WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 21, 2012 – Morrison & Foerster is pleased to announce that intellectual property litigator Johnny Chiu has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as a partner.
Mr. Chiu has extensive experience representing China- and Taiwan-based technology companies in IP litigation before the International Trade Commission and in U.S. federal and state courts. His arrival deepens the firm’s resources for representing Chinese and Taiwanese companies in patent and Section 337 matters before the ITC, an increasingly influential forum for cross-border IP disputes. Raised in Taiwan and fluent in Mandarin and Taiwanese, Mr. Chiu brings to Morrison & Foerster substantial experience guiding companies from China, Taiwan, and elsewhere in Asia through the intricacies of IP litigation in the United States.
Morrison & Foerster has a significant ITC practice and this year has handled cases for Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Cypress Semiconductor, Fujitsu and Huawei Technologies, among others.
“Johnny has built a robust patent litigation practice focused on Chinese and Taiwanese technology companies, which are increasingly drawn into matters before the U.S. courts and the ITC,” said Alexander J. Hadjis, co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. “His language skills and familiarity with Chinese law and culture assure he will be an invaluable resource for our clients.”
Mr. Chiu spends a significant amount of time in mainland China and Taiwan, where many of his clients maintain operation and manufacturing facilities. He formerly served as U.S. Chief Legal Officer for one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers based in Taiwan. Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Mr. Chiu was an IP litigation partner in Covington & Burling’s Washington, D.C. office.
“In defending against claims brought at the ITC, Chinese companies are in the same place Taiwanese companies were 10 years ago and Japanese companies 20 years ago,” said Mr. Chiu. “They are coming to see the value in energetically taking on ITC claims, in partnership with skilled and knowledgeable counsel. I am very pleased to join Morrison & Foerster, which has renowned intellectual property and ITC practices as well as a demonstrated commitment to developing its IP litigation practice in East Asia.”
Mr. Chiu earned a J.D. from Tulane University School of Law and an LL.M. at American University, Washington College of Law. He received an LL.B. from Fu-Jen Catholic University in Taipei, Taiwan.
U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers recently named Morrison & Foerster its Technology “Law Firm of the Year,” and The National Law Journal included the firm in its inaugural 2012 Intellectual Property Hot List. The firm’s IP practice is highly ranked in Chambers Global for intellectual property and Asia-wide intellectual property, and Legal 500 US for patent litigation and ITC litigation, among other directories.