Thierry DEBLED

Thierry DEBLED worked as patent engineer for 26 years in various industrial companies: AGC (manufacture of flat glass), UCB (polymer, pharmacy, plastic films (packaging and banknotes)) and VESUVIUS (refractory materials and steel casting control devices).

From 1998 to 2016 with Vesuvius, he managed the international branch of the patent department which he created, organized and directed. He contributed to the generation and development of the company’s patent portfolio. He also developed expertise in the definition of intellectual property strategies to support the company’s sales activities and in licence contract negotiation. He has extensive experience in opposition proceedings with the European Patent Office.

Thierry DEBLED joined LLR as a versatile patent engineer. He drafts patent applications and follows European and international granting procedures. In addition, he advises clients on their industrial property strategy, assists them in litigation and carries out patentability and freedom-to-operate studies.

In 2021, Thierry DEBLED was elected as the first President of the Belgian Institute of Patent Attorneys.

Interventions & conferences

Co-organiser of the CEIPI colloquium on ‘How harmonised is patent law in Europe?’ in Strasbourg (11-12 October 2023)
Organiser of CEIPI courses on European patent law in Athens (16 and 23 February 2023)
Lecturer at the University of Lille on ‘Procedure for granting titles’ (17 February – 10 May 2023)
Speaker on ‘Conditions of patentability: Elements of synthesis’ and closing of the online conference ‘What is the degree of harmonisation of patent law in Europe?
National case law vs. the European Patent Office: similarities and differences’ – CEIPI (12 October 2023)
Moderator of the round table at the online conference ‘Best practices and opportunities in international patenting’ – Visegrad Patent Institute (22 November 2022)
Speaker at the ‘WORKSHOP COMPULSORY LICENSING IN THE FIELD OF IPR’ – European Commission / CEIPI (9 June 2022)
Participation in the conference ‘25 years of the local basic training course’ in Copenhagen – CEIPI (2 May 2022)
Moderator of the round table at the online conference ‘Filing strategies in V4 countries’ – Visegrad Patent Institute (7 July 2021)
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Last teaching activities

2023 :

Teacher of the Intellectual property law’s course « Procedure for issuing titles » – University of Lille (23 February, 14, 21, 28 April & 5, 12, 9 May)
Teacher of the course « Introduction to Intellectual property (Patents) » in Athens – CEIPI (22 February)
Teacher of the course « U.S. Patent law » and « Industrial property service in industry: role and organization, problems encountered » – HEAD School (17 February)

2022 :

EQE preparation seminar for EPO examiners – CEIPI-EPO (10 and 11 December)
Basic training in European patent law (distance learning course, Kurt Haertel promotion) – CEIPI (8 December)
Basic training in European patent law in Brussels – CEIPI (6 December)
EQE test preparation seminar – CEIPI (24 to 28 October)
Basic training in European patent law in Helsinki – CEIPI (23 September)
Preparation course for the EQE tests A, B and C – CEIPI (16 & 17 September and 14 to 18 November)
Basic training in European patent law (distance learning course, Paul Mathély and Bob Van Benthem promotions) – CEIPI (13 & 15 September)
Tutor of the course “Information to the Public” in the context of the basic training in European patent law (distance learning course, Bob Van Benthem promotion) – CEIPI (30 June)
Teacher of the course “AI and patent enforcement” in the context of the D.U. Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property – CEIPI (24 June)
Introduction to intellectual property for students of the Master in Chemistry – Université Libre de Bruxelles (28 & 29 April)
Intervention in the DU European Patent Litigation on the topic INTERVENTIONS & CONFÉRENCES : – Participation à la conférence "Les 25 ans du cours de formation de base local" à Copenhague – CEIPI (2 mai 2022) DERNIÈRES ACTIVITÉS D'ENSEIGNEMENT 2022 : – Cours d'initiation à la propriété intellectuelle pour les étudiants du Master en Chimie – Université Libre de Bruxelles (28 & 29 avril) – Intervention dans le DU European Patent Litigation sur le thème "Droits conférés par le brevet unitaire" – CEIPI (22 avril) ACTIVITÉS COMPLÉMENTAIRES – Enseignant au module "Propriété industrielle à l’ère du numérique : Brevets, licences et construction d’un portefeuille PI" et membre du jury d'examen “Droits conférés par le brevet unitaire” (“Rights conferred by the unitary patent”) – CEIPI (22 April)
Teacher at the MAV → AVE : merci de mettre à jour les mini-CV - pour TD : → ACTIVITÉS COMPLÉMENTAIRES : Enseignant au module "Propriété industrielle à l’ère du numérique : Brevets, licences et construction d’un portefeuille PI" à l’École des Hautes Études Appliquées du Droit → DERNIÈRES ACTIVITÉS D'ENSEIGNEMENT : 2022 : Enseignant des cours "Service PI dans l'industrie" et "Droit américain des brevets" – École HEAD (24. février & 25 mars) - pour VR CET GB SF : → ACTIVITÉS D'ENSEIGNEMENT : Enseignant au(x) cours [voir les intitulés dans le commentaire interne“Droit américain des brevets” (“US Patent Law”) course – HEAD School (25 March)
Basic training in European patent law in Vilnius (Modules L4 – European Regional Phase Entry) – CEIPI (4 March)
Teacher at the “Service PI dans l’industrie” (“IP Service in Industry”) course – HEAD School (24 February)
Teacher of the IP (Patents) Introductory Course for Academics in Greece (Module 10 – Patent Strategies) – CEIPI (23 February)
Teacher of the IP (Patents) Introductory Course for Academics in Greece (Module 9 – Freedom of Exploitation II) – CEIPI (16 February)
Teacher of the Introductory Course on Intellectual Property (Patents) for Academics in Greece (Module 8 – Freedom of Exploitation I) – CEIPI (9 February)
Teacher of the introductory course on Intellectual Property (Patents) for Academics in Greece (Module 7 – Patent Databases) – CEIPI (2 February)
Tutor at the intensive course preparing for the EQE 2022 – CEIPI (29 January)
Tutor for the basic course in European Patent Law – CEIPI (13 and 25 January)
Teacher of the Introduction to IP course – CEIPI, Academy of the Greek IP Office, Academy of European Public Law (12 and 19 January)

