Intellectual Property lawyers are foretelling some major growth in the practice field throughout Asia.  Connie Carnabuci and Mark Parsons, both lawyers with Freshfields in Hong Kong, explain that the economic decline, changes in regulation, and an increase of IPR awareness are playing off of each other and subsequently increasing work for IP lawyers in Asia.  In short, the downturn is increasing the willingness of businesses to protect what is theirs, since so much has already been lost.  The money-making options are slimmer than they once were, so businesses feel a greater need to protect what is rightly theirs.  China’s States Intellectual Property Office has noted a 19% increase in patent applications since the implementation of a national IPR strategy.  This growth may also be seen in law firm response.  The following firms have boosted their IP groups in Asia:  Bingham McCutchen, Deheng, and Rouse and Dacheng.  

Source:  www.asialegalbusiness.com