You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

May 24, 2021

Tilleke & Gibbins Lawyers Interviewed on Blockchain Technology

Subscribe to Updates
Asia IP

Two associates from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Hanoi office shared their thoughts on the impact of blockchain technology on intellectual property in an in-depth article published by Asia IP magazine.

Attorney Anh Hoai Nguyen explained that blockchain opened up new opportunities for individuals and SMES, encouraging them to “participate in the niche of IP rights protection, which has so far been dominated mostly by industrial giants with sufficient resources to follow the complicated and lengthy procedures of IP registration, management and enforcement. Blockchain technology could greatly simplify such procedures and make them more straightforward, allowing almost anyone on the Internet to claim ownership of their IP rights.”

Consultant Duc Anh Tran added that despite its promise, blockchain also introduces some challenges. “For example, blockchain can only provide proof of existence/creation or first use of a work, without being able to guarantee the trustworthiness of it. The only thing it can guarantee is that such work has not been tampered with. Therefore, blockchain cannot give definitive evidence that the person who registers the work on the chain is in fact the original creator of the work. In fact, nothing can prevent a malicious participant from adding a pirated version of the work to the blockchain, as there is no requirement for such participant to attach any kind of evidence of ownership together with the work.”

Concluding the article, Hoai Anh expressed optimism for the future of blockchain in IP: “Especially in this new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many cases where blockchain could help provide solutions to urgent global needs. For example, in the healthcare sector, blockchain could aid in the improvement of supply chain management, the collection, aggregation and access to research data, or clinical credentialing management. There is no doubt that the practical application and legal implications of blockchain still have to be thoroughly assessed, given the many challenges. However, if states, and especially regulators and legislators, are determined to create an ecosystem conducive to the widespread adoption and development of blockchain, the above-mentioned issues have many chances to be addressed.”

Asia IP, published by the Apex Asia Media Group, is a leading source for analysis of the IP issues facing companies in Asia, and a source of market intelligence for IP owners in the region. The full article can be read at the Asia IP website (free registration required).

RELATED PROFESSIONALS

Industries

Technology

Practices

Intellectual Property

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

May 21, 2021
Dr. Ross Taylor, head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional financial services industry group and counsel in the firm’s corporate and commercial team in Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, provided the basis for a recent article by OneTrust DataGuidance on certain legislative changes in Myanmar since the military’s seizure of power in the country on February 1, 2021. Specifically, Ross described changes to the country’s laws governing privacy and security, as well as legislation on electronic transactions. The Supreme Administrative Council, the highest executive authority in Myanmar’s military government, made amendments that allow the government to conduct surveillance and investigations in a range of situations, while also eliminating certain safeguards of individual privacy and widening the state’s ability to obtain personal data from private operators. A versatile foreign consultant who provides legal guidance across multiple jurisdictions in Southeast Asia, Ross has extensive experience in Myanmar advising local and international companies on banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, energy and infrastructure projects, real estate, regulatory compliance, and other corporate legal matters. For more details, please see the full article on the OneTrust DataGuidance website.
Read More
May 21, 2021
On May 20, Tilleke & Gibbins collaborated with Clyde & Co to offer a webinar entitled “Data Protection Updates and Data Breach Lessons in Asia Pacific.” During the session, partner Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh shared an overview of Thailand’s upcoming Personal Data Protection Act and related data breach requirements. She also detailed the responsibilities of data controllers, key compliance requirements for handling personal data, and cross-border transfer restrictions according to Thai legislation. Following this Thailand-themed presentation, Giang Thi Huong Tran, a consultant in the firm’s corporate and commercial team in Hanoi, gave the latest updates on pending personal data protection legislation in Vietnam. In her part of the webinar, she outlined key issues of Vietnam’s draft decree, pointed out notable changes and concerns regarding the upcoming regulations, and provided practical guidelines for adapting to the expected changes.
Read More
May 14, 2021
On May 13, Charuwan Charoonchitsathian and Nopparat Lalitkomon, attorneys in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office, presented a webinar entitled “How e-signatures can streamline Thai business operations,” in collaboration with True Digital Park—one of Southeast Asia’ largest tech hubs. During the hour-long online session, Charuwan and Nopparat discussed the increased acceptance and use of e-signatures in Thailand over the past few years, provided an overview of the local regulatory framework applicable to e-signatures that business operators must comply with, and explored how companies in Thailand can use e-signatures to streamline interactions with their customers, suppliers, and other contractual counterparties. A recording of the webinar, which was presented in Thai, is available on Tilleke & Gibbins’ YouTube channel.
Read More