Melvin is a Director of Amica Law LLC and his legal practice primarily focuses on IP litigation and enforcement, managing the trade mark portfolios for both local and international clients as well as handling and advising on pharmaceutical regulatory compliance and the patent linkage process in Singapore.

 

Melvin regularly advises and represents locally listed corporations as well as Fortune 500 companies, including Starbucks and Amazon in the end-to-end protection of their brand and trade mark portfolios. This includes managing the prosecution of their trade marks, handling infringement, opposition and invalidation actions at both the Registry and Court-levels, as well as devising and executing anti-counterfeiting and enforcement strategies.  

 

Melvin also has extensive experience in the field of trade mark and patent litigation and has advised and acted for clients across diverse fields, ranging from representing an Italian manufacturer of porcelain stoneware tiles in a trade mark opposition action before the Court of Appeal - the highest court in Singapore - to acting for a De Beers subsidiary in relation to one of the largest patent infringement suits in Singapore to date for the manufacture and sale of synthetic diamonds.

 

Melvin also has a strong pharmacological advisory and litigation practice and has advised and acted for listed pharmaceuticals such as Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, Sun Pharmaceuticals and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in local regulatory as well as patent linkage and infringement proceedings.

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Experience

 

Sample matters on which Melvin has been involved in are:

• Representing Element Six Technologies Limited (a subsidiary of De Beers), together with instructed Senior Counsel, in one of the largest Singapore patent infringement suits to date against IIA Technologies Pte Ltd, concerning the latter’s investment of more than S$200 million in launching the world’s largest diamond greenhouse for the growth of synthetic diamonds in Singapore

• Representing Pfizer and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in defending against patent infringement actions brought under the Health Products Act for the distribution of a generic anti-cancer drug in the High Court

• Representing Sanofi-Aventis in defending against a patent infringement action brought under the Medicines Act in relation to a drug for the treatment of high cholesterol in the High Court

• Representing Ceramiche Caesar S.P.A. in a trade mark opposition action before the Singapore Court of Appeal against Caesarstone Sdot-Yam, a publicly listed company in the United States. This landmark judgment provides guidance on novel issues of trade mark law in Singapore relating to the threshold for appellate intervention in an appeal against a PAR’s decision and the likelihood of confusion test in relation to products/services where less consumer attention is paid to the marks

• Representing T2 Singapore Pte. Ltd. in a global dispute against TWG Tea Company Pte. Ltd. for use of the latter’s allegedly proprietary tea blend names, spanning a High Court trade mark infringement and passing off action and multiple opposition proceedings

• Representing Luke’s Lobster and their local franchisee in a trade mark infringement and passing off action brought by Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House

• Representing ExxonMobil in defending against various patent revocation actions in relation to its patents for the conversion of oxygenates to olefins

• Representing E&J Gallo Winery in successfully applying for the partial invalidation of the well-known MARTINI registered trade mark owned by Bacardi & Company Limited

• Representing Starbucks Corporation in an opposition action against a Japanese beverage company for the registration of a similar logo

• Representing Courts (Singapore) Pte Ltd, one of the leading electrical, IT and furniture retailers in Singapore, in defending against a claim for comparative advertising trade mark infringement brought by a competitor in the High Court

• Advising on the pharmaceutical regulatory and approval process, including overseeing the local registration of pharmaceutical products with the Singapore Health Sciences Authority

• Defending against a High Court action for misuse of confidential information in relation to the manufacture and operation of a contact lens spinner machine

• Acting in an international arbitration in a dispute relating to a distribution agreement with a major cosmetic company

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Education

 

• LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore (2008)

• Admitted to the Singapore Bar (2009)

• Final Year / Overall Dean’s List at NUS Law School

• APAA Patent Law Book Prize Winner awarded to the best student in the Intellectual Property module at NUS Law School

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Accolades

 

• Chambers Asia Pacific 2022 – Intellectual Property: Domestic: Litigation – Singapore – Up and Coming: Melvin Pang has a burgeoning practice in Singapore focused on trade mark and patent infringement cases. "Melvin is extremely competent and is always happy to share his knowledge if it allows the client to achieve the best desired result," enthuses one source.

• Who’s Who Legal – Life Sciences (2023, 2022) – Patent Litigation

• The Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2018/2019, 2020/2021)

• Managing Intellectual Property – Trade Mark Star (2019/2020), (2020/2021)

• WTR 1000 The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2019 cited Melvin as a “rising star” and “a dexterous operator across the contentious/non-contentious divide”.

• WTR 1000 The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2021 featured client commendations for Melvin’s “outstanding service” and “Always incredibly responsive, Melvin has impressed me with his ability to achieve favourable resolutions to complex IP enforcement matters quickly and efficiently.” 

• WTR 1000 The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2019, 2020, 2021 – Individual Citation for Enforcement and Litigation.

• IAM Patent 1000 The World’s Leading Patent Professionals 2019 cited Melvin as “young but capable… having acted recently for Pfizer Private Limited and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in key pharmaceutical battles”.

•  IAM Patent 1000 The World’s Leading Patent Professionals 2021 featured client commendations for Melvin as “quick to grasp the issues and pick up his client’s concerns and wishes. He is expert at providing legal advice that evaluates all the options, considers the business as well as the legal aspects, weighs up the pros and cons, and delivers a concise, reasoned recommendation.”

• IAM Patent 1000 The World’s Leading Patent Professionals 2021 – Individual Citation for Patent Litigation

• Asia Law 2023 Rising Star

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Publications

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• Contributing Editor to the Intellectual Property sections of Singapore Civil Procedure (The White Book) (2021)

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Memberships & Appointments

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• Primary Representative, Emerging IP Rights Committee (Singapore) of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA)

• Member, Enforcement Committee of the International Trademark Association (INTA)

• Member, Intellectual Property Standing Committee of the Law Society of Singapore

• Member, Institute of Singapore Trade Mark Agents

• Member, Singapore Academy of Law

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Key Practice Areas

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• Brands & IP Portfolio Management

• E-commerce & Domain Names

• Employment & Immigration

• Information Technology

• Life Sciences

• Litigation, Dispute Resolution & IP Rights Enforcement

• Trade Marks, Patent, Design & Copyright Protection

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