Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions answered by an Intellectual Property Lawyer
Intellectual Property

Reading Time: 6 minutesAsia Law Network sits down with Jeremiah Chew, an intellectual property and technology lawyer based in Singapore, to get his views on the top questions frequently asked about Intellectual Property. Jeremiah specializes in intellectual property, technology and competition law. He regularly advises on IP registration, licensing and transactions involving the sale and acquisition of IP […]

What do you need to know about the new Geographical Indications (GI) Registry?
Business,Intellectual Property,Trade Marks

Reading Time: 3 minutesOn 1 April 2019, Singapore’s Geographical Indications Rules 2019 will come into operation. The Rules, implementing the Geographical Indications Act 2014, create a new Registry of Geographical Indications administered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) to enable producers of wines and spirits and of selected categories of agricultural products and foodstuffs, as well […]

A Guide to protect your IP in Singapore (A Patent is not always the answer!)
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property

Reading Time: 8 minutesIntellectual property (IP) can be an extremely valuable asset to your business – in fact, for some, it is the main asset driving their businesses. This is because owners of IP can exercise their rights to exclude competitors from using their IP or to exploit their IP commercially. While many businesses might be familiar with […]

Singapore Trade Marks – Intercontinental Exchange Holdings Loses Registration Of “BRENT” and “BRENT INDEX” Trade Marks After Successful Invalidation By Chicago Mercantile Exchange – Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. v Intercontinental Exchange Holdings, Inc. [2018] SGIPOS 20
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property

Reading Time: 10 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”), it was held that the “BRENT” and “BRENT INDEX” trade marks registered by Intercontinental Exchange Holdings, Inc. is to be declared invalid as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. successfully pleads all grounds of invalidity in their application. (A) Who are the parties involved in […]

Intellectual Property Commentary: The Lost Beat
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property,Legal Everyday

Reading Time: 3 minutesBeats Electronics, LLC lost its opposition in Singapore against the registration of LG’s mark for “QuadBeat” applied for in Class 9 for various goods, including “Audio Receivers; Headphones; Earphones; Headphones with microphone function; Headsets”. In the opposition, Beats Electronics, LLC relied on nine of its registered trademarks, including the word “BEATS” for a range of […]

Singapore Trade Marks – Monster Energy Company Failed Yet Another Opposition – Monster Energy Company V NBA Properties Inc. [2018] SGIPOS 16
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property

Reading Time: 8 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”), it was held that Monster Energy Company had failed in its opposition against NBA Properties Inc. Whilst the energy drink company has spent more than US$2.2 million in marking and promotional activities in Singapore, it has also launched multiple strikes against various different […]

Singapore Trade Marks – United U-Li Projects Pte Ltd Succeeds on 2 out of 4 Invalidation Grounds – United U-Li Projects Pte Ltd V Tan Buck Hai [2018] SGIPOS 19
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property

Reading Time: 10 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”), it was held that United U-Li Projects Pte Ltd’s application for invalidation succeeded on two out of four grounds pleaded in their case whilst cross-invalidation by Tan Buck Hai was previously dismissed. (A) Who are the parties involved in this case? (a) United […]

An Intellectual Property Law perspective on Open Source Software Licences
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property

Reading Time: 4 minutesIntroduction Open source software generally describes software with publicly available source codes, which third parties can access, modify and re-distribute. In comparison, the source codes of closed source software are not disclosed to the public or disclosed only in limited circumstances, and on strict obligations of confidentiality. By being freely available and constantly tested by […]

Commentary: Trade Marks in Singapore [Samsonite IP Holdings Sarl v An Sheng Trading Pte Ltd [2017] SGHC 18 ]
Business,Business Advice,Intellectual Property,Legal Updates

Reading Time: 5 minutesMost trade mark owners get frustrated when, legally, it is not possible to stop a parallel importer from importing and selling genuine goods in Singapore. Parallel importers are protected by the defence of exhaustion of rights under section 29(1) of the Trade Marks Act (“TMA”). Earlier this year, a case dealing with this very issue […]

Singapore Trade Marks – USA Pro IP Limited’s Applications for Invalidation and Revocation of Monfort Services’ Were Successfully Made Out – Monfort Services SDN.BHD.V.USA Pro IP Limited [2018] SGIPOS 3
Business,Intellectual Property,Legal Updates

Reading Time: 8 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”), it has held that USA PRO IP Limited’s applications for invalidation and revocation succeeded on the ground of bad faith and non-use respectively. (A) Who are the parties involved in this case? USA Pro IP Limited (“Applicants”) The Applicants deposed that they are […]

Singapore Trade Marks – Settling Differences? US Tech Giant Apple Inc Fails to Prevent Swiss Watchmaker Swatch AG from Trade Mark Registration – APPLE INC. V SWATCH AG (SWATCH SA) (SWATCH LTD) [2018] SGIPOS 15
Business,Intellectual Property,Legal Updates

Reading Time: 10 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), IPOS has thought different from Apple Inc as it allowed Swatch AG to proceed with their “Tick different” registration. (A) Who are the parties involved in this case? (a) Apple Inc. (“Opponent”, also referred to as Apple) Apple is a Californian technology company founded in 1976. […]

Singapore Trade Marks-Starbucks Corporation v Morinaga Nyugyo Kabushiki Kaisha 2017 SGIPOS 18
Business,Intellectual Property,Legal Updates,Regional Law

Reading Time: 13 minutesIn a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), IPOS held that Starbucks’ opposition against Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd’s trade mark application failed on all grounds. (A) Who are the parties involved in this case? (1) Morinaga Nyugyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.) (Applicant)  Japanese manufacturer of dairy products […]