection with trademarks, patents, copyrights and designs, as well as IP rights assignment, licensing, international franchising, domain name disputes, IP-related diligence and litigation. The firm was previously known as Pradhan, Ghimire & Associates. Managing partner Devendra Pradhan is a key IP contact. 

AJ Park houses a leading patent practice for both contentious and non-contentious works 

For more than 130 years, AJ Park has helped companies and individuals identify, develop, protect, commercialize, manage, and enforce their IP rights in New Zealand, Australia and throughout the world in practice areas organized around specialist aspects of IP law, including copyright, patents, trademarks, designs, strategy and commercialization, plant variety rights, domain names, trade secrets, geographical indications, dispute resolution and litigation, border protection and renewals. AJ Park is part of IPH Limited, the intellectual property holding company.  

New Zealand Patent Litigation Firm of the Year 

Simpson Grierson’s patent litigation work is particularly praised; its team advises a number of multi-national companies in relation to patent licensing and disputes, in particular within the pharmaceutical, medical device and animal health sectors. In Lucas v. Peterson, it advised on an application to the High Court to amend a patent, strike out of counterclaim for unjustified threats of patent infringement proceedings, and High Court and Court of Appeal strike out and appeals following a contested settlement of the litigation. It also advised Novartis on substantial patent infringement litigation with Astra Zeneca, and intellectual property issues relating to PHARMAC arrangements. 

New Zealand Patent Prosecution Firm of the Year 

Pearce IP is a boutique firm offering intellectual property specialist lawyers, patent attorneys and trademark attorneys to the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and life sciences industries in Australia and New Zealand. Founder Naomi Pearce is Sydney-based; Auckland-based Paul Johns and Wellington-based Julie Ballance are part of the firm’s leadership team. Johns is an IP dispute resolution specialist and heads the firm’s litigation team in New Zealand; Ballance’s practice includes contentious and non-contentious patent, trademark and designs services. 

New Zealand Trademark Prosecution Firm of the Year 

Boutique firm Catalyst Intellectual Property houses a small but well-experienced team of professionals. With the technical backgrounds of its partners, the firm has developed particular strength in patent work. Emily Ellis is an expert in trademark law; prior to joining Catalyst, she was the sole director of Ellis IP, trading as Ellis Terry, for more than 13 years, operating a trademark practice that has now merged with Catalyst. Greg Lynch, John Mansell and Garth Hendry are also directors at the firm. 

Founded in 1972, Ali & Associates is an internationally-recognized full-service law firm specializing in IP, media and IT. The firm is led by senior partner Syed Auqil Ali Shah and managing partner Karimullah Adeni. The team is well-known for enforcement and litigation work, and has represented domestic and foreign clients in the cosmetic, chemical, textile, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, machinery, electronic, automobile and agriculture sectors. The firm has domestic offices in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. 

Founded in February 1948 in Karachi by the late Sheikh Fazal Ellahi, Sheikh Brothers is an IP boutique providing services covering all aspects of IP including patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyright, unfair competition, licensing, franchising, technology transfer, litigation and enforcement. Amongst two partners, four associates and 10 other staff members, Salman Ahmed Sheikh stands out of the crowd and represents well with clients at all forums including the Supreme Court of Pakistan. 

Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia’s services include prosecution of applications for the registration of trademarks and patents and applications for issuance of copyright deposit; protection of business models, trade secrets and undisclosed information; IP commercialization; handling administrative, civil and criminal cases; dispute settlement; mediation involving IPRs; and anti-piracy programs and intellectual property enforcement cases. The firm works closely with clients such as visual artists, collective management organizations, art galleries, the heirs of a National Artist for Theater and Literature, and software developers, to name a few. Its experience in dealing with creators and artists from copyright protection, commercialization, and enforcement of their copyrights provides it a distinct advantage as a go-to firm in copyright matters. Susan D. Villanueva and Divina Gracia E. Pedron are senior partners who are key to the copyright practice. 

Sapalo Velez Bundang & Bulilan is based in Manila with branch offices in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo. Led by managing partner Augusto R. Bundang and co-managing partner Neptali Bulilan, the IP team represents clients worldwide, including Toyota Technical Development Corporation, JFE Steel Corporation, Yamaha Motors Corporation, Sony Computer and Entertainment Inc., Unicharm Corporation and Dart Industries. 

