News Kilpatrick Townsend Expands Asian Presence with Strategic Move into Beijing
Firm Establishes Trademark Agency to Serve Growing Client Needs
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP announced today that it has opened an office in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. Kilpatrick Townsend’s Beijing office will operate as a trademark agency and will primarily support the strategic client needs of U.S. and European-based brands in the China market. The office will also enable the firm to more closely collaborate with China counsel in the region.
The office is located in the Chaoyang District of Beijing.
Christopher Woods, a co-leader of Kilpatrick Townsend’s Asia Practice Team and head of the China Brands Practice, will serve as the Beijing Office Managing Partner. Shuang Yu, Associate, and Qunfan Chen, Trademark Agent, will also serve as senior members of the office. Other senior members of the China Brands Practice, such as Sindy Ding-Voorhees, Wendy Cheng, and Gwen Kui, will play an active role in the expansion and support of the Beijing office.
“We listen to our clients and our clients are telling us it is important to be on the ground in Beijing. With offices in Shanghai, Tokyo, and now Beijing, we are well positioned to provide solutions for clients on critical branding issues in the Asian market. Our presence in these three key Asian markets also helps us continue to build strong relationships with local counsel in the region,” said Henry Walker, Kilpatrick Townsend Chair.
“Kilpatrick Townsend has long represented the interests of clients who are U.S. brand owners in China. While U.S. brand owners continue to expand their reach into the vibrant China market, it is clear that China brand owners are now emerging as a force on the world stage, especially in the U.S. Developing relationships with China brand owners is an excellent opportunity to continue growing the China Brands Practice. With the Beijing office, we are not only enhancing service to our clients but also building our presence in China which is key to successfully developing these relationships,” said Christopher Woods.
Kilpatrick Townsend’s internationally recognized Intellectual Property Department was recently named the 2019 U.S. News Best Lawyers-Best Law Firm’s IP Litigation Firm of Year. The firm is also ranked among the top-three in the world for trademark law thought leaders by Who’s Who Legal.
Mr. Woods has over 30 years of experience representing and counseling U.S. and European clients who have business interests or commercial disputes relating to intellectual property in China and the surrounding area, and in acting for Asia-based clients with interests and disputes in the U.S. and Europe. He lived and worked in Hong Kong for many years as a locally-admitted IP attorney. Mr. Woods represented many of the world’s top technology companies in defense of their patents and trade secrets, and several of the world’s top 10 brand owners in dispute resolution matters throughout the region.
Mr. Woods has been recognized repeatedly as one of the top 20 trademark lawyers in the U.S. by World Trademark Review which also noted that “Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton is a premier trademark group in the United States with an incredible bench including experienced professionals with deep knowledge of all relevant substantive areas.” He has been recognized several times by: AsiaLaw as a Leading Lawyer in Asia; by the Euromoney Guide to the World’s Leading Trademark Practitioners, by The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers; by the International Who’s Who of Trademark Lawyers; and by the LegalMedia Group China Guide. Mr. Woods has been named an “IP Star” in 2018 and the five years immediately preceding by Managing Intellectual Property magazine.
