Ashland Inc.'s Trade Secrets and Patent Infringement Dispute Was Listed on Annual "Top Ten" Cases

December 15, 2012

During December 7-December 9, 2012, Forum on China Lawyer Intellectual Property Practice & Tenth Annual Meeting of All-China Lawyers Association Intellectual Property Committee was held in Chongqing. Appraised by experts at the meeting, this year's national "Top Ten" intellectual property cases were announced. This year's national "Top Ten" intellectual property cases were elected in line with following standards: 1. The Case shall have great social impact or typical jurisprudence significance in this year; 2. put forward initiative point of view among similar cases or leading to legislation amendment (including judicial interpretation and administrative rules); and 3. exhibit creative work and professional theoretical level of attorneys and the whole picture of facts in the case.

Among them, the case of trade secrets and patent infringement dispute between Ashland Group and Beijing Response-Chem Specialty Chemical Technologies Co., Ltd. represented by Li Yongbo and Kong Fanwen from Unitalen Attorneys at Law was elected as one of the annual "Top Ten" Case. Other elected cases include trademark infringement disputes between Apple Inc. and Proview Technology Co., Ltd., etc.

Ashland case highlights the growth in China courts’ efforts in intellectual property protection and professional expertise in trial. Tthe courts accepting Ashland cases, Suzhou Intermediate People's Court and Beijing First Intermediate People's Court exhibited excellent professional expertise and dedication spirit.

In addition, the case also demonstrated the expertise of Beijing Unitalen Attorneys at Law for difficult and complicated cases. In this case, Ashland Company’s in-house counsel and technical staff, United States outside attorneys and attorneys from Unitalen Attorneys at Law formed a professional litigation team, members of which are in close cooperation and full communication with each other, and thereby provided an important guarantee for finding the relevant facts and achieving a satisfactory outcome of the case.

 

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