Recently, the well-renowned international intellectual property magazine Managing Intellectual Property(MIP) published the 2016 China IP Stars Trade Mark Ranking. Beijing East IP (Beijing East IP Law Firm/Beijing East IP Ltd.) is ranked as a Tier 2 trademark contentious and prosecution firm.

For China’s domestic legal service providers, the MIP magazine’s 2016 China Trade Mark Ranking ranks two categories, China trade mark contentious – domestic firms, and China trade mark prosecution – domestic firms. Each category has five tiers. Tier 1 has four firms in each category; Tier 2 has 9 and 12 firms in each category. Together, the MIP ranked 40 firms in trade mark contentious and 33 firms in trade mark prosecution.

For the past 22 years, every year MIP conducts a six-month extensive and in-depth survey of intellectual property service provides from more than 80 worldwide countries and regions. Evaluates and ranks based on strict and impartial principles for a comprehensive and authoritative ranking.

This is the first time for Beijing East IP’s trademark team to participate in the MIP’s IP Stars Trade Mark Ranking since its establishment in 2002. In more than a decade, the trademark team at Beijing East IP (Beijing East IP Law Firm/Beijing East IP Ltd.) has been providing high quality and efficient services to various Fortune 500 corporations and leading multinational companies. Currently, the trademark, copyright, and legal team at Beijing East IP (Beijing East IP Law Firm/Beijing East IP Ltd.) has nearly 60 professionals and supporting staff.

Mr. Jason Wang is the partner heading the trademark, copyright and legal team at Beijing East IP (Beijing East IP Law Firm/Beijing East IP Ltd.). Mr. Wang has represented Fortune 500 corporations and leading multinationals for thousands of cases before the Chinese Trademark Office (CTMO) and the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB) and hundreds of trademark administrative, infringement litigation, and trademark administrative appeal before various local Beijing Courts and the Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC). Mr. Wang has successfully represented numerous domain name disputed cases before the China International Economy and Trade Arbitration Committee (CIETAC) and the Asia Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre (ADNDRC). Mr. Wang has successfully obtained well-known mark recognitions before CTMO, the TRAB and Chinese courts for various worldwide famous brands in the field of Internet, motorcycle, musical instrument and hotel, which is rare and difficult for foreign trademark registrants. Mr. Wang has handled numerous cases which are significant and challenging, including a retrial case before the China Supreme Court. For example, the Duck King case went through two retrials, and was listed as China Courts 2013 Top 10 Innovative IP Cases by the China Supreme Court. Other cases include China Courts 2013 Top 10 IP Cases and 50 Typical IP Cases (the first trial cases regarding unfair competition, patents, and technology), a candidate for the Guangdong Courts 2012 Top 10 IP Cases (trademark and unfair competition), the Shunde Court 2008-2012 Top 10 IP Cases (trademark and copyright), etc. Mr. Wang has published nearly 30 articles on renowned magazines such as the China Trademark magazine as well as other famous domestic or international media.

Link: http://www.ipstars.com/countries/china/cn

Recently, the well-renowned international intellectual property magazine Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) published the 2016 China IP Stars Trade Mark Ranking. Beijing East IP is ranked in the patent contentious and prosecution category.

For the past 22 years, every year MIP conducts a six-month extensive and in-depth survey of intellectual property service provides from more than 80 worldwide countries and regions. Evaluates and ranks based on strict and impartial principles for a comprehensive and authoritative ranking.

Link: http://www.ipstars.com/firms/beijing-east-ip/f-3995

On January 14, 2016, the “Dialogue” program was broadcasted at 19:30 on CCTV News channel. The Chairman of Beijing East IP Ltd., Founding Commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of China, Dr. Lulin GAO discussed with Mr. David Kappos, partner of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, former Commissioner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on “IP protection in China.” Dr.GAO and Mr. Kappos exchanged their opinions on the progress China has made, current situation of IP protection in China, IP protection at the digital age, etc.

The “Dialogue” program is one of the most authoritative English talk shows in China where hot topics attracting worldwide attention are discussed. This program is not only a stage for the debate between eastern and western minds, but also a place where great minds freely express their opinions regarding political situation, economic trends, scientific discovery and the like.

Link to the video: http://english.cntv.cn/2016/01/15/VIDEpPDXMFGmgw0GJ7y5YZ0D160115.shtml

On November 26, 2015, the International Symposium on 30-Year Cooperation between the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (SIPO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) was co-hosted by SIPO and EPO in Beijing. Commissioner Shen Changyu of SIPO and President Benoit Battistelli of EPO attended the meeting and gave keynote speech on the subject of “IP, Innovation and Entrepreneurship”.

As the first commissioner of SIPO, Dr. Gao Lulin of Beijing East IP Ltd./Beijing East IP Law Firm was invited to present at the meeting.

In the meeting, SIPO and EPO co-published the Chinese version of the book Partners in Patents for 30 Years. In the article Neither Mountains nor Seas can Divide People with Common Aspirations, Dr. Gao reviewed historic moments of the cooperation between SIPO and EPO as well as growth of the Chinese patent system, and raised high expectations for future cooperation between SIPO and EPO.

Official Report (Chinese):

http://www.sipo.gov.cn/ztzl/hylt/zozlhzsszn/tplb/201511/t20151127_1210092.html

Dr. Gao’s Article (Chinese):

http://www.sipo.gov.cn/ztzl/hylt/zozlhzsszn/ssnzlhzhb/201511/t20151126_1208535.html

On November 27, President Benoît Battistelli and other 5 delegates from the European Patent Office (EPO) visited the Gaolulin Foundation in the company of Mr. WU Kai, Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO).

