Kangxin Partners
Firm overview:
Full-service firm Kangxin has established itself as a leader in China’s IP industry, with businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 multinationals going to the firm for advice. Kangxin has been gaining recognition for its patent services, particularly its non-contentious offering. An all-rounder across contentious and non-contentious patent matters, the firm is singled out by a peer for the high quality of its work.
Kangxin offers comprehensive patent services, covering all aspects of obtaining, protecting and enforcing patent rights in China and internationally. The patent practice is organised into mechanics, electronics and chemistry teams, enabling the firm to quickly match clients with specialist professionals. Kangxin’s in-house IP Platform provides easy access to patent annuity status monitoring, payment and official receipts.
Team overview:
Kangxin has more than 500 staff across eight offices in the country, of which over 250 are intellectual property professionals. The team also includes IT and artificial intelligence experts to offer holistic solutions to clients’ IP needs.
Partner and patent agent James Chen is a stand-out attorney at the firm. With a background in engineering, Chen assists clients with patent drafting/prosecution, post-grant proceedings and litigation, particularly in the fields of electronics and chemistry.
Patent agent Freder Shen is recommended for his internationally-focused legal advice by an industry counterpart, who says he is “an excellent representative” of his generation. Shen specialises in formulating patent application strategies tailored to the nuances of the Chinese IP landscape, and his expertise spans materials, battery technology, optics, semiconductors, and displays.
Key matters:
- Invalidation of polyurethane polishing pad patent
Kangxin represented a client in invalidating an invention patent titled ‘Polyurethane Polishing Pad’, originally held by Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials and Dow Global, and transferred to DuPont Electronic Materials and DDP Speciality Electronics Materials.
The first request for invalidation was rejected in January 2024, and Kangxin’s team filed a second request. This decision went in the client’s favour and the patent was declared invalid in July 2025. It was selected by the CNIPA as one of the Top 10 Patent Reexamination and Invalidation Cases of 2024.
