Allen & Overy Opens In Saudi Arabia

April 11, 2024
Allen & Overy (A&O) further expands its Middle East presence by launching its own office in Riyadh. The firm has received its license to operate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has opened its own office in the Kingdom, ahead of its merger with Shearman & Sterling to become A&O Shearman, which is on track for May 1. A&O’s physical presence in Riyadh will strengthen and expand existing relationships with leading Saudi Arabian clients, as well as support international clients looking to invest in the region, by linking the firm’s client base – and A&O Shearman’s future combined clients – and quality brand with a presence on the ground. A&O’s team on the ground includes partners Hosam Ibn Ghaith and Haris Meyer Hanif, both of whom have experience working on some of the largest, most complex and unique transactions in the region for a variety of high-profile clients. Following the completion of A&O’s merger with Shearman, they will be joined by Shearman’s strong team in Riyadh, led by Dr. Sultan Almasoud, who has headed the firm’s presence in the Kingdom for nearly a decade, and includes partner Mohsin Suleman. “We are thrilled to announce the opening of our office in Riyadh, as we look forward to supporting the Kingdom further on its ambitious diversification programme as part of Vision 2030. A&O has had a strong presence in the Middle East since 1978 and, as A&O Shearman, we look forward to continuing to combine the best of global and local to offer our domestic and international clients a full-service offering, bringing a breadth and depth of resource that we...

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas Establishes Presence In Abu Dhabi Global Market

April 11, 2024
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) announced on March 20, 2024 the establishment of its presence in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “Our establishment of presence in the UAE is a part of the Firm’s larger strategic view of global practice and the UAE as a thriving hub for global business. It also shows our commitment to the region and its prospects for collaboration. The UAE, and Abu Dhabi specifically, is a key focus for us with immense potential and growth opportunities, particularly in view of the increasing co-operation between India and the UAE,” said Cyril Shroff, CAM Managing Partner. Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief of Market Development at ADGM, added, “We extend our congratulations to Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas on receiving their commercial licence, and welcome them into ADGM’s vibrant community. ADGM has consistently led in fostering a comprehensive ecosystem, boasting several prestigious law firms and consultancies from across the world within its international financial centre.” “As a leading law firm in India, CAM’s global reputation, expertise and commitment to excellence will contribute to ADGM’s ecosystem by further enhancing the depth and breadth of legal services available within the UAE and beyond,” Ramamurthy further said. ADGM is the international financial centre of the UAE’s capital city, Abu Dhabi. Located across Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island, it is one of the largest financial districts in the world with a diverse range of businesses, from sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, asset management, fintech, corporations and professional services firms. Establishment of a presence in ADGM will give further impetus to CAM’s international presence and will be a stepping-stone for...

Kinstellar Launches Sister Law Firm In Southeast Asia

April 10, 2024
Kinstellar has joined forces with Asia Counsel, which will continue to operate under the existing “Asia Counsel” brand, now in association with Kinstellar Southeast Asia. Asia Counsel is a prominent and highly regarded law firm based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s business capital. It has over 20 Vietnamese and foreign lawyers, including three partners. This strategic move marks a significant milestone and a launchpad for the Kinstellar group’s expansion plans in the emerging markets of Southeast Asia. Kinstellar’s new Vietnam and Southeast Asian platform will offer clients significant synergies with the existing Kinstellar full service firm operations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Turkey and Uzbekistan. “Bringing Asia Counsel into the Kinstellar family marks a significant milestone for our group and for its development plans for Southeast Asia. We are excited to have a firm of the quality of Asia Counsel in our group and about pursuing the next steps in Southeast Asia, commented Kinstellar Senior Partner Jason Mogg. Asia Counsel has built an excellent reputation over a decade of on-the-ground experience and excellence. It acts for multinational corporations, UK, US, European, Japanese, Chinese and other Asia-Pacific law firms, as well as global, regional and local investment funds, venture capital funds, private equity investors and financial institutions. It also serves an array of high-profile Vietnamese corporations with their full business lifecycle. “As we embark on this exciting new chapter, our commitment to delivering exceptional services and maintaining the highest standards remains unwavering. The shared values and goals of Asia Counsel and Kinstellar Southeast Asia undoubtedly will benefit both us and our existing and...

Withers And KARNA Partnership Form Association To Enhance Legal Services In Southeast Asia

April 10, 2024
  Withers has formed an association with KARNA Partnership, a dynamic and multi-service law firm based in Indonesia. The association strengthens both firms’ capacity to provide Indonesia and international legal advice to their clientele. As associated firms, Withers and KARNA Partnership will work closely to expand the range of cross-border advice available to their respective clients by sharing knowledge and expertise, collaborating on marketing efforts, making mutual referrals and developing joint training programmes. “Indonesia is the biggest economy in Southeast Asia, and represents a key market for us, and I am thrilled about our expanded presence in Indonesia. The synergy between Withers and KARNA Partnership stems from a shared vision to provide our clients with holistic legal strategies that are based not only on legal expertise but a deep understanding of the rapidly evolving business environment in Indonesia,” said Joel Shen, corporate partner and Head of Withers’ Indonesia practice. “We are excited to become a part of the Withersworldwide network, as it provides a platform for our clients to access experienced lawyers globally who will support their legal needs and international ambitions. At KARNA Partnership, we offer local value to global clients and aim to complement Withers’ international expertise, by leveraging our deep understanding of local markets and practice,” expressed Rizki Dwianda, Founder and Managing Partner of KARNA...

The Greater China IP Updates – March 2024

April 10, 2024
TIPO Announces Updates to the Trademark Classification for Goods and Services The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office has made adjustments to the designated goods and services names in trademark applications in response to the latest (12th) edition of the Nice Classification list.  A total of 422 items have been added and 56 items have been deleted.  An additional 15 modifications have been made to class/subclass names or annotations, as well as 25 corrections.  The aforementioned changes took effect on January 1, 2024.  The list of designated goods/services categories and names will be updated on the online trademark filing system as well.  The official timeline of website updates will be published on the website of the TIPO Information Management Office.   Applicants wishing to use the fast-track mechanism on the online trademark filing system after January 1, 2024, will be able to download the latest updates.  This will ensure consistency between the designated goods/services names stated in the application and the content in the electronic filing system, avoiding discrepancies that could jeopardize eligibility for the fast-track mechanism, as well as associated fee reductions. Taiwan’s TSMC Top Applicant for Patents for Eighth Year Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest contract chipmaker, applied for the most patents out of any Taiwanese entity last year for the 8th consecutive year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced in February.  TSMC filed 1,956 invention patent applications in 2023, which is the company’s most ever and 28% more than in 2022.  By being the largest patent applicant in Taiwan, it also drives the growth of upstream IC design and also downstream IC packaging and testing services.  The...