No. of Partners : 9
Languages : English, Mandarin/Putonghua, Cantonese, Korean, Portuguese
Offices : Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ottawa, Toronto, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Luxembourg, Manchester, Oxford
Marks & Clerk set up its first office in the UK in 1887. Our Hong Kong Office was set up in 1983. Today, we’re a world-leading global intellectual property firm, working in partnership with businesses of all shapes and sizes all over the world. Providing them with people whose legal, technical and commercial expertise exactly meets their needs. Shaping our services around them. Protecting, enforcing and maximising the value of their intellectual property to support them in achieving their business ambitions.
Practitioners:
Michael Lin (MLin@marks-clerk.com.hk)
Partner
Michael Lin (B.A. Biochemistry from U.C. Berkeley; J.D. from Boston University; Ohio Bar; USPTO Bar) was such a terrible bench chemist that he had to become a lawyer. Michael worked at Procter & Gamble Japan (1997-2007), and P&G Beijing (2007-10). Before leaving P&G, Michael managed the pan-Asia patent matters for Oral Care, Pet Care, Snacks & Beverages, and Fabric and Home Care business units, and was the head of the China IP group. During this time Michael helpd develop and manage systems for addressing IP protection such as trade secrets and deciding whether to patent developments, to keep them as trade secrets, or something inbetween.
Since 2010, Michael has led Marks&Clerk’s HK/BJ Chem-BioSciences group, handling patent preparation and prosecution, opinion work and client counseling, with an expertise in global IP strategies and holistic protection. Michael believes that IP, especially trade secrets, is often an underappreciated and underutilized business tool. Michael helps businesses better leverage their IP for greater growth, opportunity, and success.
Michael is a board member of various non-profit organizations such as the International Intellectual Property Commercialization Council (www.iipcc.org), the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute (www.cc-tdi.org), the Raiden Science Foundation (https://www.raidenscience.org/), etc. Michael receives many awards from, for example, Asia IP, IAM, MIP and others. Michael publishes articles, speaks at schools, universities and conventions, and actively mentors students, entrepreneurs, MBA students, and others.
For more information, please see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lin-b37b333/
Zephyr Su (ZSu@marks-clerk.com.hk)
Partner
Patent Attorney (CN, UK)
Specialties: Electronics, Computing, Semiconductors, Telecommunications, emerging technologies, blockchain, virtual reality, mechanics
Zephyr is a dual-qualified patent attorney before CNIPA and UKIPO. He also holds a Certificate of Legal Profession Qualification in China. Being in the patent profession for 16 years, Zephyr has extensive experiences in patent prosecutions in the Great China region, in the technology fields of mechanical engineering, electrical machinery, microelectronics, IT/software, cellular network technology, among others. He also frequently assists his clients in other intellectual property matters, including patent portfolio management, risk assessment, and freedom-to-operate investigations. Moreover, Zephyr has been actively representing western clients in contentious matters in China, including advocating for clients before the CNIPA in invalidation proceedings, and before Chinese courts in infringement proceedings. In relation to the litigations he drafts in local Chinese language all kinds of court documents including complaints, requests for interim injunctions, and appeals.
Zephyr graduated from the University of Macau with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Subsequently, he earned a Master’s degree in Telecommunications from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Zephyr commenced his practice with Marks & Clerk Hong Kong in 2010 and is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Katherine Lai (KLai@marks-clerk.com.hk)
Partner
Katherine possesses in-depth experience in global brand strategy and trade mark portfolio management, including conducting trade mark audits, clearance searches, prosecution and enforcement of trade mark rights. Experience also in Hong Kong & China anti-counterfeiting campaigns, Customs Office actions, domain-name disputes, copyright and/or trade mark infringement actions, passing off actions in Hong Kong or anti-unfair competition claims before the China courts.
Clients range from innovative sole traders, fledgling start-up companies to multi-national corporations within a broad range of industries from fashion, sport, media & entertainment, food & beverages, cosmetics & beauty, healthcare, financial services, electronics, medical equipment, construction & property development, automotive and logistics.
Katherine is professionally qualified as a Solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong and also as a Solicitor of England & Wales (non-practising).
Currently serving on the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department’s pro-bono panel providing free legal IP consultation services; Pro-bono Governance Committee member of the Children’s Medical Foundation and Pro-bono trade marks advisor for The Nesbitt Centre of Hong Kong.
Nominated as a Council Member and since 2017 Membership Secretary of the Hong Kong Institute of Trade Mark Practitioners (“HKITMP”).
Professionally qualified as a Civil Celebrant of Marriages in Hong Kong.
