高林睿阁律师事务所近日在上海设立办公室，成为该所继北京、广州后在华设立的第三家代表处。

高林睿阁是加拿大高林律师事务所和英国睿阁律师事务所共同创立的国际律师事务所，其在华业务以知识产权为主，在公司与房地产交易领域亦有涉足。高林睿阁上海办公室将专注于知识产权业务，所服务的客户涉及多个领域，包括科技、制造业、工程、航天、汽车、快消等。

高林睿阁还与位于重庆的涉外知识产权律所——重庆智鹰律师事务所达成独家推荐关系（exclusive referral relationship）。该合作关系和上海办公室的设立使高林睿阁具备直接处理专利申请的能力，并获得在中国法院的知识产权争议案件中代表委托人出庭的资格。此前，高林睿阁北京办公室已获得直接处理商标申请的许可。

在高林睿阁设立上海代表处之前，已有数家外资律所扩大了在中国的知识产权业务布局。今年二月，高盖茨律师事务所在北京设立了知识产权代理机构，具备直接处理商标申请及相关诉讼业务资格。

Gowling WLG expands presence in China with Shanghai launch

The Ottawa-headquartered global law firm Gowling WLG has launched its Shanghai office, becoming the firm’s third representative office in China following Beijing and Guangzhou.

Gowling WLG is created by Canadian law firm Growlings and UK-headquartered firm Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co. The Shanghai office will focus on intellectual property (IP), serving clients in a range of sectors including technology, manufacturing, engineering, aviation, automobile, and fast-moving consumer goods.

Gowling has also entered an exclusive referral relationship with the Chongqing-based Aquila Law Firm, which has expertise in foreign IP matters. The alliance and the launch of Shanghai office has equipped Gowling with direct patent filing capabilities and the right to appear in front of local courts for contentious IP matters. Prior to this, the firm’s Beijing office had already held a direct trademark filing license.

This is the latest foreign law firm that expanded presence in China and strengthened IP practice independence. In February, K&L Gates launched an IP agency in Beijing to file and prosecute trademark applications directly with China National Intellectual Property Administration.

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