Partners

Alan Adcock

Partner, 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 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.

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 a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) Emerging Issues Committee, and a member of the INTA Presidential Task Force on Brand Restrictions. He has just ended six years on the INTA Legislation and Regulation Subcommittee for East Asia and the Pacific—the final two years serving as Chairman. Based on his long-standing and exemplary volunteer services for INTA, he was awarded the INTA Volunteer Service Award in 2016.

Alan is a past President of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) of Thailand, and a Co-Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand’s Food & Agri Business Committee. 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 2023 – Band 2 for 8 consecutive years

“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 2023 – Hall of Fame for 3 consecutive years

“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 2023 – Elite Practitioner for 4 consecutive years

IAM Strategy 300
Intellectual Property 2023 – Leading IP Strategist for 12 consecutive years

IAM Patent 1000
Patents 2023 – Gold Band for 2 consecutive years

Managing Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property 2023 – IP Star for 10 consecutive years

World IP Review Leaders
Intellectual Property 2022 – Ranked Lawyer for 7 consecutive years

WTR 1000
Trademarks 2023 – Gold Band for 3 consecutive years