The Hechanova Group – Hechanova & Co. and Hechanova Bugay Vilchez & Andaya-Racadio – is based in Manila, where the former firm focuses on prosecution matters and the latter on litigation work. With key IP practitioners including president Editha Hechanova and partner Maria Gladys Vilchez, the firm advices on matters related to patents, trademarks, copyright, domain names, utility models, designs, litigation, licensing and franchising. One of its foremost clients is Alibaba Group Holding Limited for which the firm filed 44 applications covering various technologies in a 12-month period. Chrissie Anne Barredo is a key contact for patent prosecution and litigation. 

Newcomer Law Firm of Vida M. Panganiban-Alindogan, led by none other than Vida M. Panganiban-Alindogan, is already making waves under the leadership of Panganiban-Alindogan, who was previously a partner at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Panganiban-Alindogan brings experience in inter partes and other administrative proceedings before IPOPHL as well as cases in courts. Panaganiban-Alindogan has successfully represented intellectual property owners and stakeholders in various negotiations and proceedings, which prevented the registration and, in certain instances use, of infringing third-party trademarks. She counsels clients regarding domain name issues as well as trademark and copyright issues in social media. 

Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz (ACCRALAW) has assisted a famous U.S. fast food restaurant chain in successfully prosecuting an infringement/unfair competition case against a local company, as well as a trademark opposition case against another local fast food entity seeking to register a confusingly similar mark, and a European footwear company in protecting its trademark in the Philippines by successfully prosecuting a cancellation case against a local company that had been able to register the European company’s trademark. It also recently assisted a Japanese footwear company in securing a conviction against a seller of counterfeit goods. Senior partner Alex Ferdinand Fider, partners Victor N. De Leon, John Paul M. Gaba, Richmond K. Lee and Jose Eduardo T. Genilo are top practitioners.  

Philippines Portfolio Management Firm of the Year 

Headquartered in Manila with branches in Cebu, Subic and Davao, SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan is one of the country’s largest law firms in terms of client base. The firm’s IP practice is led by Anthony W. Dee, who has extensive litigation and arbitration experience. 

Ma. Patricia B. Paz-Jacoba is a partner in the firm’s dispute resolution, IP and tax departments; her principal practice is in complex disputes, including commercial arbitration, high-value litigation and regulatory enforcement.  

Bird & Bird ATMD opened in Singapore in 2009 and has since represented high-profile clients, including Nestlé and Fox Network, in infringement disputes as well as the BBC, Discovery and La Liga in securing site blocking orders in Singapore, among others. More recently, the firm has acted for Fox Networks Group, for which it successfully acted against a copyright infringement claim brought by a music collecting society. The firm also handles global brand management and IP advisory work for one of the largest operators of serviced apartments in Singapore with a global presence. Lorraine Tay, who leads the firm’s IP group in Singapore, is noted for her experience in international and cross-border issues. Anan Sivananthan is a top practitioner for patent and copyright matters.  

Established in 2006, Amica Law is a specialist intellectual property and technology practice with patent and trademark practitioners, attorneys and associates. Directors Jason Chan and Jo-Ann See lead the litigation and enforcement team and IP protection and management matters, respectively. The firm manages the worldwide patent portfolio of Accelerate Technologies, the commercialization arm of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research and the regional trademark portfolio of Amazon.com. Wilson Wong, Winnie Tham and Yee-Swan Boo are key lawyers. 

Drew & Napier is a full-service firm with expertise across the range of contentious and non-contentious IP work including litigation, trademarks and service marks, copyright and designs, licensing, distributorship, franchising and confidentiality agreements. The firm is a market leader in trademark filings, regularly among the top filers in Singapore. The firm advised Hotel Cirpriani (the opponent) against a Singapore trademark application for “Cipriani” in the name of Altunis Trading, which the firm has been advising since the beginning of this matter. The opponent was established in 1956 by, amongst others, Giuseppe Cipriani, Sr., who owned part of the shares in the opponent. In 1958, the opponent opened a hotel named Hotel Cipriani. In 1967, after various changes in the holding of the shares in the opponent, Cipriani sold his shares in the opponent to a third-party entity, making the said entity the sole shareholder of the opponent. The sale was governed by an agreement, which also stipulated the use of the Cipriani mark. The interpretation of the clause pertaining to the said use was disputed, with the opponent taking the position that it has the exclusive right to use (and register) the Cipriani mark. The applicant disagreed and argued that it, too, had the right to use the mark. The opposition in Singapore was commenced on the basis that the subject application was filed in bad faith under Section 7(6) of the Trade Marks Act, in view of the agreement in 1967 and the clause pertaining to use of the Cipriani mark, and that the use of the mark in question was identical/confusingly similar to the opponent’s marks, including Cipriani under Sections 8(1), 8(2), 8(4)(b)(i), and 8(7)(a) of the act. The matter is of particular interest as the opponent did not have a trademark registration for Cipriani in Singapore, and the hotel services provided by the opponent are not physically located in Singapore. These circumstances are not common to the typical trademark opposition proceedings where relative grounds of refusal are involved. This matter is related to an earlier opposition, in which the firm also represented the opponent, against Cipriani. In the past year, the value of IP matters handled by the firm exceeded US$134 million. 

