Vivien Chan & Co is a full-service law practice with established offices in Hong Kong (1985) and Beijing (1993). We are consistently recognised as a premier law firm in Greater China. With over 30 years’ experience in China, the team has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of China’s legal culture and market dynamics.
Practice areas
As one of the leading full-service law firms in Hong Kong and China, Vivien Chan & Co has developed a wide range of clients and services since its establishment. We have represented numerous Fortune 500 companies, including Alticor, American Airlines, Ford and Yves Saint Laurent, and have engaged in a broad range of commercial transactions and regulatory issues since the 1980s.
We are highly recognised by our peers and have advised on the most significant acquisitions, arbitrations, real estate projects and employment matters to date. This is particularly evident in our leading position in areas such as intellectual property, tax, employment, M&A and dispute resolution. Our ability to collaborate across practices and borders with ease allows us to bring the right team to every transaction, regardless of location.
Over 30 years we have a built distinct representative experience and expertise in adopting a cost-effective and results-oriented approach to delivering practical solutions.
Trademarks
- We successfully obtained well-known status in China for Ford’s English word mark, Chinese word mark and stylised English mark from the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board in an opposition review case in 2015.
- We represented M&M’s in M&M’s v W&W’s, landmark case on the granting of administrative injunctions on national and provincial levels to stop infringement in China.
Patents
- We have successfully prosecuted software patents in China, including patents for industrial management systems, Chinese word processing, speech and voice recognition by computers and image analysis.
- We have advised on patent prosecution strategies for pharmaceutical companies and high-tech start-up companies.
Copyright
- We have successfully defended a software copyright infringement case before the Chinese courts.
Enforcement
- We have developed and implemented an anti-counterfeiting strategy for a global mobile device company in Greater China. This covers enforcement action at the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, public security bureaus, Customs and online, as well as judicial redress (eg, forum shopping, the use of expedited processes in specialised IP courts and collecting evidence from trade platform Alibaba).
- We have devised a cross-border enforcement strategy for the world’s leading men’s magazine brand against Chinese infringers by striking off shadow companies in Hong Kong and simultaneously initiating administrative enforcement actions in China.
Awards and accolades in 2018
Vivien Chan & Co has been recognised as a leading Greater China law firm by the following major legal experts and publications:
- Full-Service Law Firm of the Year – Corporate LiveWire Legal Awards;
- LinkedIn Global Counsel Awards 2018 winner;
- leading firm in its field – Chambers Asia-Pacific;
- top-five recommended firm in Hong Kong – Patent Lawyer Magazine;
- IP law firm of the year in Hong Kong – Legal 100 Asia Award; and
- IP (trademark and copyright) law firm award – China Business Law.
Clients say
“We especially appreciate the firm’s expertise, 24/7 availability and consistency over the past few decades. We know that we can rely on the Vivien Chan firm as our needs, technology and the law changes. Thank you for your past, present and future commitment to our partnership.”
Team
The firm has four partners and a team of approximately 100 people, providing services in Chinese, English, French and Japanese. Senior Partner Vivien Chan was a justice of peace in 2000 and awarded the lifetime achievement award in 2017 by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. She has recently also recently recognised as one of the World Intellectual Property Review’s trademark and patent leaders 2018. Ms Chan was also awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2008 and the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2014 by the Hong Kong government for her outstanding contributions to Hong Kong.