Editorial: Patents in Singapore

01 October 2007

Amica Law LLC is an intellectual property and technology boutique, which despite being a relatively new entrant into the market has established itself as a prominent player. Three of the firm’s directors appear in this chapter, with Jo-Ann See also featuring prominently in the trademarks chapter. See is a member of the Singapore section of the Asian Patent Attorney’s Association (APAA) and the Association of Singapore Patent Agents (ASPA). Her practice concentrates on the development and defence of her clients’ intellectual property rights and she has experience across a range of industries. Colleagues Winnie Tham and Jason Chan join See in this chapter. Tham is a member of ASPA and is part of the editorial team for the APAA. She has been particularly active in patent infringement cases in the higher courts of Singapore and the Court of Appeal. This includes a patent infringement case involving the HIV-2 virus. Recent cases include advising on international patent strategy for a bank and advising on patent infringement risks in technology for an engineering company. Chan is a “supreme litigator” and has acted in a number of significant patent infringement cases in high-tech fields that include biotechnology and computer electronics. Sample cases include a patent infringement claim relating to drilling exploratory platforms and the infringement of an electronic USB portable storage device. 

Alban Tay Mahtani & de Silva provides two practitioners for the following pages. Managing partner Alban Kang came highly recommended for his work in both patent and trademark matters and is consequently listed in both chapters. His patent work includes complex patent litigation across a myriad of industries and representative clients in patent infringement matters include Seiko Epson, Philips Electronics and British Airways. Sheena Jacob heads up the intellectual property and technology group and joins Kang in both of our IP chapters. Jacob handles patent filing strategies, issues relating to patents, patent audits and due diligence and also drafts contracts for the exploitation of patented technologies. One of our sources described her as a “real pleasure to work with”. 

Lee Ai Ming from Rodyk & Davidson LLP is one of this chapter’s most highly nominated individuals. She heads the firm’s intellectual property and technology practice group and also features in the trademarks chapter. Well-known in Singapore and internationally for her expertise in cross-border IP litigation,Lee is the current president of the Singapore section of the APAA. 

Tan Tee Jim SC from Lee & Lee was said by his competitors to be “very active” in the area. In the past year he has sat as an arbitrator in a case involving a licence fee for the use of a patent and acted for the appellant in setting aside an injunction concerning the ‘Da Vinci’ mark. Tan is president of the ASPA and past president of the APAA (Singapore section). Another lawyer in both this and the trademarks chapter is Regina Quek, a founding partner of One Legal LLC. Quek heads the firm’s intellectual property department and represents a wide variety of clients ranging from Singapore start-ups to major international corporations. Quek was heavily involved in the development of the Singapore chapter of the International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property and is currently serving her third term as president of this section. She is also a member of the APAA. Intellectual property is a significant part of the practice at Haq & Selvam. The firm finds its managing partner, Murgiana Haq, in both the patents and trademarks chapters of this book. Haq was the first president of the APAA (Singapore section) and a “leader in the field”, according to sources. 

Drew & Napier LLC claims to handle approximately a third of all IP registration in Singapore and its intellectual property practice is, unsurprisingly, substantial. Morris John heads the firm’s intellectual property department overseeing the patent division. John has been lead counsel in a number of large patent cases, including his representation of V-Pile technology (Luxembourg) SA in a patent infringement claim against a local company. He has also, more recently, obtained a declaration of non-infringement with respect to a patent claim for a defendant in the Singapore High Court. John is also a member of the APAA; and secretary of the ASPA. 

M Ravindran is a “recognised force in the market” and a partner at Ravindran Associates – a specialist IP law firm with an “excellent reputation”. His patent work gained him much praise from his competitors. Joyce A Tan from Joyce A Tan & Partners is also recognised for her patents practice. The final name in this chapter is Max Ng from Gateway Law Corporation – who also features in the franchise chapter. Ng is one of the principal directors of the firm; he handles a great deal of patent litigation and enforcement across a number of high-tech fields.

It is not possible to buy entry into Who's Who Legal

terms and conditionscontact us