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 12, Jay Cohen, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ office in Phnom Penh, spoke on recent legal developments in Cambodia in a webinar hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce. Titled “Cambodia’s Investment Law 2021,” the webinar focused on the country’s new draft Investment Law, which was unveiled in July 2021. The law encourages greater investment in Cambodia by aiming to increase the competitiveness and productivity of local industry, offering investment incentives, protecting investors’ rights and interests, and improving Cambodia’s ability to plug into regional and global supply chains. During the session, Jay and the other panelists discussed: The development of investment legislation in Cambodia; The anticipated impact of the Cambodian’s draft Investment Law; and Implications of the draft law for investors and the larger business community in Cambodia. The video is available below.

On May 27, Tilleke & Gibbins hosted a webinar titled “Madrid Protocol – Issues and Challenges in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam,” to provide global brand owners an overview of the key requirements and challenges of using the Madrid Protocol system for trademark applications in Southeast Asia. During the session, members of the firm’s regional intellectual property practice—Linh Thi Mai Nguyen, Michelle Ray-Jones, Rina Sinaga, Sokmean Chea, and Somboon Earterasarun—discussed local complexities that affect applications through the international trademark system, including: substantive examination procedures in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam; common Madrid Protocol application issues in each respective jurisdiction; and core differences between national and international trademark protection around Southeast Asia. As global brand owners confront a high rate of trademark application refusals in Southeast Asia, the speakers also offered practical techniques that Madrid applicants can implement to minimize this risk in their international applications. The webinar is now available to watch online, free of charge, below.