Back in July and December 2020, we wrote about the seeming rise in allegations of infringement allegations under the doctrine of equivalents (DOE) in life sciences cases. We noted that in those recent cases the Federal Circuit provided in-depth analyses of the application of DOE, prosecution history estoppel, and the various other limits on the DOE, and suggested that potential infringers needed to keep an eye on the substantive evolution of the doctrine. But a…

In the last of his recent series of blogs on IP in China, Dr. Paolo Beconcini discusses amendments expanding the scope of design protection in China and predicts a new flood of “junk” design applications. He discusses the basis and requirements for Chinese design patents, including issues relating to functionality. He also discusses some structural issues that have contributed low-quality filings, including the lack of required substantive examination. The blog can be found here.…

We are delighted to share the recent recognition of our global trademark practice by World Trademark Review for 2021.  Squire Patton Boggs received renewed recognition as a leading firm in the “China (foreign)” chapter, and for its UK and Germany practices.  In addition, two of our US partners – Deborah Lodge and Phil Zender – were recognized as “Recommended Experts.”  As reported, Ms. Lodge “has a deft touch on strategic branding matters and adds value…

In his continued blog series, Dr. Paolo Beconcini and Elisa Li discuss the principles of evidence pertaining to IP disputes in China, including recent and substantial changes to those rules. In China, evidence must be collected prior to the filing of a case, as there is no discovery. The changes address commonly-occurring issues of authenticity, foreign documents, and damages, and are likely to impact litigation strategies. The blog can be found here.   ©…

As is often the case in China, a critical change in the IP system has taken place without the publicity of a new law but with an internal administrative document hidden on a government website. With an administrative Circular issued on January 27, 2021, the China IP office is rewriting the rules that led to the massive surge in low-quality patent filings (a/k/a junk patents) by Chinese firms during the last decade, while subtly changing…

Serving foreign corporate defendants with a complaint filed in a U.S. Federal Court has never been an easy task, but the COVID-19 global pandemic and regional shut-down orders have made finding someone to physically serve with process nearly impossible in many locations. Contrary to conventional wisdom, one district court recently made it clear that The Hague Convention is not the only means for effectively serving foreign defendants. Where not expressly prohibited, courts may grant leave…

The beauty industry faces a constant challenge in relation to the truthfulness of the products it sells. Through the power of social media, beauty brands use influencers to endorse their products, adding a dimension of apparent authenticity to their advertising. In an attempt to regulate such practices, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has focused on transparency, requiring that brands disclose their commercial relationship with the influencer, usually with the hashtag “#ad”. The beauty industry now…