Global Law Office
Firm overview:
Global Law Office is one of China’s largest law firms, providing comprehensive commercial legal services to China-based and international clients. While trademarks are a recognised strength, GLO is also proficient in patent matters, and its IP team collaborates with colleagues in other departments such as M&A, capital markets and dispute resolution. The firm has built a patent team with legal qualifications in China and the US, enabling it to offer a seamless service to clients wanting to protect their innovations in multiple major markets.
GLO offers non-contentious services such as advising on IP-rich transactions and portfolio management, but particularly shines when it comes to contentious matters. This extends from handling patent infringement in China’s courts to US litigation and Section 337 investigations. A leading Chinese manufacturer recommends the firm for handling patent litigation in China.
Team overview:
GLO’s patent practice spans four offices located in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu.
Degang Ma is one of the patent experts at the firm with over 20 years’ legal experience, and is singled out by a China-based client, specialising in advanced manufacturing, for his litigation practice. The client says they appreciate Ma’s “professional skill and dedication” to his work, adding that he collaborated well with foreign lawyers and that he had not lost a case for them over the eight years he had been their patent counsel.
Ma is one of the few Chinese lawyers who have represented Chinese companies in Section 337 investigations in the US. His clients have included Anhui Jinhe Industrial Co, AstraZeneca, HTC, Sanofi, Oppo and Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group.
Key matters:
- A O Smith: Patent infringement and invalidity disputes
GLO represented A O Smith, a manufacturer of water heating technologies, in a series of patent infringement and invalidity disputes with Midea Group across multiple technology areas.
The series covered a total of 15 patent infringement cases across five local courts in the first instance, and revolves around three fundamental patents related to water purifiers and gas water heaters. The parties reached a settlement in January 2024.
Partners Jack Zhanke Li, Linna Zhai and Jing Zhang, and lawyers Yue Yan and Yaqi Bai were on GLO’s team.
- GERB Qingdao: Utility model patent infringement dispute and related invalidation
GERB is engaged in vibration control for medium and large-scale equipment and construction projects worldwide. GLO represented GERB in a utility model patent infringement dispute and related patent invalidation with RMB 99 million ($13.9 million) at stake against Tiantie Dacheng.
GLO defended the client against patent infringement claims, successfully invalidating the opponent’s patent.
GLO’s team was Jack Zhanke Li, Linna Zhai and Yaqi Bai.
- Vizio: Invention patent infringement dispute and patent invalidation
The team represents US TV manufacturer Vizio in an invention patent infringement dispute and related patent invalidation concerning communication terminal auto-update technology against non-practising entity Global Innovation Aggregation.
Plaintiff Global Innovation Aggregation filed a lawsuit against Vizio’s TVs that are manufactured in China, and the case was handled by the Shenzhen Intermediate Court. GLO initiated invalidation proceedings for the patent-in-suit, which are still ongoing although the civil litigation has concluded.
GLO’s team was led by partners Jack Zhanke Li, Linna Zhai and Jing Zhang, and lawyer Yaqi Bai.
Clients:
Airbus, AstraZeneca, Carrefour, Hanhui Pharma, Hogene Biotech, Honeywell International, Microsoft, Newrizon, PetroChina Jilin Chemical Engineering, Precision Robotics, Sanofi, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals, Sinopec Group, Sony Music Entertainment, TsingHua University & Nuctech Company, Weltmeister/Weima, Wuhan Lixin Automation Technology, Xiamen Miaobao Technology
