Ningling Wang and Ming-Tao Yang on Guarding Important Intellectual Property in China and Other Foreign Countries

American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC) has engaged in unprecedented contract, copyright, and trade secret actions in several Chinese courts with its once largest customer in China, Sinovel Wind Group Co.  This and similar cases illustrate the challenges American companies face in protecting key intellectual property (IP) rights in foreign countries.  With a “business first, protection second” mindset, they sometimes forget that the laws governing IP often vary from country-to-country.  In innovation-heavy industries like renewable energy, cleantech, electronics, pharmaceuticals, life science, and information technology, where the state of a company’s IP can make or break its fortunes, it is crucial that companies understand the IP risks that exist in foreign markets and the necessary steps for protecting their IP. In this podcast Finnegan partners Ningling Wang and Ming Yang discuss the AMSC vs. Sinovel Wind Group Co. case, examine the implications, and provide recommendations for companies facing these challenges.