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Dao Minh Tan Tran

Patent Executive

Biography

Dao Minh Tan Tran is a patent executive in the firm’s Hanoi office and a licensed IP agent. With a background in information technology and software development, Dao is a member of the patent team’s electronics and mechanical division. He advises clients on Vietnam’s IP practice and regularly prepares and files patent applications, translates patent specifications, and conducts patent searches, primarily in the fields of mechanics, electronics, and IT.

Dao has completed a number of training courses offered by WIPO, the Japan Patent Office, the Singapore IPOS, and Vietnam’s IP Office on patent drafting, patent information search, PCT applications, and other IP matters. Before joining Tilleke & Gibbins, he was the vice manager of a local IP firm, handling patent prosecution as well as trademark matters.

Experience

  • Advised and assisted foreign clients to establish and protect their IP rights in Vietnam.
  • Managed over 300 patent applications and 100 trademark applications
  • Monitored over 200 patent annuity cases during their effective period for international firms.
  • Translated many patent specifications from English into Vietnamese in the fields of mechanical engineering, electronics, electrical engineering, IT, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and others.
  • Defended a local manufacturer’s trademark against opposition based on claims that opponent’s trademark is well-known.
ABOUT Dao Minh Tan

Industries

Technology

Location

Languages

    Vietnamese

    English

Education

    BEng (Information Technology), Hanoi University of Technology

Insights

August 21, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has adopted Harvey, a leading enterprise-grade AI platform for the global legal industry. The firm is proceeding with a rollout of Harvey’s legal AI solutions, which are supported by robust security and confidentiality protections, across the firm’s full-service regional practice in Southeast Asia. This initiative builds on the firm’s recent deployment of Microsoft Copilot and represents another advancement in Tilleke & Gibbins’ commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced legal service delivery. Under the program, legal professionals across the firm’s offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will have access to the full Harvey platform, equipping them to deliver practical, impactful, and results-driven legal services for clients throughout the region. The firm will also develop bespoke agentic workflows within Harvey tailored to the firm’s core practices and the unique requirements of Southeast Asian legal markets. Commenting on the initiative, Managing Partner Tiziana Sucharitkul stated, “At Tilleke & Gibbins, we have consistently invested in developing and adopting technology to improve the speed, precision, and overall excellence of our legal services. The firm’s decision to invest in Harvey exemplifies our commitment to innovation, further differentiating Tilleke & Gibbins within Southeast Asia’s legal landscape.” Managing Partner Darani Vachanavuttivong remarked, “By combining the deep regional expertise of our lawyers with Harvey’s market-leading domain-specific AI, we are empowering our regional team to streamline drafting, research, and review processes for complex legal matters, all while maintaining the high standards of quality and security our clients expect from us.” Harvey’s Chief Business Officer John Haddock added, “It’s clear Tilleke & Gibbins is investing heavily in innovation, and it’s clear their global clients will benefit significantly from their focus and investment. The Harvey team is thrilled to support the firm’s journey with our platform.”
March 17, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins has contributed the Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam chapters to Data Protection and Cybersecurity Regulation in Southeast Asia, a wide-ranging guide published by Drew Network Asia (DNA). The resource provides a comprehensive overview of data protection and cybersecurity laws across the region, offering practical insight into compliance requirements and regulatory developments affecting organizations that handle personal data or operate digital services in Southeast Asia. The guide begins with a regional overview, including the broader ASEAN context and cooperation initiatives. Jurisdiction-specific chapters follow a consistent structure—covering data privacy and governance obligations, security requirements and breach notification, outsourcing and cross-border data transfers, and broader accountability and compliance measures. This format allows readers to compare regulatory approaches across markets such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and others. In addition to the country chapters, the publication addresses cybersecurity and privacy engineering challenges, providing guidance for organizations and outlining obligations applicable to data controllers, processors, and intermediaries. A dedicated section on data breach management across ASEAN examines notification requirements, response considerations, and practical steps for managing incidents in a regional or global context. The guide is intended to serve as a practical reference, and the authors note that specific legal requirements may vary depending on sector, processing activity, or evolving legislation. Readers seeking more detailed advice can contact the practitioners listed in each chapter. The full guide is available for download using the button below or directly from the DNA website.
July 19, 2024
Tilleke & Gibbins has contributed the Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam chapters to How the Use of Artificial Intelligence Is Regulated in Southeast Asia, a comparative resource published by Drew Network Asia (DNA). The guide provides an accessible introduction to artificial intelligence (AI) and examines how ASEAN member states are approaching governance, regulation, and responsible deployment of AI technologies. The publication begins by outlining core AI concepts and summarizing the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, which reflects the region’s collective approach to promoting innovation while addressing risks. It then presents a comparative overview of nine ASEAN jurisdictions, highlighting emerging national strategies, regulatory developments, and institutional frameworks. Each country chapter responds to a consistent set of ten practical questions. These cover whether a national AI strategy has been issued; the extent to which dedicated AI laws or sectoral regulations apply; the existence of relevant judicial decisions; available guidelines and government support schemes; regulators responsible for AI oversight; approaches to liability, copyright, and data protection; and key considerations for organizations deploying AI technologies. By consolidating developments across the region, the guide serves as a useful reference for businesses exploring AI-related opportunities or compliance obligations in Southeast Asia. As regulatory approaches continue to evolve, readers seeking jurisdiction-specific advice are encouraged to contact the practitioners listed in each chapter. The full guide is available for download using the button below or directly from the DNA website.
December 11, 2023
On November 30, 2023, Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology issued Circular No. 23/2023/TT-BKHCN detailing the implementation of some articles of the 2022 Intellectual Property Law (“IP Law”) and Decree No. 65/2023/ND-CP with respect to the establishment and protection of industrial property rights (“Circular 23”). Circular 23 took immediate effect upon issuance and provides further guidance and necessary clarifications for the implementation of the IP Law, which took effect on January 1, 2023. Some of the most critical provisions of Circular 23 related to the establishment of IP rights are discussed below. Common Procedures Circular 23 enumerates and details the cases where an application will be re-examined, as stipulated in various articles of the IP Law. The circular also adds the procedure in which a protection title can be partially granted, as newly stipulated in Article 118 of the IP Law. The procedure applies to patent, industrial design, and trademark applications. Grounds for IP rights invalidation are further detailed in the new circular. On the patent side, it provides a list of situations where claims are deemed to go beyond the scope of the specification. For trademark registrations, it specifically defines two conditions in which “bad faith” grounds can be used to cancel a registration. The circular sets out the procedure for opposing an application, as stipulated in the new Article 112a of the IP Law. Unlike previous regulations, Circular 23 sets out that the IP Office will inform the applicant of all oppositions (whether or not the opposition is grounded), except for obvious cases where the IP Office will consider the registrability of an opposed mark without informing the applicant. To facilitate applicants and related parties, some timeframes have been extended from one to two months. This includes, for example, the time limit for the applicant and the

