With more than 30 years of experience, what are some of the highlights in your career to date and why?

Thirty years sounds like a long time, but it has gone by in a flash. I have been fortunate to be in a dynamic and stimulating field, and it has been a journey. To put it into context, Singapore only introduced its own patent system when I first started IP practice back in 1993. The landscape was very different then from what it is today. 

Alongside seeing the changes in the IP field, building a patent practice and team from scratch has been fascinating. Among many memorable milestones, my involvement in an early patent case involving the HIV-2 virus stands out because we had to grapple with the science behind the inventions, as well as relatively new patent law.

Today, I am able to contribute to IP policy in Singapore through my role on the board of directors of the Singapore IP Office. This has added another dimension to my practice and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the IP laws and ecosystem, which are crucial to Singapore’s economy. 

I would say that my crowning career achievement to date was co-founding Amica Law in 2006 with three colleagues, with whom I have worked since the beginning.  I am proud that the firm is recognised as one of the top IP firms in Singapore. This is largely attributable to our team – many of whom started out with us in 2006 – and the wonderful support of our clients.

You are renowned for your expertise in cross-border IP protection and management. What are the main challenges involved in a multi-jurisdictional IP strategy, and how do you avoid and overcome these? 

Navigating a multi-jurisdictional IP strategy is difficult. While IP laws are harmonised at a basic level, there are different laws and enforcement in each country. Experience counts, as well as having a solid understanding of IP laws through research and due diligence. I cannot emphasise enough the need to work with a trusted network of associates who can give wise counsel and anticipate problems.

A multi-jurisdictional IP portfolio may be expensive to build and protect, so it is important to keep an eye on costs and find efficient solutions. Having an in-depth understanding of clients’ products and services and their business objectives helps immensely, as we can offer a targeted and commercial strategy that will benefit the portfolio. At the end of the day, our clients are all looking for value in their IP investment.

How can practitioners use AI tools to enhance portfolio management processes for their clients, and what are the advantages of doing so? 

AI is definitely a gamechanger in IP portfolio management, although it is still in its nascent stages. I believe there is more to come and that the applications will become more sophisticated. AI tools can increase the speed and accuracy of many routine tasks and eliminate human error in checking and generating output. For example, due diligence can be managed much quicker as AI can be used to extract and organise data. 

AI tools can also be used to review prior art, evaluate the data and generate a report, allowing attorneys to focus on more high-value work in analysing and providing opinions. AI tools already exist to monitor infringements in the market – a task that would be overwhelming if we did it manually. 

The ability to use AI in data analytics and decision making is astounding. These tools can digest large amounts of data to help make strategic decisions on whether a patent should be maintained, as well as areas of coverage and portfolio value. 

If you could change one thing about the patent prosecution process in Singapore, what would it be, and do you think it is likely to happen? 

The Singapore patent prosecution system has undergone revolutionary changes in a relatively short space of time, from a self-assessment system to an independent search and examination handled by our own examiners. 

Previously, the mantra was to give the patentee options for prosecution, but this resulted in a complicated suite of choices. While this has reduced, I believe that further simplification of prosecution to automatic search and examination after filing would be beneficial and more business friendly. This is definitely on the horizon and will hopefully happen while I am still practising!