23 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – DECEMBER 2023 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM weaknesses clients have within their trademark matters, and what improvements they could make.” Darani Vachanavuttivong is the managing partner and IP managing director of Tilleke & Gibbins in Thailand. Darani regularly pioneers new methods for securing IP rights in Southeast Asia. Darani also successfully represented Formula One (F1) Group in a rare crossclass trademark opposition against a potential infringer in Thailand in one of her most recent wins. In Malaysia, Linda Wang is a senior partner at LindaWang Su & Boo (a member of ZICO IP). With more than 30 years of experience in IP litigation, Wang leads her team in advising, handling, and managing the patent, trademark, and design portfolios of the Smart Glove Group of Companies, including attending to freedom-tooperate (FTO), validity, enforcement and infringement issues. She also represents KLK Companies, Nestle, and Honda Motor. Chie Yakura is a partner at Morrison Foerster’s Tokyo office with specialities ranging from patent litigation to compliance and regulatory investigations. Among other cases, Chie is representing Rakuten Mobile and its affiliates in patent license negotiations against owners of some of the largest portfolios of telecommunications patents in the world. Most of Chie’s clients are large multinationals with whom she has long-standing relationships, including Toshiba. As managing director of Drew & Napier’s IP practice, Tony Yeo continues to cement his reputation in Singapore’s IP space. In the past 12 months, Yeo has successfully defended an industry leader in state-of-the-art lab-grown diamond technology in a patent infringement suit. He has also helped key clients, including Novartis, in securing victories recently. Yeo has been hailed as “a very confident individual who always stays on top of the situation” by one of his clients. METHODOLOGY • Key work done in the past year and entire career. – role and responsibility – type, scale, volume, value, complexity, and impact on the morket – landmark/first-of-itskind work that involve innovativeness/ breakthrough in particular elements • Feedback from key clients • Market reputation of candidate • Market reputation of firm What strategies do you credit for your recognition as one of ALB Asia’s Top 15 Intellectual Property Lawyers? It is a combination of several strategies, with the foremost being the importance of a stellar team. First, achieving significant goals requires a strong team to work with. My middle managers and fellow directors are outstanding in client communication and managing the lawyers in the teams, enabling me as the head of the department to focus on the macro issues rather than micro issues. Second, be practical and understand the clients’ goals. The clients expect us to think both legally and commercially. I constantly preach common sense to my team. Common sense unfortunately is not common, so everyone needs to be reminded. Third, a wonderful and supportive family is also so essential. My wife and children have always been supportive and understanding. The stability at home helps me focus on my work. Can you share a notable intellectual property case where your innovative approach led to a favorable outcome? Injunctions are commonplace for intellectual hearing and decision, our clients needed to continue their operations. To ensure compliance with the injunction, I recommended engaging an independent auditor to audit our clients’ operations to ensure non-infringement of the patent. This proactive step, disclosed to the High Court and claimants, allowed our clients to continue operating until the appeal, ultimately resulting in their success as the Court of Appeal revoked the claimant’s patent. How do you stay updated on industry trends, and how has this commitment influenced your success in intellectual property law? The latest trend in IP is Generative AI. I have been attending seminars and having discussions with fellow IP lawyers to stay abreast of the evolving landscape surrounding this domain. The law on Generative AI is unsettled, with very few cases reaching courts globally. Having entered intellectual property law 32 years ago when it was relatively unknown, I feel blessed to be in IP, as it has now become one of the most dynamic fields in law, intersecting with all realms of technical advancements. Staying informed on trends like Generative AI allows me to guide clients effectively in addressing arising issues. A conversation with Tony Yeo BROUGHT TO YOU BY DREW & NAPIER property cases, and for lay clients, an injunction may signify the end of the business. However, if managed deftly, that may not always be the case. In a recent patent infringement case where we represented the defendants, the High Court partially ruled against them, imposing an injunction against infringing the claimants’ patent. While awaiting the Court of Appeal’s Tony Yeo Managing Director, Intellectual Property Director, Dispute Resolution Head, Healthcare & Life Sciences T: (65) 6531 2512 E: tony.yeo@drewnapier.com Drew & Napier W: www.drewnapier.com
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