ZY Partners

ZY Partners is a boutique law firm with over 16 years’ expertise in various specialised areas, including intellectual property, employment, antitrust, commercial litigation and foreign direct investment. The core members of our firm have excellent credentials and are recognised for delivering top-quality service to our clients. The firm now has a team of more than 35 experienced lawyers representing corporate clients in cross-border transactional and contentious matters.

Distinguished capabilities in IP and regulatory matters

IP litigation/prosecution
ZY Partners has a prominent IP litigation practice established through our lawyers' remarkable track record over the past decade. We have secured our clients’ trust by successfully protecting and enhancing the value of their IP rights in many cities in China. The legal professionals at ZY Partners litigate rigorously to protect clients’ interests in some very complicated situations. Quite a few of the cases that we have handled have been published as guiding precedents in the Supreme Court Case Gazettes.

We have over 10 years’ experience in conducting IP trials and appellate work in the areas of patents, copyright, trademarks and trade secrets. We consistently provide workable solutions and outside-the-box ideas and strategies. We perceive ourselves to be reliable partners to our clients in solving the problems that they deal with in China.

The industries in which we have vast legal and practical experience include pharmaceuticals, publishing, chemicals, telecommunications, electronics, internet, automobile, fashion, oil, food and beverage, audio and video codecs and cosmetics.

ZY Partners also manages trademark, patent and copyright portfolios for clients. We have frequently represented our clients in trademark oppositions, appeals and patent validity disputes at the Trademark Office, the Trademark Review and Appeals Board and the Patent Re-examination Board, as well as related judicial reviews.

We have rich experience in anticounterfeiting enforcement through criminal prosecution, administrative actions and civil actions. For many years our attorneys have advised world-famous brands and leading content companies in dealing with complex counterfeiting and piracy problems.

Licensing
Our attorneys are frequently asked to advise on cross-border licensing in the areas of telecommunications and electronics. We have expertise in advising clients on how to resolve all technical and commercial complexities in the Chinese business context. In addition, our attorneys have unique opportunities to participate in Chinese standardisation processes in relation to printer cartridges and video codecs, and to advise on standards-related IP policies.

Regulatory and antitrust
ZY Partners’ team includes experienced lawyers in the areas of employment and antitrust in the IT and pharmaceutical sectors. In particular, one senior attorney who used to hold a senior post at the Ministry of Labour advises on employment issues and represents clients in labour disputes. Our attorneys frequently work with multinational companies and law firms in the United States and Europe on antitrust filings with the Ministry of Commerce. We advise on antitrust issues in connection with patent pool, data privacy and distribution agreements and other licensing arrangements.

Lobbying
Our attorneys are active in the legislative consulting and lobbying process, and our partners were directly involved in drafting and amending China’s IP laws and regulations. In addition, several of our attorneys are adjunct professors and lecturers at prestigious law schools in China.

Team

Most of the lawyers at ZY Partners have graduated from the top law schools in China. Many of them have degrees in science and engineering fields, such as computing technology, biotech, chemistry and physics. Most of our lawyers are fluent in English.

Our lawyers are licensed to practise law in China and have extensive experience in conducting domestic litigation. The core team of the firm comprises senior lawyers with years of experience in the judiciary or government agencies, as well as lawyers who have worked in international firms or have served foreign clients.

We fully recognise the challenges and expectations raised when our clients face difficult situations in China. The partners are directly accountable for and handle matters in person, with full support from other team members.