Partners

Alan Adcock

Partner and Director, Intellectual Property

Key Practices

Qualifications

  • JC, Syracuse University College of Law/Columbia Law School
  • MA, University of Hawai'i
  • BA, Wingate College

Alan Adcock is a partner and director in the Tilleke & Gibbins intellectual property and regulatory affairs groups, helping to oversee the firm’s client work in these areas across ASEAN. He is recognised as a leading intellectual property lawyer based on his handling of corporate IP matters, including licensing and acquisitions, and his knowledge in life sciences, fluency in Mandarin, and outstanding client service. Since 2005, Alan has received recognition by Asialaw Leading Lawyers as one of Asia’s leading business lawyers in the area of intellectual property, and he has been named a top IP lawyer in Thailand by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and WTR 1000. Alan is also recognised as a leading IP strategist by IAM Strategy 300, an expert on patents in IAM Patent 1000, one of the world’s foremost life sciences practitioners by IAM Life Sciences 250, and a leading life sciences regulatory lawyer by Who’s Who Legal. He heads the
firm’s regional life sciences practice alongside Wongrat Ratanaprayul, director of the firm’s Indonesia office, as well as the firm’s China desk alongside Derrick Khoo.

Alan represents diverse clients, from pioneers in the life sciences to the biggest IP owners in the world and helps them achieve the dual goals of profit and protection. He has extensive experience in IP acquisitions, strategic structuring, technology transfer, and IP licensing and securitisation agreements. He has handled various IP infringements and regulatory infractions involving labelling, advertising, clinical trials, product handling/warehousing, product registration, taxation, and import/export violations across most of Asia.

Alan is also closely involved in Tilleke & Gibbins’ leading patent and trade secret litigation practice, focusing mainly on the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and material science sectors. He handles local pre-litigation strategy and litigation management for infringement and invalidation matters and works regularly with external counsel globally when strategic tasks or evidence issues reach outside Southeast Asia.

Alan serves as the Co-Vice Chair for the International Bar Association (IBA) Healthcare & Life Sciences Law Committee and is on the International Division Steering Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) Forum on Franchising. He is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) Commercialisation of Brands Committee and was recognised and awarded their INTA Volunteer Service Award in 2016.

Alan is a past President of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) of Thailand. He is licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey and is admitted in the U.S. District Courts of Southern and Eastern New York.

  • Conducted global intellectual property due diligence and advised on the transactional elements of a US$60 million equity participation by an international energy company in a U.S. company specialising in biobased chemicals. The collaboration resulted in the establishment of bio-succinic acid production plants using natural raw feedstocks such as tapioca, cassava, maize, and other agricultural inputs for the downstream manufacturing of bio-based plastics.
  • Assisted a client with a multijurisdictional acquisition of a major corn and palm oil brand with a deal value of USD 6,000,000, including the review and acceptance of the letter bid, preliminary due diligence, review of the disclosure statement, and the drafting, negotiation, and execution of the main acquisition agreement. We also provided all post-completion follow-up including trademark assignment recordals in more than 50 jurisdictions, release of various title encumbrances, transitional arrangements, rebranding, certification and labelling regulatory advice, and subsequent new agreements for supply and distribution.
  • Helped a multinational food company comply with Thai FDA requirements. Advised the client on advertising and promotional materials in Thailand, with particular emphasis on the requirements of the FDA and the consequences of improper ad content.
  • Acted on behalf of a major U.S.-based agrichemical manufacturer. The case involved termination of the client’s distributor for breach of contract and IP (patent and trademark) infringement. In addition, we represented the client in re-registration of its full range of products with the Thai Ministry of Agriculture.
  • Represented a leading producer of smartphones as its “point of contact” with all government authorities, which involved crafting an overall government relations strategy, establishing and cultivating relationships with officials, responding to government investigations, monitoring potential policy and regulatory developments, and seeking legislative and regulatory change on our client’s behalf. We have also structured appropriate and effective solutions to the business and legal challenges faced by our client.
  • Represented a multinational pharmaceutical company in its cancellation petition against a registered trademark based on the mark’s similarity to an International Non-proprietary Name (INN) issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Board of Trademarks withdrew the trademark.

Chambers Asia Pacific
Intellectual Property - Band 2

“He is very smart and a very good practitioner.”

“Alan is well rounded in commercial IP and very strong in client service.”

The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
Intellectual Property – Hall of Fame

“Alan Adcock is exceptional. His knowledge of the Thai market, bolstered with his insightful life sciences and healthcare know-how, is invaluable and important to our clients.”

Asialaw Leading Lawyers
Intellectual Property – Elite Practitioner