•   +86 13917421790
      kittykim@hiwayslaw.com
       中文 (中国)     日本語    English
  • 2014-06-17
  • 3 minutes Read
Who shall be Responsible for Disservice?

Lee invited neighbor Wang and Zhang to help him make a move. When moving the mirror, Lee reminded Wang to pack the mirror before move. Wang hated troublesome matters, so he moved the mirror without package. Unfortunately, the mirror hurt Zhang’s arm accidentally. Zhang sued Lee, finally, the court ordered that Lee should compensate Zhang. In this case, whether Lee can ask Wang for recovery? According to “Tort Liability Law” Article 35, where, in a labor relationship formed between individuals, the party providing labor services causes any harm to another person as the result of the labor services, the party…

  • 2014-05-17
  • 2 minutes Read
Regulations on the Implementation of the Trademark Law(“New Implementation”) has come into effect since May 1, 2014

New Implementation was published by State Council, which includes the following main issues: To refine the formal element for the newly added object. Take the sound mark for example, the applicant shall submit the sample of sound, and the sample shall be stored in light disk in WAV or MP3 mode, and less than 5MB. If the sample is submitted by means of paper, it shall be stored in CD-ROM; the applicant shall describe the sound mark, the description of the sound mark shall include musical notes or numbered musical notation, together with description in text; if the sound cannot…

  • 2014-05-17
  • 5 minutes Read
Whether A Logo Similar To A Registered Trademark Shall Be Deemed As An Infringement?

Recently, Zhejiang Tea Group Co., Ltd., (“ZJ Tea”), the owner of the registered trademark “Shifeng “, files a lawsuit against Hangzhou Shifeng Tea Co., Ltd. (“HZ Tea”). ZJ Tea claims that HZ Tea has used “Shifeng Tea”, “Taste Shifeng” on its online store, printed “Shifeng Longjing” on packaging boxes and bags, and highlighted “Shifeng”, which has infringed ZJ Tea’s registered trademark. HZ Tea counterpleads that its logo is “Shifeng”, and it sells tea; in addition “Shifeng” is the generic name for the tea in respect of origin and quality. Then, using a logo similar to a registered trademark shall be…

  • 2014-05-17
  • 3 minutes Read
The Effectiveness of Data Message Evidence in Labor Disputes

Company A notified Ms. Chen on dissolution of labor contract for her absenteeism. Ms. Chen filed to Labor Arbitration Committee, and claimed that she had asked for leave for those said absenteeism, so Company A should pay economic compensation for its illegally dissolution of labor contract. For Chen’s claim, Company A provided the notarized screen shots of Chen’s weibo and blog, in which the photos’ date were different from those days she asked for leave. Finally, Labor Arbitration Committee rejected Chen’s request. In the past, for labor disputes, data message evidence are the records between employees and employers in work,…

  • 2014-04-17
  • 2 minutes Read
The Consultation Paper for the Revision of Provisions for the Determination and Protection of Well-known Trademarks ("Paper”)has been announced, and is Likely to be released in June, 2014

State Administration for Industry and Commerce announced the Paper on April 14th, 2014, which made adjustments to the original provision in 2003 (“Original Provision”). The main adjustments are as follows: The definition of well-known trademarks. Original Provision defines well-known trademark as ‘a trademark widely recognized by the public and having a high reputation in China’; yet Paper deletes ‘having a high reputation in China’, it also makes it no different to the registered or unregistered trademarks, as well as adjusts the ‘widely recognized by the public’ to ‘known well by the public’. Paper aims at keeping consistent with the revised…

  • 2014-04-17
  • 5 minutes Read
Prior Art Defense in Patent Infringement Disputes

Prior Art (“PA”) defense is one of defenses in patent infringement disputes. It’s claimed by the defendant with regard to plaintiff’s claim of cessation of the infringement, compensation for damages, which aims at affirming the legality of defendant’s act, rather than denying the novelty of the patent or its scope of protection. In short, it functions as a veto of infringement. According to Article 22 of Patent Law (revised vision of 2008), the term “PA” refers to the technologies known to the general public both domestic and foreign prior to the date of application. Thus the judge of PA involves…

  • 2014-04-17
  • 3 minutes Read
Prenatal Leave V.S. Long-term Sick Leave

Ms. Zhang, who has a working age of 11 years, got pregnant in the fifth year in Company A. In order to prevent miscarriage, Ms. Zhang had asked for sick leave total of 6 months out of 7 months. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the company, Company A offered her with a sick pay of 100% of her wage. Thereafter, Ms. Zhang asked for another prenatal leave of 2.5 months to Company A, who approved and paid her 60% of her wage as sick pay. However, Ms. Zhang claimed that she should be paid 80% of her…

  • 2014-03-17
  • 3 minutes Read
Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court on Issues concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Disputes over the Lease Financing Contracts has come into force since March 1, 2014 (‘Interpretation’)

Compared to the rapid development of financial lease business, Rules of the Supreme People’s Court on Issues concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Disputes over the Lease Financing Contracts (No. 19[1996]Fa Fa) is relatively lagged. However, Interpretation has regulated many aspects on those issues related to the lease finance, such as the standard on identifying a lease financing relationship, how to link the lease financing contract with purchase contract, the protection for the leaser’s ownership to the leased item, etc. Hereinafter are 3 important aspects: ‘Sale-leaseback’ shall be deemed as the legal relation of finance lease It’s…

  • 2014-03-17
  • 6 minutes Read
Does Invention-Creation after Demission belong to Service Invention?

As intellectual property plays a more and more important role in competition, disputes over ownership of patent increase. Among which, the disputes triggered by application of patent by former technologists are usually too complicated to be settled. Service Invention (‘SI’) refers to a job-related invention-creation made by any person in execution of the tasks of the entity to which he belongs or by primarily using the material resources of the entity. (Patent Law, Article 6). Currently, SI is mainly defined according to the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Patent Law, Article 11, 12. According to Article 12, ‘a…

  • 2014-03-17
  • 3 minutes Read
The Hidden Risk in ‘Proof of Income’

Yang was engaged in a labor dispute with Company A, and applied to the Labor Dispute Arbitration Committees (‘Committees’) for arbitration. Yang offered a ‘Proof of Income’ affixed with the official seal of Company A, and asked for corresponding salary and economic compensation. Company A, however, denied having issued such ‘Proof of Income’, and offered all pay sheets Yang signed to prove the unconformity between ‘Proof of Income’ and the fact. According to the Committees, Company A denied the authenticity of ‘Proof of Income’, but it failed to provide relevant evidence, so verdict was made based on ‘Proof of Income’.…