The Gaolulin Foundation was funded by Beijing East IP Ltd. in the name of our Chairman, Dr. Gao Lulin. This foundation intends to promote development of intellectual property industry in China through sponsoring IP research, IP study as well as academic seminars.

In the meeting, works of the Gaolulin Foundation in the past year was introduced to president Battistelli, including international IP seminars, IP research projects, books published, and scholarship and donation set up in universities in China and abroad. President Battistelli highly praised the work of the Gaolulin Foundation and suggested the foundation building up stable partnership with organizations in Europe in addition to SVIPLA in the United States and IIP in Japan. The Gaolulin Foundation will have better development in Europe with the support of EPO.

Group photo after the meeting: President Battistelli (Fifth from the left), Dr. Gao Lulin (Fifth from the right), Director Wu Kai (Third from the right)

Four PRC Attorneys-at-law at Beijing East IP Law Firm were appointed respectively to the Patent Law Committee, the Trademark Law Committee, the Copyright Law Committee, and the Competition and Anti-Trust Law Committee of the 10th Specialized Committees at Beijing Lawyers Association.

On 8 October, 2015, the “EU-CHINA PATENT DIALOGUE——China Patent System Workshop” was successfully held in Lyon, France by Beijing East IP Ltd. and Gaolulin Foundation.

As a nongovernmental activity for the celebration of 30 years cooperation between the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of China and the European Patent Office (EPO), this workshop was guided by both SIPO and EPO, and was sponsored by the European Patent Institute (EPI), EUROPATIS, BOEHMERT & BOTHMERT as well as Unilever.

The purpose of this workshop was to further introduce reinforced patent protection in China to colleagues in Europe, especially in France. Delegates from China introduced development and current situation of China patent system. European delegates shared problems, thinking and experiences they encountered in China, and introduced the Unitary Patent System in Europe. Speakers and audiences had heated communication during panel discussion, Q&A as well as networking sessions.

The workshop was chaired by Dr. Jacques Michel, Director of Europatis, Former Vice President of EPO (see the following figures).

Opening Remarks

Dr. GAO Lulin, Chairman of Beijing East IP and President of Gaolulin Foundation

[Development of China’s Patent System and SIPO]

Mr. WU Kai, Director General of the International Cooperation Department, SIPO

[Why is it important to have patents in China?]

Dr. Tony TANGENA, President of European Patent Institute (EPI)

[Update of Patent Enforcement in China]

Dr.LI Xiaodong, General Manager of Beijing East IP Ltd.

[Unitary patent protection and Unified Patent Court. Introduction to the EU patent package.]

Mr. Fran?ois-Régis Hannart, Principal Director European and International Co-operation, EPO

[IP Protection and Innovation in the Global Environment – Establishing Patent Support for Global R&D Center in China]

Mr. Ben Wang, Head of Patents, China, Unilever

[40 Years of Experience with China’s Patent System]

Dr. Heinz Goddar, Boehmert & Boehmert

Heated Discussion

Please click HERE to download slides of all speakers (password has been sent to attendees via email). Please email juan.lei@beijingeastip.com if you would like to have the password for these slides.

In the recent election for the 2016-2017 Committee Term at INTA (International Trademark Association) in September 2015, three trademark attorneys at Beijing East IP Law Firm / Beijing East IP Ltd. were appointed to various committees for the 2016-2017 committee term at INTA.

Mr. Jason WANG, partner, attorney-at-law, trademark attorney at Beijing East IP Law Firm was appointed to serve the Enforcement Committee.

Ms. Yan ZHANG, partner, attorney-at-law, trademark attorney at Beijing East IP Law Firm was appointed to serve the Trademark Office Practice Committee for the second term.

Mr. Austin CHANG, trademark attorney at Beijing East IP Ltd., was appointed to serve the Parallel Imports Committee.

On September 17, Dr. Lulin GAO, Beijing East IP’s Chairman, was awarded the China Law & Practice Outstanding Achievement Award for his impressive contributions to China’s intellectual property law system, especially in the patent regime.

Mr. Jason WANG and Ms. Yan ZHANG, partners at Beijing East IP Law Firm, recently published an article titled “Judgment on Identical and Similar Goods and Services Related to Real Estate” on the China Trademark magazine (Issue 7, 2015). The China Trademark magazine is a monthly magazine supervised under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC, who oversees Chinese Trademark Office and Trademark Review and Adjudication Board) and hosted by the China Trademark Association.

The article summarizes and discusses the judgment on identical and similar goods and services related to real estate.

First, after summarizing various cases and the special nature of the real estate related products, the article systematically analyzes the different opinions of the local courts and the China Supreme Court: Whether the scope of protection of Class 36 and Class 37 (the management of real property and construction services) cover the real estate itself, and whether the real estate services and the related goods constitute similar.

Second, the article respectively analyzes the applicable trademark registrations in different Classes and the different types of liability for trademark infringement for three different stages of the real estate, namely, construction, marketing, and residency after delivering the real estate is delivered to the end users.

Third, after analyzing the retrial ruling of the China Supreme Court rendered in 2012 as well as another three retrial judgments of the China Supreme Court rendered in February 2015, the article probes into the nature of the names of building after putting into service and the ways of bearing the liability for trademark infringement.