China law firm Chang Tsi & Partners has been honored with two 2024 “Deals of the Year” awards by China Business Law Journal. Including MICHAEL KORS trademark infringement and unfair competition case handled by partner Michael Fu, and the administrative dispute reexamination case for the invalidation of “Yili” trademark handled by partner Nancy Qu and attorney Susie Pang.

In the selection of the wining deals, editors of China Business Law Journal chose the deals that stood out based on a number of factors: overall significance, complexity, innovative nature and deal size.

Brand protection strategies in the Michael Kors IP Case

The legal team led by partner Michael Fu, representing Michael Kors, filed a civil lawsuit with the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing. The lawsuit demanded that the three defendants immediately cease their infringing activities and compensate the plaintiff for economic losses and reasonable expenses, totalling RMB5 million. After the trial, the court upheld the plaintiff’s claims, which reaffirms the “zero-tolerance” approach adopted by Chinese courts towards intellectual property infringement.

The retrial of the administrative dispute over the invalidation of the “伊丽” trademarks

The respondent in the retrial, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, as a leading enterprise in the dairy industry, owns several high-value trademarks. The applicant for the retrial, a company in Hangzhou, has been registering multiple "Yili" trademarks since 2014. In 2020, Yili Company filed a request for declaration of invalidity, and after twists and turns, the case entered retrial.

Chang Tsi’s legal team led by partner Nancy Qu argued that the original judgment was no longer applicable and advocated for the protection of Yili Company's well-known trademark by applying principles such as change of circumstances, and they meticulously prepared a large amount of evidence of the use and recognition of the "Yili" trademark. They also pointed out the malicious registration and the damage to Yili Company caused by the disputed trademark by the Hangzhou company.

The expertise demonstrated by Michael Fu, Nancy Qu and their team indicates the firm’s professional strength, and highlights the stance of Chinese authorities in IP protection and provided guidance for brand owners seeking to defend their rights.