Steve (Kefeng) Zhao

Practice Areas

Trademark litigation

Unfair competition litigation

Copyright infringement litigation

IP related arbitration

Professional Memberships

Expert of the Anti-Counterfeiting and Anti-Infringement Alliance

Deputy Secretary-General of the Trademark Law Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association

Member of the Legislation and Regulation Committee of the International Trademark Association

Member of the Global Advisory Council of the International Trademark Association

Member of the Copyright Law Research Committee of the Beijing Entertainment Law Society

Publications

Legislative framework and causes of action, Trademark: A Global Guide, 2019

Trademark litigation forum shopping in China–what the data tells us, World Trademark Review, July 2020

On the unity of "malice" and "intention" in punitive damages of intellectual property, IP Economy, February 2021

Detailed explanation and application of intellectual property punitive damages regime, LEB, 2021

New development on amendment of PRC Copyright Law, China Behavior-law Association, 2021

Draft Amendment to Trademark law applications, Word Trademark Review, February 2023

Work Highlights

Represented ASSA ABLOY Pan Pan v. Xin Pan Pan in a trademark infringement and unfair competition dispute, in which punitive damages were applied and the defendant was imposed RMB 100 million as damages to the plaintiff, which was selected as the Blue Book on the status of judicial protection of intellectual property rights in Jiangsu courts.

Represented A.O. Smith v. Smales in a trademark infringement and unfair competition dispute, in which A.O. Smith was recognized as a well-known trademark and awarded RMB 5.65 million in damages.

Represented Denmark ROCKWOOL International A/S, a famous European stone wool insulation material brand, to obtain administrative recognition as a well-known trademark.

Represented Hugo Boss, an internationally renowned fashion brand, in administrative and civil litigation against an infringer for more than ten years; also fully represented Hugo Boss in its trademark opposition, invalidation and other prosecution matters in China.

Represented the famous Chinese tea brand "Xiaotan Tea" in administrative and civil litigation to defend its trademark distinctiveness.

Represented ANKER, a famous consumer electronics brand, in an unfair competition lawsuit against a trademark infringer and won the case, which was awarded as one of the top ten typical cases of unfair competition by Shenzhen Intermediate Court in 2021.

Represented Huan Qiu Online School in arbitration and trademark infringement litigation against its former partner in a trademark licensing contract

Represented Ke.com/Lianjia in an unfair competition lawsuit to defend its data rights

Represented Sina in an unfair competition lawsuit to defend its data rights

Represented Chr. Hansen, the world's leading probiotic brand to take legal action to stop counterfeiting and defend the distinctiveness of their previous trademarks.

Represented The Macallan, a leading whiskey brand, in a trademark infringement action and brand protection strategy.

Represented Honeywell in a trademark infringement and unfair competition action

Represented ARRI, a leading German manufacturer of cinematography equipment, in filing trademark applications for color combination trademark and in filing litigating against counterfeiting.

Represented leading food ingredient manufacture Ligao, in an unfair competition action to protect its "Blue Streak" trade dress.

Represented BASF in trademark oppositions and invalidation actions.

Represented MLB in trademark oppositions and invalidation actions.

Represented China Overseas Property in trademark infringement litigation and invalidation proceedings to protect its trademark rights.

Languages Spoken

Chinese, English

Awards

Education