Managing Enforcement Programmes
Drawing on decades of experience, innovative tools for managing programmes and results tracking, Rouse manages brand and technology protection programmes with a strong focus on multinationals. We do this at the country level and regional level across Asia and EMEA.
Harmonising IP Enforcement and Portfolio Strategies
Enforcement works best when IP portfolios are optimised for enforcement in the marketplace. Rouse has multidisciplinary teams of IP professionals to make sure you are fully equipped with the rights and positions to protect your business’ competitive advantages. Clearing out IP squatters and IP pirates is our specialisation.
Online services
As online sales have boomed, so has the sale of infringing products online, creating a minefield of potential intellectual property infringements often requiring action in multiple jurisdictions. From the sale of counterfeit goods to ‘brandjacking’, often via social media, online reputation management is time consuming but incredibly important.
We work with clients to develop clear and compelling online monitoring and enforcement strategies, assisting clients to access relevant and meaningful KPIs, and selecting technology vendors to suit their needs.
We conduct monitoring and takedown programs across online marketplaces too. Our advantages are high-level engagement with key platforms and our use of skilled human monitoring that is supported by technology. Our analysts are both local language and IP experts who are assisted by our proprietary computerised monitoring tool NexLink (developed by NexIP and Rouse). We are experienced in using creative means to remove even the trickiest of online offenders and are well versed in building up precedent offline cases to further support online takedowns.
Our online brand protection services are designed to prevent online brand abuse and erosion, including the sale of counterfeits, copyright infringement, false association, cyber-squatting and brandjacking for a number of well-known brands. We actively advise clients, and take action on their behalf, in relation to online trade mark infringement or the posting of offensive content on websites.
We also work closely with external online monitoring companies and use our close contacts with internet service providers to achieve the swift removal of problem content.
Anti-Counterfeiting
We have specialist teams focused on anti-counterfeiting work, especially in Asia where we have a large practice. We have strong experience working with administrative authorities worldwide, conducting numerous raids annually and following up with civil or criminal action.
Timely and reliable information is critical to help you target your resources. We set up processes to make sure that information flows efficiently from your business, commercial partners, customers, law enforcement authorities and from third party service providers. Where information is incomplete, our in-house evidence specialists will step in, working with the best third party firms as needed.
Compliance
A core focus of the Rouse Enforcement practice is compliance. We deliver rigorous staff training to ensure it is a key part of the Rouse culture. Where we use external partners to extend our geographical reach, we closely supervise and audit the completed work. This focus on compliance ensures clients can have confidence that any action initiated on their behalf meets the highest standards of anti-corruption laws and regulations.
Trade Fair Monitoring and Enforcement
Trade fairs provide opportunities to monitor competitors, preserve evidence, and use legal rights to reduce the visibility of infringing goods. We work with our clients to police some of the largest trade fairs in the world online and offline. Intelligence gathering supports later cases.
Customs Protection
Whether goods are stopped as they leave China or before they enter market countries, efficiently implemented and managed customs programmes can give the greatest return on investment in IP enforcement. We use data, customs training, shipment analysis, and lobbying to optimise customs programmes.
Seizures by national customs authorities are one of the most effective tools in the battle against counterfeit products and can be conducted on a stand-alone basis or in combination with other litigation strategies. This can include shipment tracking and selecting the appropriate customs houses for a seizure in a favourable jurisdiction.
All Rouse offices handle customs work, and we are in daily contact with the authorities in markets worldwide. We make sure client’s resources are used wisely and pursue high-impact enforcement against high-value targets, while also tackling smaller, routine cases at minimal cost.
Copyright – Digital Content
We advise on all forms of copyright infringement, including streaming and website abuse, computer software infringement, as well as developing creative strategies of obtaining evidence of licence abuse and end-user piracy. We advise many global copyright associations and leading members on specific cases as well as policy issues.
Complex Investigations
Our IP evidence gathering experts have been a cornerstone of our business from the outset. We have a global network of multilingual investigative, intelligence, and evidence gathering specialists who can quickly and effectively track infringing and counterfeit products from a manufacturing source in one country to a point of sale in another.
