By King & Wood Mallesons’ Trademark Group

On December 16, 2011, the Supreme People’s Court of China issued the Opinions on Exerting the Function of Intellectual Property Rights Judgment to Facilitate Socialist Cultural Development and Prosperity and Promote Independent and Coordinated Economic Development (the "Opinions"). The Opinions provide several guidelines on the trial of trademark infringement cases, which mainly touch upon the following issues:

a. Deliberate plagiarism in bad faith. To determine whether an alleged infringer has acted in bad faith, the trial court shall adopt comprehensive criteria by taking into account the reputation and distinctiveness of trademarks, similarities between trademarks and designated goods, and whether the applicant/registrant has the intention to use the mark and the improper use of the marks, such as trademark squatting and free-riding activities.

Continue Reading The Supreme People’s Court: Giving Full Play to Intellectual Property Trial Functions

作者：金杜律师事务所商标组

2011年12月16日，最高人民法院印发了《关于充分发挥知识产权审判职能作用推动社会主义文化大发展大繁荣和促进经济自主协调发展若干问题的意见》的通知，针对知识产权问题的审判工作提供了指导性意见，其中有关商标的重要内容包括：

1. 关于恶意抢注等不正当行为： 依法加强商标权保护，要根据商标的知名度、显著程度等，恰当运用商标近似、商品类似、在先使用并且有一定影响的商标、以欺骗或者其他不正当手段取得商标注册等裁量性法律标准，妥善把握商标注册申请人或者注册人是否有真实使用意图，以及结合商标使用过程中的“傍名牌”行为认定主观恶意等加大遏制恶意抢注、“傍名牌”等不正当行为的力度。

Continue Reading 一最高人民法院最新有关充分发挥知识产权审判职能作用的意见

King & Wood Mallesons’ Labor & Employment Group

The Decision to Amend the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Diseases was adopted by the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’ s Congress on December 31st, 2011. The amended Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Diseases (hereinafter "Law") came into force on the same day.

In order to protect the rights and interests of patients with occupational diseases, the Law makes diagnosis and appraisal of occupational diseases more practicable. For instance, if an occupational disease diagnosis or appraisal institution deems necessary to investigate the hazardous factors that may result in occupational diseases in the workplace, the institution may conduct an on-site investigation itself, or request the administrative departments of work safety supervision to so investigate. Upon the request, the administrative departments shall make an on-site investigation within 10 days. And employers shall not refuse or hinder the foresaid investigations.

Continue Reading New Law on Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Diseases Strengthens the Protection for Employees

金杜律师事务所劳动法组

2011年12月31日，十一届全国人民代表大会常务委员会表决通过了修改《中华人民共和国职业病防治法》的决定。修订后的《中华人民共和国职业病防治法》（以下简称“新《职业病防治法》”）已于同日起施行。

为保障职业病病人的权益，新《职业病防治法》加强了职业病诊断、鉴定的可操作性，规定当职业病诊断、鉴定机构认为需要了解工作场所职业病危害因素情况时，可以对工作场所进行现场调查，也可以向安全生产监督管理部门提出，安全生产监督管理部门应当在十日内组织现场调查，用人单位不得拒绝、阻挠。

Continue Reading 新职业病防治法加强对劳动者保护

By Liu Xiang Wen Xia Dongxia and Li Xinyu King & Wood’s Dispute Resolution Group

Under PRC laws, the legal representative of a company is the person who acts in the name of the company and represents the company in the exercise of its rights and obligations. The legal representative is a fundamental part of a company’s corporate governance structure. To an extent, the person who is appointed to the position of the legal representative is authorized to conduct many of the company’s affairs. However, the legal representative must fulfill certain duties while exercising his/her rights. This article will briefly introduce the potential legal risks that a legal representative may face under civil, criminal and administrative laws and how such risks are often prevented or minimized based on China’s legal practices.

