明基友达集团中国区法务总监王黎明女士在接受本刊记者专访时透露，随着政府对知识产权保护执法力度加大，知识产权侵权现象在过去三年中有一定改善。但是，自去年下半年以来专利和商标侵权行为在一些地区又有死灰复燃的迹象，深圳地区尤其明显。王女士领导的集团法务部在今年上半年已处理了有关商标侵权的6起诉讼案件以及6起打击仿冒产品的活动。在未来几个月，将会有更多案件需要处理。

王女士表示： “对于知名品牌公司而言，打击侵权行为和假冒产品，维护公司品牌建设、管理和保护至关重要。虽然完全杜绝侵权现象充满巨大挑战，但我们仍会努力不懈通过各种法律途径保护公司知识产权。”

As a leading technology-based conglomerate, BenQ & AUO is an inventor and owner of many intellectual property rights (IPR). Its legal department in China, unsurprisingly, has built up solid expertise in IP to safeguard the group's most valuable and intangible assets over the years. However, in the face of a rising number of IPR infringements in Southern China over the past 12 months, the team has to maintain an extremely high level of vigilance and pro-activeness.

"The government has made significant efforts to enhance IP protection and address the enforcement issues. The situation has indeed improved over the past three years. However, it's worsened again this year. The number and frequency of infringements of our brands are rising, particularly in Shenzhen," said the group's China general counsel Louis Wang. "It's a tough and long-lasting task, but we will push forward in our fight against counterfeiters."

Wang said that IPR protection is a critical skillset the team must have to protect its client in the country's challenging and fast-evolving landscape of IPR enforcement. Last year, her team successfully dealt with three major patent infringement cases, either through administrative or judicial actions. In all three cases, the company achieved favourable outcomes and damages awards were made.

The legal team also puts considerable effort into anti-counterfeiting and trademark enforcement. In the first six months of this year, it already initiated six trademark infringement lawsuits and six anti-counterfeiting actions.

Wang sees enforcement action as an effective way not only to protect IPR but also to help realise the commercial potential of rights protection through licensing. ALB

To read the full profile of BenQ & AUO Group's China general counsel Louis Wang and her legal team, pleae click here.

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