Asian Business Law Institute launches in Singapore

In a bid to help simplify the process of cross-border business the Asian Business Institute officially opened yesterday (January 21st). The organisation will help multi-national businesses to navigate the minefield of rules and regulations across their markets and is overseen by judges and other legal professionals from Australia, China, India and Singapore. The Institute will research policy options and convergence of laws in certain areas.
 
India to become international legal hub
The governments of India and the UK have jointly issued a statement following recent talks about trade between the two countries and the liberalization of the India’s legal market. The statement notes that India’s finance minister Alun Jaitley has expressed his support for enabling foreign lawyers to establish a presence in India, provide legal advice on non-Indian law and transact services as per regulations to be framed and to employ and enter partnerships with Indian lawyers.” The aim is for India to become an international legal hub as the world’s largest common law jurisdiction.
 
Off-shore law partner to speak on Hong Kong’s role in restructuring
Ian Mann, head of litigation, restructuring and insolvency at Harneys Hong Kong is to speak at a conference in Dubai in a discussion about the region’s role as a restructuring centre of excellence. He will address the INSOL conference which starts this weekend, with a particular focus on techniques aimed at avoiding formal insolvency filings as well as a debate on the relevance of new local laws and the prospect of these being adopted in the global restructuring arena.
 
BLP advised on iconic ‘black cab’ trademark case
International law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner has successfully advised on a case of trademark infringement and passing off centering on the iconic shape of London’s black taxis. BLP’s client Frazer-Nash was accused of copying the shape in order to deceive taxi drivers and the public that its new Metrocab is one of The London Taxi Company’s vehicles. The court ruled that there was a low degree of similarity and declared the trade marks to be invalid. BLP’s head of IP Simon Clark commented: “Taxi drivers will know who made the car they are buying and taxi passengers don’t care. Shape marks will only be registrable if the shape in itself acts as an indication of source.”