ACCRALAW lawyers joined the 76th Council Meeting of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (“APAA”) held at the SMX Convention Center and Conrad Hotel in Pasay City, Metro Manila from 18 to 21 November 2024.
The four-day conference focused on the latest developments in intellectual property law in the Asian region. The topics emphasized on the enforceability of intellectual property rights in the context of virtual counterfeiting and generative artificial intelligence, and the registrability and prosecution of other emerging intellectual property rights. Highlights of the conference include roundtable discussions on challenges in the registration of green trademarks vis-à-vis the dangers of greenwashing, the patentability of computer-implemented inventions, and the establishment of the Unified Patent Court, among others.
The APAA Academic and Business Session Committee, which was responsible for organizing the meetings, workshops and roundtable discussions, was headed by ACCRALAW Senior Partner Alex Ferdinand S. Fider and Partner Jose Eduardo T. Genilo. Meanwhile, ACCRALAW Partner and Intellectual Property Department Monitor Richmond K. Lee and Mr. Genilo, as appointed members of the Patents and Trademarks Standing Committees, respectively, represented the Philippines and reported on the latest developments in local patent and trademark laws.
On the last day of the conference, Mr. Genilo participated as one of the counsels in the Mock Trial Session entitled “Story of a Not-so-Ordinary Chicken Dish”, which revolved around pressing intellectual property issues, such as patent and trademark infringement, unfair competition, and trade secret protection.
Before the main conference, the ACCRALAW Intellectual Property Department welcomed the APAA members and delegates to Manila through a reception held in Conrad Hotel in Pasay City on 17 November 2024. Special remarks were given by ACCRALAW Co-Managing Partner Leland R. Villadolid, Jr. and Intellectual Property Department Head Victor Basilio N. de Leon. The reception was also attended by Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (“IPOPHL”) Bureau of Trademarks Director Jesus Antonio Z. Ros, who delivered a short address highlighting the reforms made and measures taken by the IPOPHL to streamline registration processes and accelerate its services.
The APAA is a non-governmental organization established in 1969 and dedicated to promoting and enhancing intellectual property protection in the Asian region. Currently, APAA has more than 2,500 members from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Bhutan, Brunei, Laos, and Mongolia. Every year, APAA members and observers from around the globe meet to discuss the latest developments, issues and policies in intellectual property law in the Asian region.
ACCRALAW will also participate in the 77th Council Meeting of the APAA which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2025.