Archive for January 9, 2012

IP Law Asia Summit 2012

Jan 9th

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Working Towards Better IP Laws and Policies

Steven Liew, a speaker at the marcus evans IP Law Asia Summit 2012, on forming mutually beneficial relationships with government officials.

Interview with: Steven Liew, Chief Government Relations Officer, eBay Inc. Asia Pacific region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel to do their jobs well, they need to know what the law is as well as what it could be, says Steven Liew, Chief Government Relations Officer, eBay Inc. Asia Pacific. They can only achieve this by working with lawmakers and government officials in crafting laws and policies, he adds.

A speaker at the upcoming marcus evans IP Law Asia Summit 2012, Liew examines the ideal IP Counsel and lawmaker relationship, and the mutual benefits that can arise from it.

How does having a good relationship with government officials deliver better results?

IP laws constantly change and develop, while in certain jurisdictions they are nascent. IP Counsel need to know what the law is but also what it could be. They should establish good relations with the officials in the countries they operate in, as well as the country of their company’s headquarters. They need to have an extensive network across different countries, in order to influence how laws and policies are crafted.

Although the government and lawmakers define how laws and policies are developed, IP Counsel can influence the direction that laws and policies take.

What is the desired relationship with government bodies and how can it be achieved?

The desired relationship is one that is mutually beneficial. From my years of engaging with governments in different countries, I can say that those drafting the laws and policies are also looking for our input, guidance and advice. Not just input that is advantageous to our company, but advice that would help drive legal developments in the right direction. That is the desired outcome.

What should IP Counsel be cautious of?

Counsel are tempted to set goals on the number of cases to handle or damages to receive from courts against infringers. These are great metrics, but also a very easy way to miss the wood for the trees. What would a target of increasing numbers by ten per cent every year help them achieve? Would that mean they are doing a good job? There are many other questions that must be asked, in terms of strategy and goal setting, so they should not go into the planning process with just numbers in mind.

How can IP Counsel maximise the potential value of their organisation’s intellectual assets?

There are two aspects. One is to have a good inventory of all IP assets and sit down with the business team to figure out how to exploit them. Many mobile phone manufacturers have done very well in building their IP portfolio and cross licensing with other manufacturers, which has pushed the boundaries of what capabilities our phones will have in the future. Counsel must find what IP they can grab and exploit to maximise profits.

The other important part of this is to go on the offensive and enforce rights very vigorously. Just filing copyrights and trademarks is not enough. It is more important to know how to enforce those rights.

Contact:
Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian
Press Manager
marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com

About the IP Law Asia Summit 2012

Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on IP protection, strategies to maximise IP monetisation and IP outsourcing.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website at www.iplawasia-summit.com

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The Legal Network – marcus evans Summits group delivers peer-to-peer information on strategic matters, professional trends and breakthrough innovations.

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-to-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

Litigation Asia Summit 2012

Jan 9th

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Developing Proactive Approaches to Litigation

Peterson Tien, a speaker at the marcus evans Litigation Asia Summit 2012, on the importance of developing a trustworthy relationship with outside counsel.

Interview with: Peterson Tien, General Counsel & Vice President, Chimei Innolux

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Working with outside counsel can prove to be very expensive, but unfortunately it is a must as there is no in-house team that can be equipped with the legal knowledge and know-how of every jurisdiction, says Peterson Tien, General Counsel & Vice President, Chimei Innolux. General Counsel must work with outside counsel to reduce litigation costs and achieve better outcomes.

A speaker at the upcoming marcus evans Litigation Asia Summit 2012, Tien shares his views on improving the relationship between in-house and outside counsel.

How should General Counsel handle litigation cases?

General Counsel must adopt a proactive approach to litigation, as it is very time consuming and expensive. To handle litigation in a budget effective way, they must establish a high-quality monitoring system, particularly when it comes to building relationships with outside counsel. It is equally important for in-house counsel to have a top-down approach where there is full alignment from C-level executives.

How can the relationship between in-house and outside counsel be improved?

This relationship is one of love and hate. Unfortunately, no in-house team can be equipped with all the legal knowledge and know-how of every country and jurisdiction, so part of this must be outsourced. If too much trust is put in outside counsel, they will take advantage of that and run the budget very high. Organisations must spend time to build up a good relationship without giving them a blank cheque. It is advisable to be very detailed-driven and give outside counsel a list of what you will and will not pay.

General Counsel should also ask outside counsel for an overall budgetary estimate for the case as well as monthly forecasts. They have better knowledge of litigation actions and can presuppose what the outcome will be. By looking at this outlook of expenditure, General Counsel can look at the accumulative forecast at the end of the year and see if there is any major deviation and spot issues in a timely manner.

How has litigation become a part of the overall business operation?

Traditionally, litigation aggressive companies only existed in the US. There is now a trend in Korea, Japan and Taiwan of managers expanding their business thought, not only covering the operation of commercial matters but also placing a strong focus on litigation.

Contact:
Stacey Melvin
Journalist
marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com

About the Litigation Asia Summit 2012

Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on cost-effectively managing disputes, foreign jurisdictions and the importance of building strong relationships with external counsel.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website at www.litigationasiasummit.com