East IP
Firm overview:
East IP is a one-stop-shop for IP protection and enforcement, offering the full range of IP services in China and globally. The firm is the product of a 2024 merger between Hong Kong-based SIPS with Beijing East IP and East IP Law Firm, as well as a team from Zhong Lun Law Firm including partner Jimmy Huang, who now heads up the trademarks team.
The firm has a covetable client list that includes some of the world’s biggest names in the technology, fashion and luxury, and food and beverage sectors. East IP provides comprehensive trademark services encompassing registration, enforcement, litigation, and strategic counselling. With the combined trademark practices of Huang, SIPS and East IP, the firm is one of the top trademark filers in the country.
For contentious trademark matters, the team’s work involves everything from monitoring for infringement to representing clients in China’s courts. East IP has the capacity to take on global disputes for its multinational clients, coordinating with lawyers around the world to oppose trademark piracy and enforce trademarks in multiple jurisdictions.
Team overview:
Head of trademarks Jimmy Huang arrived in 2024, leading a team of six lateral partners. Huang’s team is particularly known for its trademark prosecution and IP litigation, and brought several large portfolios from industry-leading brands to East IP.
Huang, whose practice focuses on trademark prosecution and enforcement as well as copyright, domain names and unfair competition, is praised by clients for going the extra mile to secure results.
Joe Simone, founding partner of SIPS, is now co-chairman of East IP. Based in Hong Kong, Simone has over 36 years’ experience assisting companies in Asia and beyond with registering and enforcing IP rights. He is actively involved in the International Trademark Association (INTA) in pressing for stronger legal protections against online IP infringement and bad faith trademark registrations.
Helen Tang is a leading trademark practitioner based at East IP’s Hong Kong office. Tang has represented multinational and Asian clients in a wide variety of industries, and was president of the Hong Kong Institute of Trade Mark Practitioners from 2011 until 2013. Clients go to Tang for her depth of expertise on trademark matters and she covers the full spectrum of work from prosecution to oppositions and revocations.
A key team member for litigation and dispute resolution is Miao Tian, based in Beijing. Tian’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, which she represents before the IP authorities and Chinese courts.
Key matters:
- Live Nation Worldwide: Filing/prosecution, portfolio management
Global live entertainment company Live Nation’s brands include Ticketmaster, as well as Live Nation Concerts. East IP handles trademark prosecution, oppositions, invalidations and general portfolio management for the company in China.
This work includes monitoring newly published trademarks for oppositions, developing strategies against copycats, and advising on daily IP issues.
Jimmy Huang and Ruby Jia lead East IP’s team for the client.
- Treasury Wine Estates: Filing/prosecution, portfolio management
Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Lindemans are among Treasury Wine Estates’ brands. The team at East IP advises the winemaker on managing its trademark portfolios, helping it to secure protection of its rights in China.
Led by Jimmy Huang and Ruby Jia, the team also handles oppositions and invalidations for Treasury Wine Estates when infringement arises.
- Southcorp Brands (a Treasury Wine Estates subsidiary): Administrative litigation
The East IP team secured a win for client Southcorp Brands when it challenged a registration for ‘奔富明珠’in class 30. The company was initially unsuccessful in its invalidation action before the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), which led to East IP filing an administrative lawsuit before Beijing IP Court.
The court supported the team’s claims and recognised the well-known status of the client’s registration for ‘奔富’on wines in class 33. This was the first time the mark had been recognised as well-known in an administrative proceeding.
East IP’s team was led by Jimmy Huang, Hope Yang and Alice Ma.
Clients:
Agilent Technologies, Live Nation Worldwide, Suntory Global Spirits, Treasury Wine Estates
