On September 22, lawyers from Tilleke & Gibbins were featured in the Asian Legal Business Summit 2021, organized by Thomson Reuters. The summit set out to address emerging risks and compliance challenges, regulatory updates, the latest skills and practices needed to succeed in the legal industry, the evolving roles of in-house counsel, and other important issues. In the first part of the session, titled “Competition Law: Practical Guidance for the Prevention of Anti-competitive Conduct,” Kobkit Thienpreecha, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial group, provided a brief history of competition law in Thailand, provided an enforcement overview, and clarified roles and responsibilities of competition authorities. Nutavit Sirikan, an associate in the same department, then shared relevant case studies, analyzed trends and regulator priorities, and provided recommendations for general counsel and business executives. A full video recording of the session is available below.

On August 31, Tilleke & Gibbins lawyers from across the region teamed up with the Australian Chambers of Commerce in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar to offer a session on the legal environment for e-commerce in each jurisdiction. The speakers included Aye Thuzar Hlaing, associate in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Myanmar office; Chandavya Ing, associate in the firm’s Phnom Penh office; Dino Santaniello, head of Tilleke & Gibbins in Laos; Jay Cohen, partner and director of the Phnom Penh office; and Yuwadee Thean-ngarm, director of the firm’s Myanmar office. Together they provided an overview of the regulatory framework for e-commerce businesses, discussed licensing requirements that may be applicable in each jurisdiction, explained disclosure requirements, addressed the principles of online contracts, and covered sanctions for unlawful activity in each country. A full video recording of the webinar can be viewed below.

On August 26, Tilleke & Gibbins collaborated with CCPIT Patent and Trademark Law Office and the International Trademark Association (INTA) to offer a webinar titled “Trademark Registration and Protection in China – Pitfalls and Solutions” to equip companies across the region with the knowledge needed to effectively enforce and protect their trademarks in China. Darani Vachanavuttivong, co-managing partner of Tilleke & Gibbins and managing director of the firm’s intellectual property group, provided welcoming remarks on behalf of INTA, during which she addressed key objectives of the session and briefly introduced the role of INTA. Then, Somboon Earterasarun, partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property group, presented an overview of trademark prosecution and filings in China, analyzed common issues that brand owners frequently encounter, and shared a video presentation by CCPIT. In the video, which was presented in English with Thai subtitles, four CCPIT professionals jointly analyzed the subclass system, defined the China National Intellectual Property Administration’s criteria for determination of similar marks, outlined strategies for overcoming refusals in China, discussed common pitfalls in trademark registration, and explained trademark enforcement measures available in China. A video recording of the webinar is available below.

On August 25, 2021, Tu Ngoc Trinh, a senior associate in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Hanoi office and a key member of the firm’s franchising practice, spoke about legal issues related to the franchising model at a webinar called Franchising 101: The Ultimate Guide to How to Buy and Sell Franchises in Asia. Organized by VF Franchise Consulting and targeting new entrants to the franchising space, the webinar covered three general areas: (1) buying a franchise, (2) turning a business into a franchise, and (3) the legal framework for franchising. Tu handled the third segment and advised online attendees on the differing perspectives of franchisors and franchisees; legal issues to be aware of in franchising activities; and the do’s and don’ts of franchising from a legal perspective, offering practical examples from Vietnam and other Asian countries. The webinar is available to view online, free of charge, below.