Lorraine Tay

I am head of our Intellectual Property Group in Singapore. With more than 20 years' experience, I have honed a deep familiarity with international and cross-border issues involving IP commercialisation and brand management.

I apply my legal experience and my pragmatic understanding of our clients' industry to navigate the global IP landscape and help businesses realise their commercial value.

As an effective IP adviser, I arm myself with incisive legal knowledge across various jurisdictions, coupled with a keen commercial appreciation of a client's business drivers; I get intimately involved with legal and business teams both in-house and external to map out and execute strategic IP protection and risk management initiatives, thereby bringing tangible value to clients. Keeping a 'bird's eye view' as we mandate our clients' IP rights, we are able to navigate the IP ecosystem cost effectively and purposefully, from IP creation to revenue realisation. I often lead on global matters involving international clearances, IP due diligence and audits, and multi-jurisdictional negotiations in IP disputes.

I am consistently ranked as a leading IP lawyer by industry indices including the Legal 500, Chambers, Managing IP, World Trademark Review, Who's Who Legal, Asia IP Experts, Expert Guides, Client Choice Awards and Asia Business Law Journal.

In my work, I encourage synergies within the practice groups to provide multi-disciplinary client solutions. Businesses are not pigeon-holed according to legal practice areas. Working in close teams, we collaborate and strive to deepen our client relationships as their 'go-to' trusted legal adviser. I invest in understanding each client and their needs so that, as a firm, our service offering always remains absolutely relevant and responsive. This enables us to deliver professional excellence for which we are known as a firm.

Client matters aside, I am often called upon by IP industry bodies, official organisations, and the wider IP community to weigh in on issues impacting the IP landscape. In addition, I provide training and capability development to the IP industry locally, regionally and globally, speaking regularly at events and seminars organised by the International Trademark Association (INTA), WIPO, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and the Singapore IP Academy. In recognition of my expertise, I was appointed to serve a term as an IP Adjudicator with IPOS – the first practitioner to be appointed alongside academic luminaries and senior judicial officers.

These engagements enrich and infuse my practice with policy insight, first-hand engagement with industry stakeholders, and multi-faceted perspectives as trainer, educator, facilitator and adjudicator, which in turn allow me to better advise clients.

• Appointed as lead managing Counsel to a global commodities producer, supplier and trader to manage its global trade mark portfolio, involving (i) global strategic brand management and protection; (ii) negotiating and attending to multi-jurisdictional disputes; (iii) assisting in various initiatives around the commercialisation and exploitation of the brands under the client's brand umbrella globally; (iv) advising on IP structures and tax implications digitisation, as well as other advisory matters.
• Advised a major food and beverage group in Singapore with a growing international business presence in managing its brand and trade mark portfolio globally from creation through to exploitation. Also assisted and advised on franchise related arrangements and documentation; advising on and navigating local issues and advising on the regulatory framework in various jurisdictions as clients expand their operations.
• Advising a leading financial institution on their licensing structures globally (involving almost 100 countries globally) in the context of the overall management of their brand assets, conducting appropriate audits of the commercial documentation, and advising on the regulatory regime and potential impact on their downstream operations nationally.
• Advising on, and giving effect to, the taking of a security over intellectual property assets under a global corporate trust arrangement on behalf of several UK fund institutions extending loan facilities to a French manufacturer.
• Drafting and advising on IP commercial arrangements in the context of joint collaborations arrangements on behalf of one of the world's leading airport management and development companies, in its collaboration efforts with third parties.