On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military declared a state of emergency in the country and took control of the government, arresting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other senior government officials from the National League for Democracy. The seizure of power, and the government’s subsequent actions to suppress public protest and dissent, have received widespread international condemnation.  The USA, Canada, and the UK have reacted by imposing economic sanctions on certain companies and individuals, and more sanctions are expected as the situation in Myanmar evolves. These sanctions pose a major concern for foreign investors with interests in Myanmar—concern which is exacerbated by the lack of clarity about the current situation on the ground. To address these issues, Lex Mundi is bringing together leading legal authorities on the topic from Myanmar, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom for a special webinar on March 23, 2021. The speakers, which include Tilleke & Gibbins counsel Ross Taylor, will discuss the situation on the ground in Myanmar; how the sanctions imposed this time differ from previous restrictions on Myanmar under earlier regimes; the impact of the sanctions imposed by each country; and the practical impact of sanctions on companies with operations in or relating to Myanmar. The session will be followed by a Q&A with all speakers, where attendees will be able to address any specific queries they might have. For more details and to register for this free webinar, please visit the event information page.

On February 4, 2021, partner Linh Thi Mai Nguyen, the head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Vietnam trademark group, joined a panel of experts at a “Flash Briefing” webinar organized by the International Trademark Association (INTA) to discuss the proposed amendments to Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Law. Linh, a member of INTA’s Trademark Office Practices Committee, spoke primarily about the changes to Vietnam’s trademark office practice under the amended IP Law, which is currently in draft form and is expected to be issued later this year. This was the first Flash Briefing ever staged by INTA. The format is designed to provide quick online updates on timely issues for brand owners around the world.

Doing business in the emerging markets of Southeast Asia can often be frustrated by seemingly loose protections afforded to intellectual property (IP) rights, and the proliferation of counterfeit goods. In response to this, the governments of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar have taken great steps in recent years to protect these valuable commercial assets, strengthen IP laws, and build robust legal regimes for the registration, protection, and enforcement of IP rights. Although these legal frameworks are still developing, the current measures available are sufficient for many savvy companies to register and protect their IP rights and prevent the spread of harmful counterfeit products. To help companies navigate these measures, Tilleke & Gibbins’ IP team, in collaboration with the Australian Chambers of Commerce in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, will be hosting a webinar entitled, “Intellectual Property in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar” on Tuesday, February 02, starting at 10:00 a.m. (ICT) / 9:30 a.m. (MMT). This webinar will form part of a broader Legal Webinar Series on key legal topics for businesses that will take place throughout 2021. Chandavya Ing andDavid Mol, Advisors in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Cambodia office; Dino Santaniello, Head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Laos Office; and Yuwadee Thean–ngarm, Director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Myanmar office, will present an overview of the IP laws of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, identify the measures available to companies seeking to protect their trademarks and other IP assets, and discuss some real-world case studies of successful IP enforcement in the region. The session will also include a Q&A session, where attendees will be able to put their questions to Tilleke & Gibbins’ IP teams in Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Yangon. To register for this free-to-attend event, please complete this registration form. Should you have any queries, please email [email protected].

Thai Trade & Industry Media (TTiM) and the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers Association have partnered up to host a conference, organized by the Business & Manufacturing Media Network (BMN), on Thailand’s pharmaceutical market. The conference will run from August 30-31, 2012, at the Plaza Athenee Hotel in Bangkok.