Taiwan

Based in Taipei, Formosa Transnational has been advising on patent matters for more than two decades. Its clients are from various industries, particularly semiconductors and integrated circuit designs. A client notes: "The firm has an excellent technical knowledge and is very responsive." Senior partner Yulan Kuo has extensive experience in patent litigation. Frank Shao-Fan Lu is another notable practitioner. Lu successfully represented Pfizer in a patent litigation against a Novartis generic drug. Lu also represented Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials in a patent invalidation action.

Saint Island International Patent & Law Offices is Managing IP's Firm of the Year in Taiwan (2017). Headquartered in Taipei with more than 100 foreign associates across the world, the firm's 200 or so patent professionals advise domestic and foreign clients across prosecution, contentious and transactional work. "It was an enjoyable experience to work with Saint Island. They study our needs and achieve the result we want," says a client. Frank FJ Liu successfully defended Samsung against a patent infringement lawsuit by British home care marketplace Hometouch. Liu also successfully represented Taiwanese consumer electronics company HTC in another patent infringement lawsuit by Hometouch.

The patent team at Sundial Intellectual Property Law Firm is active in electronics, optoelectronics, processors and telecommunication. Managing partner Edmund Chi is a "professional" and "dutiful" practitioner and has a strong client network in Taiwan, Europe, the US, Korea and Japan. Christine Lin and Cherry Tu support clients in patent prosecution, infringement analysis and representation before the Taiwan IP court.

"Passionate" and "professional" Tai E International Patent & Law Office has offices in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung. The patent team houses more than 60 professionals and engineering specialists in electronics, mechanical, chemistry and biotechnology. Fred CT Yen successfully represented German manufacturer BEKO Technologies in a patent invalidation. Henry Guei also secured victory for Saurer in a patent litigation.

Taipei IP specialist TIPLO is able to service its Japanese clients from its Tokyo liaison office. The IP professionals are known to be "highly qualified" and "pay attention to details". HG Chen heads the legal department and has extensive experience in IP litigation. The patent team covers industries including electrical, mechanical, biochemical engineering and chemistry.

Top Team International Patent & Trademark Office is "very responsive" and "knowledgeable", taking pride in its excellent patent prosecution work. It has wide-ranging experience advising domestic and global companies on patent applications in Taiwan, the US, Europe and Japan. "The patent engineers are with solid technical background and very capable of handling telecommunication-relevant inventions. They have a great reputation which they have earned," says a client. Founder Henry Hong is a respected and leading player in the market with more than three decades of experience. Julia Liu and chemistry and life science expert Peggy Wu are particularly recommended by clients.

Housing 160 "well-qualified" IP professionals, Tsai Lee & Chen is noted for its patent prosecution. A client comments: "The firm provides a highly personalised service with an incredibly professional team." "The English language ability is excellent and legal advice is given in an easy-to-understand fashion," adds another client. Victor Lee is brought in on patent litigation cases. Candy KY Chen and Crystal Chen are among the other patent specialists.

Full-service law firm Tsar & Tsai Law Firm is well regarded for its IP practice. Joyce Ho and Jennifer Lin are mentioned as key practitioners by peers. The firm advises clients on patent applications and infringement matters.

Eiger is headquartered in Taipei and offers a range of IP services to brand owners from America and Europe. Partner and head of the IP practice John Eastwood has chaired the European Chamber of Commerce in Taipei's Intellectual Property Rights Committee since its founding in 2001 and is well respected by peers with one noting: "John is absolutely brilliant." Eastwood represented Bottega Veneta in knocking out all the trade mark registrations by a local company called Bottega that had created and submitted to the administrative courts a false company history, pretending to have had origins in France and be a famous mark in Europe. Other clients include Philip Morris International, TOMS, Abercrombie & Fitch and Gucci. "The firm offers great service, and is very responsive, client-orientated and professional," says one client.

Established in 1974, Formosa Transnational has a technology law department, which consists of an elite team of experienced attorneys and technicians. Apart from trade mark applications, the firm also provides services related to counterfeiting, raids, criminal proceedings and litigation. Frank Shao-Fan Lu represented OBI Pharma in a negotiation of a trade mark opposition. The firm also has clients such as Yung Shin Aluminium and APlus Biotech.

Lee and Li is the largest multi-service IP practice in Taiwan with more than 100 specialists. The firm has a PRC practice group and Japan practice group to assist foreign and local companies to enter the China market, as well as to attend to the needs of Japanese firms. Some international clients have worked with Lee and Li for more than 30 years. "The firm is efficient, proactive and have clear guidance. Advice is tailored to individual circumstances. Very professional and knowledgeable," says one client. Ruey-Sen Tsai led the team and successfully represented Valentino in a trade mark invalidation administrative litigation. Roger Chang acted for Novartis Pharma in the trade mark invalidation actions against Anxo Pharmaceutical. Chang also acted for Moroccanoil Israel in a civil suit against a local company and was successful at both first instance and second instance.

Saint Island International Patent & Law Offices took home Managing IP's Firm of the Year Award in Taiwan (2017). With around 80 trade mark professionals and offices in including Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Chiayi and Kaohsiung, Saint Island has one of the largest IP practices in the region. "This firm is a long-term associate of our firm in Los Angeles. Their work is consistently excellent and timely and their charges are fair," says one client. Julia Hung represented KOSÉCorporation, a Japanese cosmetics brand owner, in filing a three-dimensional trade mark application and an administrative litigation against the disclaimer imposed by TIPO at Taiwan's IP Court. The appeal by TIPO was dismissed in January 2016. Hung also represented SDI Technologies to file an opposition against a trade mark registration for iHOME iHOME and Design and represented Hachette Filipacchi Presse, brand owner of Elle watch, in a trade mark infringement case against a local ex-distributor.

Founded in 1976, Tai E International Patent & Law Office is one of the most highly regarded IP law firms in Taiwan. Peers mention name partner and IP Star Fred CT Yen as the stand out practitioner at the firm. The firm has cultivated trust and long-term relationships with clients in Europe and the US. Its case studies feature prosecution trade mark matters on behalf of clients such as Audi, Volkswagen, Kangol and United States Postal Service. Tai E has recorded one of the highest successful trade mark application rates in the region, thanks to the firm's pre-filing counselling and clearing service.

A law firm boasting one of the most experienced and dedicated trade mark prosecution and disputes resolution practices, TIPLO has built a solid presence in Taiwan. The firm has different trade mark departments to provide service to clients from the US, Europe and Japan. Johnny Yang heads the international trade mark department and has more than 30 years of experience. The firm also has a reputable copyright department that handles consultation, cancellation, appeal and administrative suits.

Tsar & Tsai Law Firm was established in 1965 and has more than 70 professionals, including former public prosecutors, judicial officers and trade mark examiners. Apart from the head office in Taipei, the firm also has a branch office in Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park. Given its strong litigation team, the firm is well known among industry peers for its contentious work. The firm has experience in anti-counterfeiting and defending infringement allegations. Joyce Ho is a notable practitioner who specialises in trade mark and patent litigation.

Winkler Partners has filed trade mark applications and provided enforcement support for 35 of Interbrand's 100 Best Global Brands in 2016, and is also noted for work in the entertainment industry. Peter Dernbach heads the IP practice at Winkler Partners and has been on the Board of INTA since 2015. The firm helped the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) register certification marks for Scotch Whisky in both English and Chinese characters, which SWA called "a legal breakthrough". A May 2016 raid on a popular wholesale clothing market in Taipei in coordination with police netted 7,000 items of counterfeit goods, and marked one of the largest hauls of its kind in Taiwanese history.