2021 :

Member of the jury of Jean-Marc DELTORN’s PhD thesis in Law “Invention, the inventor and the automaton: patent law tested by artificial intelligence” – University of Strasbourg (13 December)
Teacher of the course “Corporate strategy(s) in Intellectual Property” – CEIPI (11 December)
Training of EPO examiners preparing for the pre-EQE test (4 and 5 December)
Teaching the Introduction to Intellectual Property Course – CEIPI, Academy of the Greek IP Office, Academy of European Public Law (17 and 24 November; 8, 15 and 22 December)
Participation in the examination board for the oral qualification test as a Belgian representative – OPRI (22 November)
Tutor at the preparation seminar for the EQE preliminary examination – CEIPI (8 to 12 November)

Professional Organisations

Belgian Institute of Patent Attorneys
epi
LES BENELUX et LES France
AIPPI et AnBPPI
CNCPI

Complementary Activities

President of the Belgian Institute of Patent Attorneys
Associate professor at the University of Strasbourg (European patent law)
Director of the International Section of the CEIPI
Member of the CEIPI Administrative Council (and of the Board)
CEIPI teacher (basic training courses and EQE preparation seminars)
Lecturer (Universités Libre de Bruxelles, Catholique de Louvain, Université de Skopje)
Teacher of the module “Propriété industrielle à l’ère du numérique : Brevets, licences et construction d’un portefeuille PI” (“Industrial property in the digital age: Patents, licences and construction of an IP portfolio”) and member of the examination board at the École des Hautes Études Appliquées du Droit
Member of the professional representative accreditation commission (Belgium) – Renewal by ministerial order of 22 November 2021
Member of the EPI Disciplinary Commission
Member of the Intellectual Property Council (Belgium)

Yann COUILLARD

After spending 7 years with Peugeot Citroën Automobiles and 9 years with ICB (a consultancy firm part of the Swatch watchmaking group), Yann Couillard joined LLR in 2016 as patent engineer specialized in the field of materials, physics and mechanics.

He drafts patent applications and follows up French, Swiss, European and foreign grant procedures. He also advises his clients on their industrial property strategies, assists them with potential litigations and conducts patentability and freedom-to-operate studies.

Yann Couillard is mainly involved in the following fields:

Materials: polymers, silicon, metal alloys, electroformed metals, corundum, ruby ;
Automotive: suspension, structure, powertrain, hybridization, air conditioning, interior design, energy management, tires, bodywork;
Watchmaking: resonators, escapements, gears, tribology, anti-shock bearings, energy sources; and
Optics: optical correction of ametropia, lens manufacturing, active or passive optical filters, connected glasses, ophthalmological examination equipment.

Professional Organisations

CNCPI

Complementary activities

Member of the jury of the French examination of aptitude of candidates for the registration on the list of qualified persons in industrial property (EQF), mention patents

Qiang CEN

Qiang CEN had already work in another French IP firm before joining our team in July 2014.

He provides legal services in prosecution, valorization and protection of trademarks, designs, copyrights and domain names, particularly for Chinese clients operating in Europe and European Clients active in the Chinese market.

