Patsy Lau

Hong Kong

Deacons
5th Floor, Alexandra House
18 Chater Road
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2825 9500

Email: patsy.lau@deacons.com
Web: www.deacons.com

Professional Biography

Patsy is a Partner in the HK and International Trade Marks Practice.  She is qualified in Hong Kong and California and holds a JD and a BA from the University of San Francisco and a Diploma in IP Litigation from the Nottingham Law School.

Patsy specialises in the protection of large multinational and regional trade mark portfolios.  She has extensive experience in conducting trade mark audits and in advising on portfolio structure and brand management and filing strategy.  Patsy’s practice also concentrates on complex trade mark disputes and negotiations, opposition, invalidation and rectification matters including trade mark appeals before the High Court.

Patsy also advises on all forms of commercial transactions affecting trade marks from simple assignments to complex multinational licensing arrangements and conducting due diligence.

Patsy is active on many committees and was the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Trade Mark Practitioners from 2009 to 2011.  She has been a Committee Member of the International Trademark Association since 2004 and of the European Communities Trade Mark Association since 2013.  Patsy presently serves on the Programming Advisory Council of the International Trademark Association having previously served on the Asia-Pacific Global Advisory Council.

Patsy was a course leader and lecturer teaching intellectual property law at the University of Hong Kong SPACE and is a regular speaker on trade mark issues at IP events and conferences.

Patsy is the recipient of many awards and accolades including recognition by Chambers Asia Pacific as a Leading Individual in IP in China (2021), by Legal 500 as a Leading Individual in Hong Kong (2021), by World Trademark Review 1000 a Gold Tier Individual in Prosecution and Strategy in Hong Kong (2020-2021) and by Managing IP as a Trade Mark Star in Hong Kong (2016-2021).

Education
  • Dipl. in Intellectual Property Litigation, Nottingham Law School, UK
  • Prog. on Negotiations, Harvard Law School, USA
  • JD, University of San Francisco, USA
  • BA, University of San Francisco, USA

Representative Experience

  • Advising on brand strategy and managing the worldwide portfolio of the world’s largest jewellery retailer.
  • Acting on behalf of a British banking and insurance company on managing its Asian trade mark portfolio consisting of more than 1,000 cases, including handling trade mark clearance, registrations and oppositions.
  • Acting for a French multinational oil and gas company in a trade mark opposition and complex negotiations with a Chinese governmental body.
  • Advising an international safety and certification organization on the drafting of its certification regulations and securing certification mark protection.
  • Advising on branding and the protection of non-traditional trade marks for one of the oldest Japanese brewing companies.
  • Advising local fish supply company on the exploitation of its trade marks through global licensing and distribution networks.
  • Acting for a global media and entertainment leader in policing and safeguarding its trade marks against squatters.
  • Advising a China e-payment specialist on the creation and strategic protection of its trade marks, copyright and domain names.
  • Advising American and European companies on creation and protection of Chinese character marks in the Greater China region.
  • Strategizing the brand protection of a portfolio of diverse consumer goods in Asia for a multinational conglomerate based in Hong Kong.

The IP Law Practice

Our lawyers’ deep knowledge of the local market helps our clients to protect and develop their IP assets in this crucial region. You don’t need to be told that safeguarding and exploiting your IP assets can be crucial to maintaining a competitive edge.

At Deacons, our IP lawyers understand what is at stake and have the experience to help you to get the most from your IP assets.

We work with a vast majority of the world’s largest brands in the electronics, telecoms, pharmaceuticals, fashion, luxury goods, media and entertainment, internet, software and computer hardware industries – represented almost all of the 100 Best Global Brands as identified by Interbrand PLC – so you can be confident that in trusting Deacons you are in excellent company.

Our experienced team of IP lawyers, many with technical and scientific backgrounds, offers a seamless service from our offices in Hong Kong and Mainland China, covering all areas of contentious and non-contentious IP work across Hong Kong, Mainland China and internationally.

About Deacons

Deacons is Hong Kong’s premier independent firm. We provide an extensive range of legal and commercial services to local and international corporations. With 170 years of experience in providing legal services, our clients are assured of the integrity and stability of one of the region’s longest-established and most respected law firms.

Beyond the firm’s headquarters in Hong Kong, Deacons has established three representative offices in Mainland China, ensuring we are conveniently located to provide market-sensitive legal advice.

Our principal service areas include: Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, China Trade & Investment, Competition, Construction, Corporate and M&A, Corporate Services, Data Protection & Privacy, Employment & Pensions, Family Law, Insolvency & Restructuring, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Investment Funds, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Private Clients, Real Estate, Regulatory and Tax.