Allen & Gledhill provides advice on both contentious and non-contentious matters including prosecuting, enforcing and defending IPRs worldwide. Partner Stanley Lai heads the IP department. The firm represented Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb in patent linkage proceedings brought against Sandoz under the Health Products (Therapeutic Products) Regulations 2016 in the High Court of Singapore. Pfizer and BMS alleged that the acts for which Sandoz was seeking registration of its therapeutic products would infringe their Singapore-registered patents, seeking a declaration and injunction to restrain Sandoz’ intended acts. There are few reported cases surrounding the patent linkage scheme in Singapore under the regulations; this litigation presents a valuable opportunity for the Singapore courts to clarify the laws and available remedies under the scheme. The firm has also been engaged in patent linkage proceedings on behalf of Pfizer and BMS against Natco, and Pfizer and Warner-Lambert against Natco. 

Lee & Ko is a full-service law firm headquartered in Seoul. Lee & Ko’s IP Practice Group advised and represented multinational companies covering a wide spectrum of industries including pharmaceutical & bio, chemical, mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, and computer software industries. The firm represents numerous foreign trademark owners, including Giorgio Armani, Prada, Jack Daniel’s, Estée Lauder, Giordano, Williams Sonoma (the owner of Pottery Barn), Mars (the maker of M&M’s), eBay, Chick-fil-A, Lacoste, Vera Wang and domestic trademark owners such as BTS, BLACKPINK, LG Household & Healthcare. 

Kim & Chang has the largest patent and utility model practice in South Korea, with more than 260 litigation attorneys, patent attorneys and foreign attorneys, as well as more than 230 patent engineers, specialists and paralegals. Its size enables the firm to have leading experts in all aspects of patent and utility model work. Many of its clients are non-Korean companies who face the same or related issues in many jurisdictions, such as patent and utility model litigation in numerous countries involving counterpart patents. These cases demand an additional level of sensitivity, requiring the firm to pursue the legal claim as aggressively as possible in South Korea, while insuring consistency with positions taken in other jurisdictions. “We have successfully worked on many such cases, closely coordinating with the client and local counsel in other countries,” the firm states. “Further, beyond legal issues specific to Korea, we also have extensive experience in supporting matters outside of Korea, such as U.S. litigations involving the production of Korean language documents or depositions in Korea of witnesses and experts.” 

Based in Seoul since 1952, the NAM IP Group, formerly known as NAM & NAM, is one of the oldest IP law firms in the country. The team comprises patent attorneys as well as Korean and American attorneys-at-law. The clientele includes MNCs, NPOs, universities, SMEs and individual inventors. Ben Yuu, who was previously vice president and patent counsel at Samsung Electronics’ IP Centre, is the managing partner.  

Sudath Perera Associates is a full-service law firm whose clients include local, multinational, Global 1000 and Fortune 500 enterprises as well as emerging companies. In the copyright realm, the firm advises on safeguarding literary, dramatic, artistic, and musical works through effective and comprehensive copyright strategies, including international registrations. Key IP practitioners include managing partner Sudath Perera and partner Himani Perera.  

Sri Lanka Patent Firm of the Year 

John Wilson Partners offers clients responsive, professional and fast turnaround for all types of IP filings. Managing principal John Wilson has invested considerable resources over the years to develop in-house custom docketing software, which facilitates efficient handling of large client portfolios, applications and renewals. The firm advises the media and entertainment industries on corporate issues, production and rights acquisition, exploiting media rights, intellectual property protection and enforcement, and regulatory and administrative issues. It undertakes litigation involving claims in defamation and libel and handles recovery actions for unpaid foreign broadcasters. It advises broadcasters, advertisers, international and national associations, rights holders, agencies and promoters, studios, distributors, event promoters, sponsors and other leading corporations and individuals in the field. It also advises in regard to television programme format issues. 

Century-old civil law firm Julius & Creasy offers advice on enforcement, management and transactional matters pertaining to IP law. The firm has acted for several Fortune 500 companies and has acted as Sri Lanka correspondent of several trademark and patent attorney firms in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Anomi Wanigasekera heads the firm’s IP practice; she has extensive experience in the full range of enforcement, management and transactional matters pertaining to IP law. She also overlooks the drafting and reviewing of contracts at the firm, and advises on regulatory compliance matters. The firm has filed numerous patent applications, hundreds of patent renewals, and many responses to substantive examination reports. 