Interventions and conferences

Speaker at the conference

Marie FROMM

Marie FROMM worked as a lawyer in an industrial property firm before joining our team in March 2013.

She provides consultancy services to her customers in the various steps before and after the application procedure for trademarks (availability searches, oppositions, official letters, negotiations, legal notices) and models. She provides legal advice in all intellectual property sectors. She is also involved in pre-litigation procedures and draws up contracts in French and in English (assignment, licence, co-existence agreement, co-ownership contract).

Her customers are specialized in cosmetics, pharmacy, entertainments, engineering.

Mathilde ESCUDIER

Mathilde ESCUDIER worked as a lawyer during more than a year in a law firm in Paris, where she ensured the follow-up of files regarding trademarks, designs, domain names and unfair competition. She intervened in various fields like textile and jewellery, automotive press and food industry.

In our team since April 2013, she intervenes in the field of protection and defence of industrial property rights by providing consultancy services during availability searches and filing of applications. She is involved in management of rights, in the framework of oppositions or attack and defence litigations, as well as in drawing up contracts, in France and abroad.

She works with clients in the fields of ready-to-wear, beauty care, video gales, childcare and retail.

Audrey DRUMMOND

Before joining our team in May 2016, Audrey DRUMMOND worked as a lawyer in several international firms in France and Singapore, practising in the areas of international contracts and intellectual property. She worked in various fields such as the telecommunications, information technology, music and TV industries.

Within LLR China Trademark, Audrey DRUMMOND provides legal advice in contracts, trademarks, domain names and copyright, most particularly for European clients doing business in China. Audrey DRUMMOND is also specialized in the drafting of contracts in French and in English (assignment, licence, co-existence, co-ownership, partnership and transfer of know-how contracts). Her international experience is an asset to support our clients’ specific needs relating to French, Chinese and Common Law.

Audrey DRUMMOND is also heavily involved in the management of the ChinePI.com blog, for which she has been an active member of the editorial committee and a regular contributor since 2016.

Shujie FENG

After 7 years of studying law in China, Shujie FENG lived 6 years in Paris and obtained his Ph.D. in Law from University Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne. He then joined LLR team in 2007, at Paris. He then helped LLR found LLR China in 2008, which provided trade mark and patent advice to overseas clients.

Shujie FENG now works within LLR China Trademark team and remains a senior consultant for Easytimes IP‘s patents and designs practice.

His work includes trademarks, designs, copyright, domain names and unfair competition law for French, Chinese and foreign customers including SMEs and large groups.

He provides consultancy services to customers in the field of acquisition, protection and defense of industrial property rights and copyright.

He is also Associate Professor of Law and specialized in trademark law, copyright and unfair competition law. He has published high-quality articles on intellectual property issues in French, English and Chinese in international, French and Chinese journals. He has also participated in numerous conferences and has been frequently interviewed by CCTV, China Radio International, etc on Intellectual Property issues. He is also an invited expert for consultancy for government and courts. He has been selected as one of 50 representative persons for the 50th Anniversary of the Sino-French diplomatic relationship.

Interventions & conferences

Participating in the Franco-Chinese IP Day in Beijing (9 November 2023)
Coordinator of the webinar “Intellectual Property Tribunal of the Supreme People’s Court: What Experience on Technology-Related Cases Since 3 Years?” organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (CCI FRANCE CHINE), 8 June 2022
Coordinator at the conference “Patent Protection in China – Application of the 2020 Patent Law” at the CCIFC, 23 February 2022
APRAM Webinar « La lutte contre les dépôts frauduleux et la lutte contre la contrefaçon de marque en Chine après la loi de 2019 » (“The fight against fraudulent filings and the fight against trademark infringement in China after the 2019 law”), 9 February 2022
Expert consultation conference organized by Trademark weekly, October 2013, Beijing
Interview by CCTV French channel on internet finance related problem, August 2013, Beijing
President of the Chinese patent conference in Brussels IP summit, December 2012, Bruxelles
Interview by CCTV French channel on intellectual property protection in China, June 2012
Interview by China Radio International on trademark protection issue in China, March 2012

