Mastering IP Filing: Insights from Leading Authors – Kluwer Trademark Blog

The Manual IP, also known as the Brown Book, is a comprehensive publication. It covers a lot of information on patents/utility models, trademarks and designs for 240 jurisdictions around the world. To keep this information up to date is a large task for us as publisher, but also for the many local authors that review these chapters each year and make sure the latest information is available. Each year we put three companies in a spotlight for their exceptional cooperation on making the Manual IP such a big success.

First of all, we have Ana de Sampaio and Nuno Gouveia of J.E. Dias Costa, who cover multiple countries from the African continent as well as the Portuguese chapter. Secondly, there is Xia Zheng of AFD China, who has one of the challenging jurisdictions, where a lot can change between updates. Lastly is a newcomer to the Manual IP family, Jah & Co’s IP team, represented by Jehad Ali Hasan. The company gave us a completely new chapter on Aden, besides updating 3 other chapters as well.

We had a chat with these authors on their jurisdiction(s) and the work on the Manual IP.

Not only beneficial for the readers

Each chapter of the Manual IP is consistent, all have the same headings due to the standard table of contents. Xia says “The structure of Manual IP is well organized, offering clear topic arrangements for easy information retrieval. Also, it provides comprehensive and concise details, making it a valuable resource.”

The structure is just a small part of the Manual IP, the content is what makes this such a valuable resource. The authors agree that this is not only beneficial for the readers “Contribution to this publication enhances our own information-based approach and gives us an opportunity to thoroughly review all the practices.” says Jehad. Nuno echoes this, “It also allows us to keep up to date with legal and regulatory changes in various jurisdictions, which is essential for providing accurate and relevant information to readers.”

Nuno continues, “Working on a publication like the Manual IP is a challenging experience as we have the opportunity to contribute to such a respected and widely used resource in the field of Intellectual Property.”

Constantly changing landscape

With 240 jurisdictions, there is always a few each year that require a bit more attention. New laws, updated regulations and other important developments are implemented by these authors. Xia thinks back to an update of a few years ago, “When the Chinese Patent Law was amended in 2020, a lot of amendments were involved and we needed to review the Chapter in detail to ensure all the amendments were updated. This took a large quantity of time, but we think it was worthwhile, since we were working on something big that would benefit numerous readers.”

Besides these ‘major’ revisions, there always seem to be some changes that need to incorporated in the chapters. Whether it is updating of the fees, PPH information or other details, there always seems to be something going on in the world of IP. Something that is clear to all our authors.

Nuno, “The biggest challenge in providing updates to chapters is keeping up with the constant evolution of intellectual property laws and regulations. Sometimes changes can be frequent and significant, ranging from minor legislative amendments to complete reforms.”

Jehad, “Intellectual Property rights in our jurisdiction are constantly evolving being the Middle East countries in this region are updating their local laws and practices to unify them to international standards.”

Updating the Manual IP

All the information needs to be added to the several jurisdictions by the local experts. Nuno’s company is responsible for multiple jurisdictions, “The diversity of jurisdictions involved also adds an extra layer of complexity, requiring a detailed understanding of the legal specificities of each country, especially in jurisdictions where it is more difficult to search and understand whether or not the changes are already in force.”

Even with one jurisdiction, this can be challenging says Xia, “Addressing time gaps between revision of the Patent Law and revision of its implementing regulations and patent examination guidelines is another challenge we face. But, anytime we are updating the China chapter, we will provide the up-to-date information that we have and will do our best to keep the readers informed of the latest development.”

Advice to others in the field

Nuno says, “The field of Intellectual Property is dynamic and constantly evolving, so it’s crucial to take part in ongoing training and seminars, as well as regularly consulting reliable sources such as the Manual IP. It is also important to network with other professionals in the field to exchange experiences and knowledge.”

Jehad notes that having a network is very important, “It is always advisable for right holders to be in touch with active practitioners in each jurisdiction and have a strategic planning and outlook with securing their IP rights.”

Xia’s final thoughts, “Our advice for readers working on IP Rights in China is that when it comes to specific cases, they should analyze the specific situation of each case, which is the key to figuring out a proper solution. If they have any concerns, please feel free to reach out to us and we will do our best to assist.”

Reach out

More information on the Manual IP and what it could do for your company can be found here

If you would like to reach out to these local experts, please contact them via

J.E. Dias Costa –  jedc@jedc.pt

Jah & Co –  info@jahcoip.com

AFD China – patent@afdip.com

Our editors, Martin Luten of Arnold & Siedsma and Alan Potter, make sure that the information throughout the Manual IP is consistent and complete.

Martin Luten – ipmanual@arnold-siedsma.nl

Alan Potter – alan@everydog.co.nz

Interested in becoming a contributor, please click here for more information!

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