On August 16, Tilleke & Gibbins collaborated with Eiger in Taiwan to host a webinar on franchising law in Taiwan and Thailand. The webinar aimed to help international brand owners better understand the legal landscape of both jurisdictions. The Thailand section was presented by Alan Adcock, partner, and Sher Hann Chua, consultant, both from the firm’s intellectual property group in Bangkok, while Eiger provded the perspective from Taiwan. hey provided a comprehensive summary of the following key considerations: Legislative framework for franchises in Taiwan Legislative framework for franchises in Thailand Comparison of key regulations – similarities and differences Enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in franchise agreements, including case studies Five common pitfalls facing franchises Two webinar sessions were conducted to accommodate companies in different parts of the world. A full recording of the webinar is available below.

Suebsiri Taweepon, a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property group, and Nopparat Lalitkomon, a senior associate in the firm’s corporate and commercial group, were recently invited to be guest contributors for True Digital Park’s (TDPK) Thailand GameChanger—a weekly podcast that explores the startup ecosystem in Thailand and across Southeast Asia. During the session, Suebsiri and Nopparat shed light on a number of common legal pitfalls for Thai startups, including discussions on: the importance of getting internal and external legal documents right from the start; non-disclosure agreements and whether or not they’re enforceable; what needs to change for more startups to incorporate in Thailand; and regulations around cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens, and asset fractionalization. A recording of the video podcast is available 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.