Professor Sir Robin Jacob invited to speak at two events in China

Professor Sir Robin Jacob, Sir Hugh Laddie Professor of Intellectual Property Law at UCL Laws and Director of the UCL Institute of Brand and Innovation Law (IBIL), was in China last month, where he was invited to speak two events - the first in Shanghai and the second in Beijing. 

In Shanghai, Professor Jacob was hosted by Professor Yanfang Wang at East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL). ECUPL was founded in 1952, making it is among the first group of politics and law universities established by the People's Republic of China. He was invited to present in the ECUPL Oriental Pearl Lecture Series, and spoke (see photo below) on the real-world complexities of standard essential patents (SEPs).

Professor Wang is the former President of the Intellectual Property Tribunal of the Supreme People's Court. She has spoken at IBIL events in the past, including on the Judges' Panel at the IBIL Patents in Telecoms Conference, held in London in May 2024.

In Beijing, Professor Jacob gave a paper at the International Forum on Intellectual Property Protection Practice entitled 'The Invention of Patents for Invention' to an audience of IP judges, practitioners and scholars. The Conference aims were to strengthen international cooperation in the field of IP law against the backdrop of a slowing global economy and increasing regional disparities, with technological innovation in the fields of digital transformation and sustainable development being seen as an important tools to reshape the new global economic landscape. 

The Conference was organised by the Patent Protection Association of China - a non-governmental-organisation which seeks to facilitate communication between the Chinese government and industries to promote development of protection of IP protection in China, along with Tsinghua University Center for Intellectual Property, and IP firm, Lung Tin IP. Joining Professor Jacob on the panel were various IP academics from Chinese universities, the President of the China Trademark Association, the Vice President of the Patent Protection Association of China, and industry representatives from Europe, USA and Japan. The Honourable Dr. Annabelle Bennett, former Judge of the Federal Court of Australia also gave a keynote speech at the conference. Dr Bennett has also spoken at UCL, when she who gave the IBIL Annual Sir Hugh Laddie Lecture in 2016.