Intellectual Property in Asia: Pirates or Partners?

Walk down virtually any street in Asia and you will be greeted by merchants selling counterfeit DVDs, clothes, jewelry and electronics. Theft of sophisticated technology, such as software and semiconductor chips, is also on the rise, accounting for billions of dollars of losses. In response to this flourishing black market, negotiations over China's entrance into the WTO and other trade agreements within Asia have pointedly focused on the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) rights. What has been the result of this political pressure? How should companies, whether they are new entrants, joint ventures, or strategic alliances, protect their key intellectual competitive assets? Our distinguished panelists will address these issues and explore strategies for protecting IP in Asia.

Featured Panelists:

• Andrew Isaacs, Executive Director, Management of Technology Program, UC Berkeley, Panel Moderator
  
• Stephen R. Du Mont, Vice President, Internet Business Solutions Group, Cisco Systems, Inc.
  
• Daryl Hatano, Vice President of Public Policy, Semiconductor Industry Association
  
• Volker Pasternak, Commercialization/International Counsel, EPRI (Palo Alto)
  
• Kai Tseng, Partner, Intellectual Property, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP