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UK-based Wragge & Co established a representative office in Guangzhou in October 2008. Gordon Harris, an experienced mediator of IP disputes, heads up the practice. With local support from associate Xu Jian, its new office has been further bolstered by the addition of two lawyers – Edith Ruan from Puma and Le Rong from French firm Lefevre Pelletier & Associés. Long-standing clients continue to engage the firm in IP enforcement and registration strategy in China. For example, it successfully assisted Dyson in an administrative action in Shenzhen based on its design patent of an Air Multiplier fan. With the evidence obtained from the seizure, the team is acting for Dyson in pursuing damages against Shenzhen First Union in civil proceedings. In defending Grouphomesafe against former supplier Tianbao in March 2010, the team had an invention patent belonging to Tianbao declared invalid for lack of inventive step. Xu Jian is also helping Keltie on its patent filing strategy in China. Examples of non-contentious work highlight its advisory work in the management, auditing and exploitation of IP assets, such as securing favourable tax treatment of IP.

The mid-sized and respected team at Wragge & Co is a strong performer for contentious work. It welcomed former Howrey patent litigator and life sciences specialist Paul Inman to its London office last year. Partner Alexandra Brodie worked with a team of barristers that assisted multinational toy company Hasbro in its High Court victory in a trade mark case related to its Play-Doh brand, while partner Kate Swaine led the team that won the trade mark case brought by Kingspan against Rockwool over road shows and videos that compared the insulation products of the two brands. That case brought an innovative use of declarations of fact by the judge, Mr Justice Kitchin, as well as clarity on when comparative advertising is objectively performed. In another win for the litigation group, Gordon Harris helped Delta Airlines secure a favourable judgment in a patent infringement case brought on by Virgin Atlantic that involved the flat-bed seats of premium cabins.