28 August, 2017
The Asian arm of leading European intellectual property firm Awapatent, AWA Asia, continues its expansion by extending the 120-year-old firm’s formidable patent practice to China.
Having established its now award-winning brand management practice in February 2015 with the launch of AWA Asia in Hong Kong and Beijing, the firm is responding to clients’ increasingly regular demands for patent services in China through two senior hires in the form of Xiaofan Chen (Partner) and Yuanyuan Chu (Senior Patent Attorney) in Beijing as of 28 August 2017. Through this amplified offering, the firm’s impressive client list of all profiles ranging from high growth start-ups to international MNCs can now benefit from the firm’s full-service IP offering covering patents as well as non-patent IP rights in China.
Xiaofan Chen (Partner): Joining us as a partner from Liu Shen, Xiaofan has both contentious and non-contentious experience in patent rights management. He regularly advises on patent validity, infringement and freedom-to-operate analysis cases, and has successfully represented clients on civil and administrative patent disputes. Xiaofan’s experience in contentious patent cases brings a valuable dimension to the prosecution and advisory work he undertakes for clients. Educated in China and the UK, he covers a wide range of technical fields, including mechanical engineering, manufacturing, laser imaging, printing/packaging technology, computer science, internet technology, e-commerce, and business methods. Xiaofan was one of the first patent litigators registered with China’s Supreme Court.
Yuanyuan Chu (Senior Patent Attorney): Yuanyuan’s patent practice focuses on computer science, electrical engineering, electronics, microelectronics, semiconductor devices and processes. Apart from assisting international MNCs on their patent prosecution and disputes in China for the last 13 years while at her last two firms, CPA and Liu Shen respectively, Yuanyuan also has considerable experience in coordinating US patent matters. Yuanyuan has been qualified as an attorney at law in China since 2007.
For more information on Xiaofan Chen, please click here, and for Yuanyuan Chu, please here.
AWA Group’s CEO, Magnus Hallin, comments: "We are delighted to have Xiaofan and Yuanyuan, experienced Chinese patent attorneys of such calibre join us from major patent practices. Their arrival builds on the success of AWA Asia, enabling a full-service IP offering in China and advancing our vision for AWA Asia as the Asian arm of Awapatent, a leading pan European- Asian full service and top tier IP firm.”
AWA Asia’s CEO and Principal Counsel Ai-Leen Lim notes: “China’s legal and IP landscape today is dynamic and maturing. Local expertise, together with practical, commercial-minded and nuanced advice is essential. We are proud to welcome our international and highly skilled China-qualified patent attorney colleagues, Xiaofan and Yuanyuan, who will no doubt be valuable resources for our innovative clients.”
“Awa Asia's increasing presence in China occurs concurrently with the rapid developments of the Chinese IP system, showing its astute insight into and profound commitment to this ever-growing market. I am excited to be part of such a reputable and dynamic international firm with its long history in championing IP. It gives me great pleasure to contribute my expertise and be part of the firm's exciting future in China.” – Xiaofan Chen
“I am thrilled to be joining AWA Asia when we are launching our patent practice in China, a landmark event in the firm’s growth trajectory. I look forward to supporting the firm’s impressive client base ranging from promising start-ups to international MNCs on their patent related needs in China.” – Yuanyuan Chu
