Legal Services on Trademark Infringements and Unfair Competitions against Nippon Paint

United by its motto “Visionary ideas and unsurpassed craftsmanship”, Nippon Paint enjoys reputations and a big market share. Therefore, it has become a seriously infringed subject. Therefore, Nippon Paint appointed Mr. Chambers Yang and his team to protect its rights and interests, which has resulted in preliminary desirable effects.

Since its entry in the market of China in 1992, Nippon Paint has established three WFOEs including Nippon Paint (China) Co., Ltd., Nippon Paint (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., Langfang Nippon Paint Co., Ltd., and two joint ventures including Suzhou Nippon Paint Co., Ltd. and Nippon Paint (Chongqing) Chemical Co., Ltd., thirty-five offices and eighty-nine service centers. Nippon Paint companies have registered the trademark of the Letter “N”, series Chinese character trademarks and figurative trademarks of “Nippon Paint” and “Nippon”. The trademark of the Letter “N” has been approved to be used in commodities scattered in twenty-four categories. Taking its advantages of good quality, satisfactory services and excellent promotions, Nippon Paint has obtained its market position. In 2002, enterprises producing and selling paints and coatings come into being with “Nippon” in their names in Wuhan, Hengyang, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Shaoxing, Wenzhou and Kunshan, and they attempt to compete in bad faith by the good reputations of Nippon Paint.

Confronted with various fake commodities, Nippon Paint has to break down them in order to protect rights and interests of itself and customers. For the purpose, Nippon Paint appoints Mr. Chambers Yang to file suits to the intermediate people’s courts in above-mentioned cities, and to complain to the SAIC and local AICs.

After the appointment from Nippon Paint, Mr. Chambers Yang and several lawyers, legal assistants formed a work team, accumulating evidence and conducting legal reasoning. After their intensive and detailed investigation, they prepared hundreds pieces of evidence, including trademark registration certificates, advertisement contracts with invoices of advertisement rate, audit reports and many honorary certificates.

In the end, Nippon Paint’s demands against infringing companies were supported by the respective courts.