Awards & Rankings

May 14, 2026
Asian Legal Business (ALB) has published the ALB Asia IP Rankings 2026, the latest edition of its annual guide recognizing leading intellectual property firms across the region. Continuing the approach introduced last year, the rankings present a unified table in each jurisdiction, combining patent and trademark/copyright work to provide a more holistic view of the IP market. Tilleke & Gibbins has retained strong rankings in all three jurisdictions covered by the survey: Thailand: Tier 1 Vietnam: Tier 1 Indonesia: Tier 2 The rankings are based on work conducted between February 2025 and February 2026, covering both ongoing and completed contentious and noncontentious matters. ALB’s research draws on firm submissions, client feedback, editorial resources, and market input to identify the region’s leading IP practices. Tilleke & Gibbins’ IP team has maintained a strong track record across all ranked jurisdictions since the inception of the ALB IP Rankings in 2018. To view the full rankings, please see the May 2026 issue of ALB.
May 11, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in five practice areas at the Asia Business Law Journal (ABLJ) Vietnam Law Firm Awards 2026, reflecting the firm’s continued strength across a range of legal disciplines in Vietnam. The firm received honors in the following categories: Artificial Intelligence Data Compliance and Cyber Security IP Litigation Labor & Employment Technology, Media & Telecommunications The ABLJ Vietnam Law Firm Awards highlight leading law firms across key practice areas, with multiple firms typically recognized in each category. The 2026 edition marks the fourth year of the awards program. These recognitions underscore the work of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Vietnam-based teams, particularly in technology-driven and regulatory-focused areas of practice. For more details and the full list of winners, please visit the ABLJ website.
April 3, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has been shortlisted in two categories at the Financial Times (FT) Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards: Innovative Lawyers in Cyber and Data Privacy – “Digital Identity & Cryptocurrency Compliance” Innovative Practitioner – Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh The FT Innovative Lawyers APAC Awards recognize law firms and practitioners who are driving innovation in legal services and delivering innovative client solutions across the Asia-Pacific region. This recognition marks our third acknowledgment in the Innovative Lawyers category and, notably, our first-ever nomination in the Innovative Practitioner category at the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC awards. It reflects our team’s continued ability to support clients on groundbreaking, forward-looking projects across the region. The awards ceremony will take place on May 14, 2026, in Hong Kong. To learn more about the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards and to view the full list of shortlisted organizations, please visit the FT website.

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