Lee and Li is a key player in Taiwan. The firm has formed an alliance with Leaven IPR Agency in Beijing to develop the mainland China market, and has a long-standing, collaborative relationship with Taiwan’s Intellectual Property Office and is frequently called upon to provide consultation on the developments of the law and practice. It is also the key firm assisting the TIPO in preparing English translations of trademark-related laws, regulations and guidelines as well as Chinese translations of foreign articles and papers. It has been involved in a number of landmark cases, including the Hisamitsu sound mark and motion trademark cases, the three-dimensional “blue box with white satin ribbon” trademark case for Tiffany and Company and the three-dimensional trademark case for the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. The firm recently advised USA Pro IP to defend against a trademark revocation action. As the TIPO and the Board of Appeal of the Ministry of the Economic Affairs (MOEA) did not revoke all of the products designated to be used on the client’s trademark, the applicant of the revocation action filed an administrative suit with the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court (TIPC). The firm successfully convinced the TIPC that “use of trademark” shall include use on the internet and provided additional supporting evidence, the TIPC maintained the decisions of the TIPO and MOEA. Since the trademark owner did not file an appeal, this case has become irrevocable and binding. 

Tsar & Tsai is a full-service law firm founded in 1965 by Ruchin Tsar and Paul C. Tsai, and has grown to its present size of more than 70 professionals, including lawyers, trademark agents, patent attorneys and engineers. The firm has considerable experience and expertise on IP matters, including the protection of trade secrets.  

Taiwan Patent Prosecution Firm of the Year 

Taipei-based Tsai, Lee & Chen is particularly well-known for its work with high-tech patents. The firm has seen extensive growth in recent years, especially in its domestic patent department. The firm manages more than 30,000 patents and 18,000 trademarks worldwide. Victor S.C. Lee, Thomas Q.T. Tsai, Crystal J. Chen and Candy K.Y. Chen are top IP practitioners.  

Tai E International Patent & Law Office has about 280 staff and has developed into a highly respected international IP law firm providing a full range of services. The firm is specialized in IP prosecution, litigation and disputes, often involving cross-border elements. Its clientele includes entities in the life sciences as well as from pharmaceutical, automobile, electrical engineering, technology, and fashion industries. The firm files some 3,500 patent applications and 6,000 trademark applications with the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office. Key IP practitioners include managing partner Fred C.T. Yen, partner and CEO Jerry C.Y. Lin and president Dewey W.C. Jeang. 

Founded in 2020, WE Intellectual Property is a Bangkok-based law firm dedicated to IP protection. With more than 20 years’ relevant experience, managing partner Saowaluck Lamlert and partner Tatcha Natprasertkul help clients with matters including trademarks, trade names, industrial designs, patents and inventions, copyright, geographical indications, trade secrets and domain names, on due diligence, prosecution/registration, customs recordal, enforcement and litigation. 

Tilleke & Gibbins is a leading regional full-service law firm with an outstanding IP team led by Darani Vachanavuttivong and Alan Adcock. Tilleke & Gibbins’ boasts a patent team comprised of practitioners with highly technical expertise and credentials and an unrivalled breadth of industry experience. As the most active patent group in Thailand, we handle a full range of work in relation to patents, petty patents, and designs. This includes patent and design searches; registration and prosecution of patents, petty patents, and designs throughout Southeast Asia and in other countries; recordal of changes/assignments; annuity payments; oppositions; cancellations; watch services; infringement assessments; freedom to operate analyses; validity and invalidity assessments; registration of patent license agreements. Its IP litigation handles a full range of criminal and civil IP disputes, including disputes related to patents, trade secrets, infringement, invalidity, cancellations, appeals of decisions by the Board of Trademarks and Board of Patents, and other commercial disputes involving IP assets. The firm has successfully secured rare Anton Piller orders and emergency injunctions from Thailand’s Intellectual Property and International Trade Court and Central Administrative Court. 

