By Jiao Hongbin

At the end of the year 2019, the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China (“SPC”) made a retrial judgment on administrative dispute over the invalidation request against the renowned liquor brand “Jiang Xiao Bai”. With the help of KWM, Chongqing Jiangxiaobai Liquor Co., Ltd. (“Jiangxiaobai”) successfully reversed the disadvantageous situation of the second instance trial and finally won the retrial. The retrial judgment of this case put an end to a 7-year dispute over the validity of the trademark between Jiangxiaobai and Jiangjin Winery (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Jiangjin Winery”). It safeguards and reinforces the innovative achievements and market reputation of “Jiang Xiao Bai” brand, and to a great extent guarantees its future operation and development. On April 23, 2020, this case was selected as one of the 60 typical cases in the Annual Report of 2019 on Intellectual Property Cases of SPC.
Continue Reading “Jiang Xiao Bai” Trademark Invalidation Case Selected as Typical Case in SPC’s Annual Report of 2019 on Intellectual Property Cases

2020年6月29日,印度新闻信息部发布消息称,印度信息电子与技术部援引《信息技术法案》(the Information Technology Act)第69A部分第2009条,禁止用户在印度境内访问(Blocking)59款中国移动应用,理由在于以上移动应用以非法方式窃取用户数据传输至境外服务器,可能损害印度的主权以及国家安全与公共秩序。[1] 全球范围内,基于安全目的对于数据跨境的限制和审查早已不是新闻,更重要的是“数据主权”思想渐渐融入到各国的立法和执法活动中。印度此举再次引发各方关注,跨国企业应当提高警惕,对于潜在数据安全及合规风险提前应对,建立符合国际立法趋势和竞争形势的全球数据跨境顶层设计,并将数据资产的思路贯彻到企业日常经营管理中。
Continue Reading “数”往知来——封禁APP背后的数据博弈

海南,因改革开放而生,因改革开放而兴。在自贸区、自贸港建设进程中,海南蹄疾步稳、谋定后动,持续创新与风险防控两手抓,既要放得开,也要管得住。本文将从海关政策红利与法律风险的双视角出发,以近期受到中外企业高度关注的《海南自由贸易港建设总体方案》和《海关对洋浦保税港区监管办法》解读入手,进一步阐述和提示海南这样的海关特殊监管区域常见的进出口合规风险。
Continue Reading 面对海南自贸港的机遇与风险,海关监管执法的“变与不变

2019年7月,英国最高法院审理了劳动合同中限制性条款(本案中为竞业禁止条款)的可执行性。限制性条款是通常包含在劳动合同中的具有约束力的条件,目的是为了保护雇主的业务不受雇员行为的影响。鉴于香港法院最近采用了Beckett测试(详见下文),其在未来也极有可能援引本案。
Continue Reading 英国最高法院对限制性条款进行严格的“蓝铅笔测试

In July 2019, the UK Supreme Court considered the enforceability of a restrictive covenant (in this case, a non-compete clause) in an employment contract.  Restrictive covenants are binding conditions typically contained in employment contracts which aim to protect the employer’s business from acts of the employee. As the Hong Kong Courts recently adopted the Beckett Test (see below for further information) this case is highly likely to also be adopted by the Hong Kong Courts in the future.
Continue Reading  The Supreme court sharpens the “Blue Pencil Test” for restrictive covenants

Last year the UK Courts were not afraid to imply rights of third parties into contracts, such as letters of instruction. Chudley v Clydesdale Bank Plc showed possibility of third parties succeeding in making a claim under contracts to which they are not a party and highlights the importance of understanding (i) in which circumstances the Courts will do so; and (ii) which elements of drafting would help or hinder third party claims.
Continue Reading You may have Third Party Rights even if you don’t know a contract exists

On April 28, 2020, the Supreme People’s Court issued the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning the Trial of Administrative Cases Involving Granting and Confirmation of Patent Rights (I) for public comment by June 15, 2020.  This version is the version that the Supreme People’s Court reissued after the old version issued in June 2018.  This article highlights the articles in this version of the revised draft that have caused widespread concern as follows.
Continue Reading Supreme People’s Court Provisions on Several Issues Concerning the Trial of Administrative Cases Involving Granting and Confirmation of Patent Rights (I) (Draft for Comment)

2020年4月28日,最高人民法院公布了《关于审理专利授权确权行政案件若干问题的规定(一)》,向社会公众征求意见,截止至2020年6月15日。该版是最高人民法院继2018年06月旧版之后再次公布的版本。本文对此版修改稿中引起广泛关注的条款着重介绍如下。
Continue Reading 最高人民法院《关于审理专利授权确权行政案件若干问题的规定(一)》 (征求意见稿)

On May 13, the Inter-Ministry Joint Conference Office of State Council of China for Implementing IP Strategy announced the Proceeding Plan of 2020 for Deeply Implementing the National IP Strategy and Accelerating to Build an IP Powerful Country (“the Plan 2020”), revealing reformation arrangements relating to IP for the year of 2020 on multiple aspects, including to deepen reformations in the fields relating to IP and to enhance protections for IP.
Continue Reading IP Joint Conference Office Announced Plan 2020, which will Enhance Protections for IP including Technology-related IP such as Patents from Multiple Aspects

2020年5月13日,中国国务院知识产权战略实施工作部际联席会议办公室公布《2020年深入实施国家知识产权战略加快建设知识产权强国推进计划》,从深化知识产权领域改革、加大知识产权保护力度等多个方面对2020年知识产权相关改革工作进行了部署。
Continue Reading 知识产权联席会议办公室公布2020计划,将多方位促进专利等技术类知识产权的保护