Cambodia – Highly recommended
Celebrating its fifth anniversary in Cambodia in 2022, Rouse
brings an international spin to domestic trademark issues and works
closely with other offices across the region to ensure smooth
cross-border collaboration. Under the guidance of Chris Vale, the
outpost is not afraid to challenge authorities’ decisions and
is known for its persistence and employing creative, out-of-the-box
solutions to overcome office actions. Skilled enforcer
Monyrak Phang boasts a strong relationship with
relevant authorities, while Sreymom Mao dispenses
sage advice regarding trademark prosecution to prominent US and
European brands. The outfit’s impressive list of service users
includes Western Digital Corp and Yum!Brands.
China and SARs: China Foreign- Highly Recommended
Highly-recommended – Firms
Operating in China since 1993, Rouse is the very first foreign
practice to enter the Chinese IP market and stands far above most
of its competitors. Its wealth of experience and Chinese law
knowledge is therefore widely considered to be second to none. An
addition to that, it has established a long-term strategic
partnership with Lusheng Law Firm, which enables it to act in some
of the most hotly contested trademark disputes from start to
finish. As an example, it helped New Balance to secure remarkable
damages of RMB10.8 million in 2022 against a local infringer.
Linda Chang is the epitome of Rouse’s profound
professionalism and experience – she has been a trailblazer
in the brand protection space since qualifying in 1995. Practice
leader Hatty Cui has served a stellar line-up of
multinationals that expand into the China market in her 19 years as
a trademark lawyer. Beijing-based Amanda Yang
masters all aspects of trademark practice and is also proficient at
IP transactions. Harley-Davidson, among many other blue-chips,
entrusts her with trademark registration and enforcement actions in
China.
China and SARs: Hong Kong – Silver
Silver – Firms: prosecution and
strategy
Bronze – Firms: enforcement and litigation
“Immediately responsive and excellent in quality”,
what Rouse offers is not only a 360-degree brand protection, but
also “a peace of mind”. For the past three decades, it
has been a force to be reckoned with in Asia. Its Hong Kong office
has since served as a springboard for China and Southeast Asia and
formed the backbone of the much-admired IP group which provides
necessary IP supports to entities across both established and
emerging Asian markets. Its glittering roster of clientele,
including Jaguar Land Rover, Mars and HP, solidifies the
service’s status as the leading player in Hong Kong’s
trademark space. Managing both the Hong Kong office and global
trademark group, Rachel Tan works closely with
some of the largest and fastest-growing brand owners in the world.
Leading tech giants have full confidence in the legal and technical
know-how of Theresa Mak to tackle all trademark
prosecution and IP-related matters. Overseeing the trademark
department, Mak consistently receives high praise for her adept
portfolio management skills. At her side is Adelaide
Yu, an IP protection and enforcement maven who works
regularly with Hong Kong Customs on criminal enforcement matters.
She is tasked by Daniel Wellington to handle their enforcement
matters and subsequent criminal prosecution of IP infringers.
Indonesia – Gold
Gold – Firms: enforcement and
litigation
Gold – Firms: prosecution and strategy
Luminary Gunawan Suryomurcito established this
Indonesian branch in 1997; since then, the outfit has continued to
add to its impressive roster of local and international players.
The dispute resolution team has extensive experience advising
plaintiffs in landmark cases at all court levels, and is renowned
for its meticulous preparation for each trial. On the non-
ontentious side, the firm has a large number of IP consultants, who
have a good relationship with the GDIP. Spearheading the trademark
group is Yurio Astary, whose non-contentious
excellence in prosecution and portfolio maintenance has been
appreciated by domestic startups, market leaders and Fortune 500
companies alike. Another experienced portfolio manager is principal
Lisa Yong, who leverages her in-depth knowledge of
the region to succeed not only in Indonesia but in various
jurisdictions across Southeast Asia. Likewise, cross-border
disputes and other contentious issues spanning different countries,
or even continents, pose no challenge for global enforcement head
Nicholas Redfearn. Equally experienced in solving
conflicts is detail-oriented Tania Lovita, who
recently achieved a victory in a domain name dispute on behalf of
Bank of America. Meanwhile, registered foreign lawyer Kin
Wah Chow brings an international spin to both contentious
and non-contentious domestic issues. Promoted to partner in 2021,
Evi Triana brings rich experience in enforcement
matters and portfolio management to the table. She is also an
indispensable source of solutions to infringement issues. Together
with Chow, she represents Nokia in such cases. Previously an
in-house expert at a domestic health tech startup, Dimas
Heldian uses his experience to give practical,
commercially-savvy advice regarding prosecution and
enforcement.
