On 4 December2024, The Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs, specifically the sub-forum on Corporate Development and Legal Service Innovation, took place in Hainan, China. During the event, Xinhua News, in partnership with the Research Centre for Lawyer Studies at China University of Political Science and Law, revealed the winners of the "2024 Legal Services Going Global Practice Case Collection", an initiative that reached out to law firms across the board. Among the ten foreign-related intellectual property cases selected was the "Defending JACKERY Brand's Trademark Rights in Saudi Arabia", handled by Llinks partner Ms. Cherri Che.
This case showcased the tenacity and advocacy of Llinks team, who ultimately persuaded a Saudi court to invalidate a trademark registered by another party and secured an exemption from the regulation that prohibits the registration of identical or highly similar trademarks for three years. This victory allowed the client's "JACKERY" trademark to be successfully registered in Saudi Arabia, supporting the brand's global expansion efforts.
Given the vast differences in legal frameworks and judicial practices between Saudi Arabia and China, the ability to challenge a trademark's validity in Saudi Arabia after more than five years is a rare opportunity, contingent upon proving that the registration was based on erroneous or fraudulent information. Llinks IP team delved into local laws, assembled evidence of the opposing party's bad-faith registration, and through comprehensive online investigations, uncovered the misuse of the client's ASIN on Amazon's Saudi platform, leading to the invalidation of the infringing trademark and the successful registration of the client's trademark. This case provides invaluable lessons and significant insights for Chinese companies venturing abroad.
As more Chinese enterprises extend their reach globally, the need for foreign-related legal services is on the rise. Chinese lawyers have been instrumental in various legal domains, ensuring cross-border economic cooperation and resolving international commercial disputes, thereby propelling the overseas growth of Chinese businesses. Looking to the future, Llinks, a leading Chinese law firm with a wealth of experience in providing extensive and in-depth intellectual property legal services to clients worldwide, will continue to capitalise on its global legal service network, leveraging its professional and brand strengths to consistently offer professional, comprehensive, high-quality, and efficient foreign-related legal services to clients from home and abroad.