Satyapon & Partners was founded by Satyapon Sachdecha in 1995 and practices IP law exclusively. Sachdecha is a skilled lawyer who was president of the Intellectual Property Association of Thailand from 2009 to 2019 and is a lecturer of IP law at both Dhurakij Pundit University and Thammasat University. The firm has registered more than 28,000 trademarks in Thailand alone. Its in-house investigations and enforcement team executes more raids each year than any other firm in Thailand, working closely with the Royal Thai Police, Customs and the Department of Special Investigations (DSI). Over the last 12 months, the firm has filed more than 120 complaints at the IPIT Court against the Trademark Office’s erroneous decisions. In over 90% of the cases initiated by the firm, it was able to deliver wins for its clients, including registering trademarks deemed unregistrable by the DIP, successfully cancelling a registered trademark on the ground of non-use, and invalidating trademarks filed in bad faith. It also took civil and criminal actions against several third parties on behalf of clients on the grounds of trademark infringement and/or passing off under the Trademark Act, Thai Civil and Commercial Code as well as the Thai Penal Code. In over 95% of the contested cases, it was able to get a favourable verdict from the IPIT Court, and appropriately punish the offenders. During various IP Infringement proceedings, the firm was also able to successfully reach a settlement upon request from the infringers to amicably settle the dispute. In doing so, it successfully managed to obtain record compensation amounts for its clients from the infringers. 

One of the oldest and largest IP firms in the country, Domnern Somgiat & Boonma is led by of counsel Rutorn Nopakun. The practice handles almost half of the patent applications filed by foreign companies. Partners Chakrapat Mongkolsit and Prabjote Busdee are key patent lawyers at the firm. 

Not only is Pham & Associates the oldest (and one of Vietnam’s premier) IP law firms, it is also one of the biggest filers in the country. The firm provides one of the best all-around IP services in the country from offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hai Phong. Its staff of more than 100 works in a broad range of technical areas including pharmaceuticals, chemistry, telecommunication, mechanics, electronics, biotechnology and material science. Its respected work in patent prosecution and enforcement has attracted an international clientele, including Honda, BMW and Johnson & Johnson.  

Led in Vietnam by partner and director Michelle Ray-Jones, Tilleke & Gibbins handles all aspects of IP, including anti-counterfeiting and strategic filing. In terms of contentious work, the firm has full in-house investigative teams in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, staffed with seasoned experts who have worked for top international law firms as well as law enforcement. Key contact Loc Xuan Le is a Hanoi-based principal at the firm’s Vietnam affiliate, T&G Law Firm (TGVN). Clients include Bulgari, Marriott International, Cole Haan, Merck, Pfizer, Thermos, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Otis Elevator.  

S&O IP covers the full scope of IP services: copyright, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyrights, domain names, cybersquatting and online infringements, trade secrets, unfair competition, contractual IP, and provides wide range protection for its clients, from prosecution to enforcement of their rights, negotiation and drafting. The firm assisted a client in the energy industry in responding to the provisional refusal of their key mark in Vietnam and successfully helping it to register the mark. The mark had been provisionally refused in some classes in Vietnam due to citations, which is difficult to overcome. The firm suggested a comprehensive strategy for its client to respond to the refusal, including limitation of some goods/services in the refused classes to increase the distinctiveness of the mark compared to the cited marks, arguing on the overall differences of the mark and the cited marks, and arguing on the wide-use status of the mark and tradename, which have not caused any likelihood of confusion to consumers. Given arguments and evidence, the IPO agreed with the firm’s response and issued a statement of grant of protection for the mark in Vietnam.  

A full-service law firm in Hanoi, Kenfox IP and Law Office serves clients in Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and other Asian jurisdictions. These include startups, governments, state-owned entities and leading business enterprises across multiple industries – from life sciences, engineering, telecommunication, energy and computer science to media, healthcare, financial services and consumer goods. The firm’s lawyers and attorneys work closely together to formulate objectives, develop budgets and undertake regular reviews to monitor their progress as far as their legal work for their clients is concerned. 

After establishing its footprint in Asia-Pacific nearly 20 years ago, international commercial firm Bird & Bird’s Asia network comprises offices located in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a team of over 140 lawyers and legal professionals. It also has teams advising on matters throughout ASEAN, Japan, South Korea and India.  

Tilleke & Gibbins is a leading regional full-service law firm with an outstanding IP team led by Darani Vachanavuttivong and Alan Adcock. With one of the largest trademark practices in Thailand, the firm regularly handles trademark searches, registration and prosecution of marks throughout Southeast Asia and in other countries, recordal of changes and assignments, oppositions, cancellations, renewals, registration of trademark and service mark license agreements, watch services, coexistences, due diligence, and customs recordals. The firm’s list of clients includes AmorePacific, Amazon, BASF, Monsanto, Bayer, GAP, Dow Global Technologies, Grab Taxi Holdings, John Deere, Philip Morris, ThaiBev, Walmart and many others. 

Baker McKenzie serves Asia and the Middle East through its offices in Australia, China, Jakarta, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Yangon, Almaty, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Vietnam. The firm boasts the largest IP brand management practice in the world, overseeing some of the world’s biggest portfolios for more than 200 multinational companies.