Biography: Trademarks

Jo-Ann is a founding director of Amica Law, a specialised intellectual property and technology firm which deals in all aspects of trademarks, patents and designs filing, management, due diligence and prosecution, litigation and enforcement, IP licensing and commercialisation, technology transactions, competition law, telecommunications, IT e-commerce, domain names, media and entertainment.

Jo-Ann has been in practice for more than 25 years, focusing on intellectual property and in particular, in IP protection and management. Jo-Ann has vast experience in working with clients in the development and protection of their intellectual property rights and she has acted for clients in diverse industries such as entertainment, cosmetics, chemicals and petroleum, telecommunications, information technology, food and beverage, hospitality and consumer products.

Her work encompasses advising clients on identifying their IP, brand clearance and protection of IP rights, including contentious opposition and revocation proceedings. Jo-Ann also advises clients on protection of their inventions, conducting patent searches and prosecution of patent applications, in Singapore and worldwide. In addition, she is also involved in the preparation and review of IP documentation, such as licensing agreements, transfer of technology agreements and franchising as well as the transfer of IP assets.

Jo-Ann is a member of various international intellectual property organisations. She was on the board of directors of the International Trademark Association (INTA) from 2002 to 2004. She is currently the chairperson of the IP committee of the Law Society of Singapore as well as the subcommittee chair on limits of trademark use in the emerging issues committee of INTA for the term 2010 to 2011. Jo-Ann is also an executive committee member of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association, Singapore group and a council member of ASEAN IP Association. She is also a member of the Association of Singapore Patent Agents.

Jo-Ann graduated from the National University of Singapore with an LLB (honours) degree. She was called to the Singapore Bar in 1983. Before joining private practice, she was the deputy registrar of trademarks and patents in Singapore. She is also a registered patent agent in Singapore.

Jo-Ann has been identified as a leading intellectual property lawyer in the following publications: The Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011); AsiaLaw Leading Lawyers (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008); AsiaLaw Profiles (2010); Euromoney Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Trade Mark Law Practitioners (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008); Chamber's Asia Leading Lawyers for Business (2008); PLC Which Lawyer Yearbook (2008, 2009); Who's Who Legal: Patents (2008); Who's Who Legal: Singapore (2008); Who's Who Legal: Trademarks (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009); Expert Guides' Trademark Law Practitioners 2008 and 2009; Expert Guides' Patent Law Practitioners 2010; Expert Guides' The Best of the Best 2009 and 2011 for trademarks; Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Law Practitioners; and The Guide to Asia-Pacific's Leading Law Firms (14ed, 2010).