Lim Siau Wen

Director, Intellectual Property

Key Practices

Qualifications

  • LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore
  • Admitted to the Singapore Bar (1999)

Siau Wen is an Intellectual Property specialist with more than 20 years of experience in contentious and non-contentious IP practice.

She manages the global trade mark, design and patent portfolios of foreign and local multinational clients from a wide range of industries. She also advises clients on general IP and regulatory matters as well as issues of gaming, product advertising, labeling, and branding strategy.

Siau Wen handles various facets of IP commercial transactions. They include due diligence; negotiations; and drafting and reviewing licensing, franchising, sale and transfer, confidentiality, distributorship, credit facility and consultancy agreements relating to IP rights.

Siau Wen is active in the area of Intellectual Property litigation and enforcement. She focuses on disputes involving trade marks, copyright, domain names, designs and confidential information.

She is also a Certified Patent Valuation Analyst.

Siau Wen has handled many notable matters, including:

  • Louis Vuitton Malletier v. Megastar Shipping Pte Ltd [2017] SGHC 305 – Acted in a landmark trademark infringement matter that involved the transshipment of counterfeit merchandise through the Singapore ports.
  • Starbucks Corporation v Morinaga Nyugyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Morinaga Milk Industry Co. Ltd) [2017] SGIPOS 18 – Successfully defended Morinaga Milk in a trade mark opposition by Starbucks Coffee on the grounds of similar marks and that the former’s mark would deceive the public as to the geographical origin of the goods.
  • Weir Warman Ltd v Research & Development Pty Ltd [2007] 2 SLR(R) 1073 - Assisted in the successful defence of Weir Warman Ltd in the High Court against a trade mark invalidation and revocation action that was based on allegations of bad faith and non-use.
  • Represented a lender in a Credit Facility Agreement, and Collateral & Guarantee Agreement where the collateral comprising of key intellectual property assets was valued in excess of US$60 million.
  • Represented a Singapore-based private education institution in granting a licence of its global IP assets to a joint venture entity that was setting up educational facilities in the Middle East.

The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific

Intellectual Property 2023 – Recommended lawyer for 4 consecutive years

“Lim Siau Wen is noted for managing trade mark and patent portfolios.”

Managing IP

IP Star 2022 – Trade mark Star for 5 consecutive years

Voted as Top 250 Women in IP 2019

World Trade Mark Review 1000

Enforcement and Litigation 2023 – Silver band for 4 consecutive years; Recommended Lawyer (2018 and 2019)

Prosecution and Strategy 2023 – Silver band for 4 consecutive years

Transactions 2023 – Recommended Lawyer for 4 consecutive years

“Siau Wen doesn’t beat around the bush – her guidance is to the point, easy to digest and implement and reflective of an incredible knowledge of trademark law. What is more, she is responsive, quick and efficient and completes her work at a very reasonable cost.”

Siau Wen “is not only pleasant, but thorough and reliable in her work”. She can be relied on to “provide practical business advice with respect to IP matters”.

“Well-versed in all aspects of trademark protection, Siau Wen dispenses practicable and commercially sensible advice and always finds ways to add value. She makes everything easier and follows up proactively to ensure you are fully protected.”

“Also highly recommended is Lim Siau Wen, a versatile operator who strikes a fine balance between minimising cost and maximising results.”

Dextrously crossing between the contentious/non-contentious practices is Siau Wen, who blends fine-milled regulatory knowledge into her practice.”

IAM Patent 1000

Prosecution 2022 – Recommended Lawyer; Silver band in 2020 and 2021; Recommended Lawyer in 2019

Transactions 2022 – Recommended Lawyer for 3 consecutive years

“All-rounder Siau Wen skilfully takes on patent prosecution and licensing matters.”

“Household names place their full confidence in the legal and technical know-how of Siau Wen to tackle their IP issues swiftly.”

“Siau Wen takes on both contentious and non-contentious IP briefs, but on the patent side it is her prosecution transactions work that stands out.”

“Siau Wen is a great business partner.”

Sources mention that Siau Wen is “very responsive” and “does a great job at a competitive rate”.

“On the non-contentious front, Siau Wen Lim tends to the global IP portfolios of foreign and local multinationals. As certified IP valuation analyst, [she is] also the best lawyer to consult about IP commercialisation.”

asialaw Leading Lawyers 2022 edition

“Siau Wen is experienced in intellectual property matters and is responsive. She offers practical advice to our legal questions.”

Clients praise Siau Wen for her “familiarity with law and procedures, as well as diligence.”

Asia IP Experts

Identified as a leading IP lawyer in Singapore in 2022

Trade Mark 2013-2018 – Leading individual for 6 consecutive years

Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 

Intellectual Property 2019 – Recommended Lawyer

Sources say that Siau Wen is a “principal of the firm and is doing well in all aspects”.

Singapore Business Review

Singapore’s 40 Most Influential Lawyers aged 40 and under 2015 – Listed lawyer

  • Asst. Treasurer, Exco, The International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property
  • Assessor, Panel of Assessors for COVID-19 Temporary Relief, Ministry of Law
  • Chair, Non-Traditional Trade Marks Global Advocacy Sub-Committee, International Trademark Association
  • Member, International Trademark Association
  • Member, Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA)
  • Member, Anti-Counterfeiting Committee, APAA
  • Member, INTA Non-Traditional Marks Asia Pacific Subcommittee
  • Member, Law Society of Singapore
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law