Skrine’s Intellectual Property (IP) Department first began as a small Trade Marks Department in the 1960s. It was established as a supporting service for our established clientele with just one chief clerk and one supporting staff. From its humble beginnings, the Trade Marks Department has since grown to encompass all other types of intellectual property including patents, copyright and industrial designs and Skrine’s IP Department now comprises 15 lawyers and more than 40 non-legal support staff. Within our IP Department, we have also since established an Information Technology (IT) Practice Group which is dedicated to providing commercial legal services in relation to the rapidly developing fields of information technology, communications and multimedia and e-commerce.

Today, Skrine’s IP & IT Practice offers a wide spectrum of legal services relating to all aspects of the exploitation, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights,ranging from IP registration and compliance work, non-contentious IP and IT advice to litigation of IP and IT related disputes. In addition to providing traditional legal services, our IP and IT Practice also advises clients on the commercial aspects and overall protection, management and exploitation of their intellectual property rights.

Skrine’s IP & IT Practice provides a full range of legal services relating to the protection, exploitation, management, enforcement and litigation of intellectual property rights. Our IP and IT Practice also provides legal services within the practice areas of information technology, communications and multimedia, and e-commerce.

Apart from being qualified Advocates & Solicitors, a number of lawyers in our IP and IT Practice are also Registered Trademark Agents, Registered Patent Agents and Registered Industrial Design Agents who have rights of audience before various Registries of the Intellectual Property Corporation, Registry of the Courts and Courts in West Malaysia.

Brand Management and Development

The IP and IT Practice of Skrine provides advice on the development of brands and services, including advising on the best practices that should be adopted in creating, managing, developing and enhancing the client’s brand. We also advise on the availability of IP protection and identifying possible instances of infringement or passing off and guide the clients to manage such disputes.

We have given talks and had meetings with various members of trade assisting them in effectively managing and protecting their rights in brands and services, including the implementation of IP audits and internal IP policies/practices. 

The client base and experience of our IP and IT team is large and diverse, and spans across a wide range of industries including, amongst others, the following:

Major oil and gas companies; pharmaceutical companies, cosmetic companies, international steel companies, computer software companies, multimedia & telecommunications companies, e-commerce companies (“dot-coms”), major luxury goods companies, major international and domestic banks, local and international restaurateurs, multinational electrical and electronics companies, major tobacco companies, international airlines, manufacturers of industrial and consumer products, local and international automotive manufacturers, insurance companies, major chemical companies and also locally and internationally renowned artistes, authors, cartoonists, performers, producers and publishers.