I. The legal representative of a company should also be its board chairman or its general manager

Continue Reading Minimizing the Risks that Legal Representatives Face

作者：刘相文 夏东霞 李欣宇 金杜律师事务所争议解决组

根据我国法律，公司的法定代表人是指依法代表法人行使民事权利，履行民事义务的主要负责人，对外以公司名义行事。法定代表人是公司法人治理结构最重要的组成部分。从某种意义上讲，担任了公司的法定代表人，即掌控了公司的核心权力。然而，法定代表人在行使权力的同时，也必须承担相应的法律责任。本文拟从民事、刑事和行政三个方面，对公司法定代表人可能承担的法律责任做简要分析，并结合我国司法实践对法定代表人法律风险的防范提出建议。

一、公司的法定代表人应由公司的董事长或总经理担任

Continue Reading 公司法定代表人的法律风险及防范

作者：叶渌  葛焱 金杜律师事务所争议解决组

前言

除了离婚和抚养权判决，很少有中国法院做出的判决能够在美国得到执行。因此，在湖北葛洲坝三联公司诉美国罗宾逊直升机公司（06-01798 (C.D. Cal 2009)）（“三联案件”）一案中，美国地区法院法官Florence-Marie Cooper判定美国罗宾逊直升机公司，这家位于加利福尼亚洲托伦斯的飞机制造商，执行中国湖北省高院做出的赔偿近650万美元的判决，产生了十分重大的意义。

2011年3月29日，在美国联邦上诉法院第九巡回法庭上巡回法官Rymer, Callahan, Ikuta 维持原判，这是首例确认中国法院判决在美国的执行效力的美国上诉法院的判决。

Continue Reading 湖北葛洲坝三联案件—-中国的金钱判决在美国执行

By Ariel Ye and Ge Yan  King & Wood Mallesons Dispute Resolution Group

Introduction

With the exception of judgments dealing with divorce and custodial issues, it is rare for those issued by Chinese courts to be enforced in the United States. Therefore, it was a significant development when, in the matter of Hubei Gezhouba Sanlian Industrial Co., Ltd. et. al. v. Robinson Helicopter Co., Inc., 06-01798 (C.D. Cal 2009) (the “Sanlian Case”), United States District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper decided to enforce a monetary judgment of almost US $6.5 million awarded by the Higher People’s Court of Hubei Province, China, (the “Hubei Higher Court”) against Robinson Helicopter Company, an aircraft manufacturer based in Torrance, California (“Robinson”).

On 29 March 2011, the judgment was affirmed by circuit Judges Rymer, Callahan and Ikuta of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This is the first ever United States appellate ruling that affirms enforcement of a PRC court judgment in the United States.

Continue Reading The Hubei Gezhouba Sanlian Case: Enforcement of a Chinese Monetary Judgment in the United States

访谈对象：肖瑾 金杜律师事务所国际贸易组

美国、欧盟和日本13日提请WTO要求就稀土出口管制问题将中国诉至WTO，中国将和各方展开磋商。美国在此时提起此案与1月时在WTO就关键原材料一案的胜利不无关系，两案在法律、逻辑上都多有相似之处。一方面看，这可能会给中国在稀土案中造成不利，但另一方面，中国也可从上次极其类似的案例中吸取教训，更好地应对此次诉讼，以及更加理性地预期结果。

金杜律师事务所的肖瑾律师在国际贸易法，包括贸易救济、海关法、WTO争端解决、国际贸易协定谈判等方面经验丰富。自1998年以来，他曾在二十多起反倾销、反补贴、保障措施案件中代表来自美国、欧盟、日本的跨国公司以及中国企业应诉。在WTO事务方面，肖瑾律师曾代表中国政府参加了十余起WTO争端解决案件，并在某多边贸易协定谈判中作为中国政府的谈判律师。

Continue Reading 关键原材料案对稀土案具有参考价值

By Guan Feng King & Wood Mallesons’ Dispute Resolution Group, Shanghai Office

I.    Introduction

Dispute resolution proceedings involving aviation accidents are far more complicated than general dispute resolution proceedings because complicated relationships between numerous parties should be considered. Due to their complex nature, the successful resolution of disputes involving aviation accidents requires meticulous long-term efforts. Using a recent Air France crash as a guide, this article will discuss the nature of dispute resolution proceedings in aviation accidents from the perspective of subjects that may be held liable for the accident.

Continue Reading Dispute Resolution of Aviation Accidents-By Reference to the Air France Crash