Myanmar – Recommended
Opened in 2013, Rouse’s Myanmar outpost has been a
trailblazer for international IP firms in the jurisdiction. With
access to the global Rouse network and a close connection to local
enforcement authorities, the branch office is well positioned to
provide comprehensive IP care for both domestic and international
players. Principal Moe Mynn Thu focuses on
trademark prosecution. He previously worked as a legal executive
for a major domestic company, Myanmar Brewery Limited, where he
employed innovative solutions to protect the brand’s
intellectual property.
Thailand – Silver
“Rouse Thailand stands heads and shoulders above other
firms. It can always be depended on to carry out work efficiently
and well. The quality of its services is unfaltering, and its
advice always trustworthy and reliable.” Rouse Thailand’s
growing squad of seasoned experts, numerous successes in
prosecution, enforcement and litigation, as well as its impressive
global network, continues to attract the world’s top brands.
Dispute resolution team leader Peeraya
Thammasujarit, along with Manoon
Changchumni and Fabrice Mattei, provide
high-quality contentious services for world-leading companies.
Meanwhile, head of trademarks Nuttachai Unaratana
advises major domestic and international players on contentious and
non-contentious matters: “Nuttachai always ensures that the
work is done well. He is dependable, and I am always assured that
the matter will be managed and handled well.” Associates
Chayapol Suphachatwong and Norasak Sinhaseni also garner praise
from patrons for their professionalism and impressive IP
capabilities.
UAE – Gold
“The team at Rouse keep very high-quality standards even in
difficult circumstances. They are very client-oriented and easily
adjust to the client’s strategy.” With a diverse and
sizeable team of 25, the Emirati outpost of Rouse is a formidable
force on the local trademark scene. Through a vast network of
associates, Rouse can provide international outreach and standards
in the region. Leading the practice across the country and Saudi
Arabia is Bassel El Turk, who splits his time
between engaging in complex IP litigations and enforcement
initiatives, and skilfully managing portfolios of well-known
multinationals. “Bassel is unique and a great
practitioner–very down-to-earth and with good ethics. He is
the one to support,” says a peer from another ranked firm.
With profuse experience across Asia — often in jurisdictions
where intellectual property is still developing — co-head of
the technology practice Sara Holder impresses
major brand owners with her incisive advice, watertight strategies
and deft portfolio management skills. A former in-house expert with
copious experience regarding non-contentious matters,
Samantha Grainger is the go-to person for
commercially savvy advice regarding licensing and franchising. She
is also one of only a handful of certified licensing professionals
in the region. The three practitioners currently acts on behalf of
major domestic and multinational corporations, including Visa,
Honeywell and Starbucks.
Vietnam – Gold
“The quality of work at Rouse is very high. It is reliable,
courteous and effective, and also superior in terms of cost and
time. It gives clients regular updates without always having to
follow up, and are always transparent on costs, even if there is
uncertainty as to further steps of procedures.” Established in
1997, the Vietnam branch of Rouse is renowned for its innovative,
tailored solutions, especially when it comes to assisting
world-leading technology giants. This outspoken outfit is also not
afraid to challenge the authorities’ decisions to push things
forward for the service user, all the while conforming to the
highest international standards. Internationally experienced
country manager Yen Vu has almost two decades of
experience across the whole IP spectrum; she is a popular choice
for marquee players seeking to optimise their trademark portfolio
and enforce their brands. Having led the Vietnam practice for 15
years, Chris Vale has an in-depth understanding of
local legal intricacies. Yoonyoung Lee works
closely with Korean patrons, and splits her time between Seoul and
Ho Chi Minh City. “She is a trusted source of effective legal
solutions. Very smart, very sincere.” Having moved to Rouse
from another practice ranked in this chapter, Van Anh
Hoang continues to excel in both prosecution and
contentious matters. Meanwhile, senior associate Tue
Do garners praise as “an effective communicator with
an impeccable knowledge of English.”
Baranda & Associates
Philippines – Silver
The practitioners at Rouse network member Baranda &
Associates are renowned for their on-point advice, skilful
management of portfolios on behalf of leading brands, and the
ability to suitably settle IP issues without the need for
time-consuming litigations, if possible. At the same time, the
outfit’s tight connection to the relevant agencies, excellent
track record before all levels of court, and frequent raid actions
make its contentious practice a strong offering. Spearheading the
raids is none other than managing partner Edmund
Baranda, who achieves an outstanding success rate in
combatting counterfeits on behalf of marquee players. Former
trademark examiner Claire Corral captains the
trademark team and deftly handles both contentious and
non-contentious cases.
Valea AB
Gold – Firms: prosecution and
strategy
Providing rights holders with 360-degree protection, Valea
offers the full spectrum of IP services to a glittering roster of
Swedish and global market leaders. Acclaimed for her
client-oriented approach, Linda Granstrand
Füle is a master at devising prosecution strategies
and handles opposition matters with sophistication: “Time and
time again, Linda delivers beyond expectations. She is a committed
professional who thinks outside of the box to consider what may
become an issue and solves it from the outset. She has a superb
knowledge of trademark and marketing law.”
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.
