Unitalen Attorneys at Law
Firm overview:
Full-service IP firm Unitalen Attorneys at Law is a strong choice for trademark matters in China. In the top tier of PRC intellectual property firms, Unitalen has over 20 branch offices across China, coordinated by its Beijing headquarters.
With its significant resources, Unitalen covers the full gamut of trademark services, and files over 15,000 new trademark registrations every year. The firm maintains relationships with foreign associates in more than 100 countries, enabling it to meet the global needs of its extensive client base.
A key focus of the practice is IP litigation, in the international or domestic arena, involving disputes over infringement, cybersquatting, counterfeiting, unfair competition and other IP issues.
Team overview:
Unitalen Attorneys at Law’s team includes 88 trademark attorneys and 82 attorneys at law. The team offers services in many languages including English, Japanese, German, Korean, French and Spanish.
Senior partner Ray Lei Zhao has over 20 years’ experience in IP, and has served as the director of the firm’s legal and international trademark departments. Zhao has handled a significant volume of cases related to trademark prosecution and litigation for both Chinese and foreign clients, and has acted as an IP consultant to well-known listed companies. Several of his cases have been rated by provincial high courts as among the top ten intellectual property cases of the year.
Key matters:
- Xiaomi: Trademark protection and damages award
Unitalen represented Chinese multinational technology company Xiaomi in two trademark infringement and unfair competition disputes filed by the client against a Chaozhou-based company and others.
In both cases, the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court recognised Xiaomi’s well-known trademarks, applied punitive damages and upheld the tech giant’s claims for economic losses, awarding damages of RMB 30 million and 5 million respectively (approximately $4.2 million and $700,000).
- Postal Savings Bank of China: First well-known trademark recognition
Unitalen represented the Postal Savings Bank of China, which has a history of over a century, in securing and defending its trademark rights.
On behalf of the Postal Savings Bank of China, the team secured the first recognition of three of its trademarks as well known, as well as a judgment of trademark infringement against infringers that had maliciously applied for similar marks.
- SRAM: Victory in dispute over ‘position mark of bicycle freewheel’
The team prevailed on behalf of SRAM, which makes bicycle components, in an administrative dispute against the CNIPA over the review of a refused application for ‘Position Mark of Bicycle Freewheel’.
SRAM uses a distinctive red colour between the sixth and seventh gears of its bicycle components as a brand identifier, and has been able to register it in multiple regions worldwide. After the CNIPA rejected the mark for lack of distinctiveness, SRAM filed an administrative lawsuit with the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, which revoked the contested decision.
Clients:
MACO Group, Postal Savings Bank of China, SRAM, Xiaomi
