Perkins Coie is a pioneer in cross-border legal matters between the United States and China. Our attorneys understand China’s complex, ever-changing business environment and the culture that drives it.

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Overview

Perkins Coie is a pioneer in cross-border legal matters between the United States and China. Our attorneys understand China’s complex, ever-changing business environment and the culture that drives it.

Our experience dates back to 1971, when we participated in the sale of 10 Boeing commercial aircraft, one of the earliest commercial transactions between the United States and China. Since then, we have been actively involved in the Chinese market helping both U.S. and Chinese companies with their needs in the areas of intellectual property, corporate, international trade and personal planning.

Our experience dates back to 1971, when we participated in the sale of 10 Boeing commercial aircraft, one of the earliest commercial transactions between the United States and China. Since then, we have been actively involved in the Chinese market helping both U.S. and Chinese companies with their needs in the areas of intellectual property, corporate, international trade and personal planning.

Intellectual Property

Recognized as a leading intellectual property law firm in the United States and China, Perkins Coie obtains and enforces rights to patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets in both countries. Our experienced attorneys and patent consultants assist companies across multiple industries including: 

  • Automotive
  • Life Sciences
  • Aerospace
  • Software
  • Biotechnology
  • Entertainment
  • Semiconductors
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Industrial Manufacturing
  • Telecommunications
  • Medical Devices
  • Consumer Products
  • Electronics (including mobile device and television)
   

In our management of intellectual property portfolios for large multinational companies, we oversee a wide range of needs, from IP registration to administrative and criminal enforcement of IP, including prosecution, acquisition, maintenance, and licensing and technology transfer agreements. We assist Chinese and U.S. companies in obtaining and enforcing their intellectual property assets, and regularly support clients in high-profile litigation matters in China and the United States involving patents, trademarks, trade names, trade secrets, and copyrights. With significant experience pursuing civil cases against providers and distributors of counterfeit and unauthorized products, our attorneys regularly support clients in litigation before the courts in greater China.

In the United States, we possess particularly deep experience  representing Chinese and U.S. companies in the major centers of district court patent litigation, including California and Texas. We have a sophisticated U.S. International Trade Commission practice and a premier post-grant practice before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board. When cases are appealed, we have one of the leading Federal Circuit practices in the United States.

Our patent team in Shanghai handles patent prosecution and counseling in a wide range of industries. Many of our practitioners hold advanced degrees in their technical fields and several are former patent examiners at the China National Intellectual Property Administrative. We provide our patent services in a manner that optimizes for business opportunities and enforcement strength.

The recent opening of the Perkins Coie IP Agency adds significant capabilities to our roster of IP services by providing filing, prosecution, and maintenance services for trademarks and other forms of intellectual property. In addition, the IP Agency’s newly established office in fast-growing technology hub Shenzhen positions us to provide IP and related services, inbound and outbound, in South China.

Corporate and Transactional

The firm’s experienced corporate attorneys in the United States and China work closely with our IP and investment banking professionals, providing depth and breadth in technology and cross-border transactions.

 Our Beijing and Shanghai attorneys handle inbound foreign investment and general corporate matters, such as the following:

  • Strategic investments
  • Sovereign-fund issues and transactions
  • Private-equity fund transactions
  • Venture capital fund transactions
  • Joint ventures
  • Wholly foreign-owned enterprises
  • Holding companies
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Liquidations (including regulatory approvals)
 

We also represent clients in traditional government relations, direct or indirect advocacy, relationship building, coalition or alliance building, and issues management. Other areas of representation include operational issues, such as labor and employment, customs, taxation, foreign exchange, licensing, land use, and regulatory compliance.

Dispute Resolution and Investigations

Our market-leading dispute resolution attorneys handle complex matters before the primary commercial arbitration centers, including the following:

  • China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)
  • Beijing Arbitration Commission
  • Shanghai Arbitration Commission
  • Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
  • International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Our China offices represent clients in litigation matters on a broad range of commercial disputes, challenges to administrative rulings, and decisions in a variety of industries. We also represent clients in ethics and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigations, compliance programs, and FCPA training, as well as white collar criminal and administrative investigations.

International Trade

Our international trade attorneys based in Beijing and Washington, D.C., have decades of experience in significant trade disputes and investigations involving China under the disciplines of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. We have developed a deep understanding of the laws that apply to issues of tariff and non-tariff remedies addressing alleged unfair trade practices, as well as government measures affecting market access, customs, product inspection, duty preferences, country-specific export controls, quotas, and duty assessments under international and domestic trade laws and regulations. Our attorneys also advise clients on U.S.-China issues in bilateral and multilateral disputes before the WTO,  as well as issues of U.S.-China international trade policy, including trade negotiations and investigations of market access and import competition.

Clients turn to us for representation in trade disputes arising before the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative, and in U.S. federal courts, including the U.S. Court of International Trade, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Working With Authorities

To support our various client matters we have developed relationships with local political contacts, government officials, attorneys, and consultants in every major and midsize city in mainland China. We are committed to assisting our clients with their business needs and expansion goals in China and beyond through our relationships with these resources.

Recognition and Rankings

  • Ranked an Am Law 50 firm by The American Lawyer’s 100 List, 2013 - 2022
  • Named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for 21 consecutive years, 2003 – 2023
  • Various attorneys named by Chambers Asia and Chambers Global as Leading Lawyers in the Intellectual Property, International Trade, and Life Sciences categories, 2011 - 2024
  • Named Firm of the Year in the Intellectual Property- Patent, Trademark and Copyright categories by China Business Law Journal, 2022
  • Attorney named one of the Top 15 IP Lawyers in China by Asian Legal Business, 2020

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