Major developments of Grandall's IP practice group
* First established in 2006, with the acquisition of an IP team from Beijing Youshilian, led by partner Ma Dongxiao;
* Launched its own IP agency in Beijing named Grandall Reals in 2009;
* Acquired the entire team from Beijing Xinzheng Zhitong IP agency in March 2010;
* In June 2010, absorbed the entire team of Beijing Junwood Partners - a foreign-business oriented boutique IP agency.
Following the acquisition of a six-lawyer IP team from Beijing Xinzheng Zhitong at the beginning of this year, Grandall's IP branch has grown again through recent absorption of the entire team at Beijing Junwood Partners – a foreign-business oriented boutique IP agency founded in 2008. The newly joined team consists of seven patent attorneys, and is headed by Junwood's founding partner Zhu Denghe.

Zhu, a qualified engineer and patent attorney, has practised successively in Liu, Shen & Associates, China Sinda, Unitalen Attorneys and Deqi IP Corporation. So far, Zhu and his teams have prepared, filed and prosecuted more than 4,500 Chinese inventions, utility model and design applications, with each case of his prosecution cases granted a scope of protection satisfactory to the very applicant. Meanwhile, Zhu has handled about two dozens of invalidation cases and administration-related cases with a 100% winning record. Rolex, Emerson, Baxter, Henke, Danne, Volvo, Sumitomo Wiring Systems and Samsung Electronics are among the clients which he has worked with in the past. In his new role at Grandall Reals, Zhu will be overseeing the agency's development of foreign-related business.

Since the establishment of its first IP practice group in 2006, Grandall's IP practice has grown significant, mostly via mergers & acquisitions. The firm's IP practice group was initially established in 2006 with the acquisition of a group of experienced IP lawyers from Beijing Youshilian, led by partner Ma Dongxiao. In 2009, it launched its own IP agency in Beijing named Grandall Reals, which mainly handles the filing, prosecution, licensing, franchising, administrative enforcement and judicial protection of patents, trademarks and copyrights. Earlier this year, it bolstered its IP capability by acquiring the entire team from Beijing Xinzheng Zhitong IP agency. Grandall's IP branch now has a total of 30 IP professionals.

"Grandall's IP practice group has been growing steadily since its establishment, both in terms of business and headcount. The main growth strategy for the IP group is through acquisitions of experienced, strong-performing IP practitioners and teams. We will continue to grow with this strategy," said Ma Dongxiao, lead partner of Grandall's IP practice group. ALB

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