Teaching Activities

Teacher at the course “IP Litigation and Trademark Law in China” (“Mastère 2 Droit et Pratique des Affaires -Majeure Droit du Numérique et Propriété Intellectuelle” à l’école HEAD)
Coordinator of the training module on Chinese Law 2022 <span id=”noreload_delai_606342_en_attente_de_cip-uuid-ebfa6d20-24c7-4ffe-ac16-4d6a6b3c8935″ class=”cip-field-value” data-cip-field-raw-value=”MAV → AVE : merci de mettre à jour les mini-CV de MT & SF sous : ACTIVITÉS D’ENSEIGNEMENT : – Pour MT : Animatrice du module de formation en Droit Chinois 2022 « La protection des droits de propriété en Chine : les nouvelles mesures apportées par la loi de 2019 sur les marques et les lois de 2020 sur les brevets et les droits d’auteur » organisé par l’AFCDE, 9 mars 2022
« La protection des droits de propriété en Chine : les nouvelles mesures apportées par la loi de 2019 sur les marques et les lois de 2020 sur les brevets et les droits d’auteur » (“The protection of property rights in China: the new measures brought by the 2019 Trademark Law and the 2020 Patent and Copyright Laws”) organized by AFCDE, 9 March 2022

Professional Organisations

Association des praticiens du droit des marques et des modèles (APRAM)
International Trademark Association (INTA)
Chinese association for study and search in intellectual property law

Complementary Activities

Publications:

How Are Unregistered Trademarks Protected in China? in IIC – International Review of intellectual Property and Competition Law, 2013, Munich
Les conditions de protection des marques tridimensionnelles en Chine, in Propriétés intellectuelles, 2013 (co-auteur Gilles Escudier), Paris
La nouveauté comme condition de brevetabilité en droit chinois, in Propriété industrielle, 2013, Paris
Sale of product as disclosure of invention in Chinese patent law, ZHI SHI CHAN QUAN (Intellectual Property), 2012.vol.2 ,Beijing
La détermination de la divulgation en ligne avec les preuves électroniques, ZHI SHI CHAN QUAN (Propriété intellectuelle), 2011, Beijing
La frontière entre l’interprétation et la création de l’œuvre en droit d’auteur,TH Law Review, n°1, 2011, Beijing
La procédure de l’invalidation des brevets en droit français au regard du droit chinois, Electronics Intellectual Property, n°230, 2010, Beijing
Les régimes spéciaux dans la procédure de demande de brevet en France au regard du droit chinois, Electronics Intellectual Property, n°227, 2010, Beijing
La brevetabilité des méthodes commerciales mises en œuvre par ordinateur Science, Technologie et Droit, n°1, 2010, Beijing
La juridiction compétente et la détermination des actes de contrefaçon de marque en ligne: la pratique en droit français, Science Juridique, n°12, 2008, Shanghai
La protection des inventions biotechnologiques en droit chinois au regard de l’Accord ADPIC et le droit communautaire, Propriété industrielle, n°3, 2007, Paris
La protection des inventions biotechnologiques par le droit de propriété intellectuelle – Étude comparée entre les droits communautaire, français et chinois, Journal international de bioéthique, n°1, 2007, Paris
Le régime juridique des indications géographiques de l’Union Européenne – Remarques après les affaires DS174 et DS290, Forum of international and comparative law, n°2-3, 2008
La mise en oeuvre des décisions de l’ORD de l’OMC en matière de propriété intellectuelle par les pays en développement, Version française : Forum 2005 de la Société Européenne du Droit International, Genève ; Version chinoise : Global Law Review, 2006, Beijing
Droit de propriété intellectuelle et conflit de lois, Revue de la Science Juridique, n°1, 2005, Beijing
L’origine et le développement de la territorialité du droit de propriété intellectuelle, Revue Académique Changhai, n°6, 2004, Changchun
La théorie dépeçage et son perfectionnement en droit international privé concernant la propriété intellectuelle, Revue de l’École Policière de Shandong, n°6, 2004, Jinan
Le régime juridique des indications géographiques des produits agro-alimentaires de l’Union Européenne, Revue Européenne du Droit et de l’Économie, n°6, 2004, Paris

Xin YUAN

After high level studies in both countries, Xin YUAN received his degrees in China (Master from Southwest Jiaotong University) and in France (Engineer from l’École Centrale de Lyon).

Xin YUAN then began his career in ZTE Corporation in the field of telecommunication. He worked there as a project director, in charge of international telecommunication projects and relations between the Chinese supplier and its European and African clients. His major clients were France Telecom and Sentel Telecom.

Xin YUAN joined LLR China’s patent team in 2014, where he gained experience of patent proceedings in China and various foreign countries. LLR China’s patent team became LLR China Patent in 2016, and in 2023 became part of the international department of the Chinese law firm Easytimes IP, which specializes exclusively in intellectual property.

Xin YUAN is a patent engineer in Easytimes IP’s international department. He drafts and files patent applications for inventions, utility models and designs in China. He also follows up grant procedures in China and the rest of the world (particularly including Europe, France, United States, Japan, India and South Korea) and conducts free-to-operate studies.

He is involved in a wide range of technical fields, such as Information Technology, Telecommunication, Mechanical, etc.

Sophie McDADE

Sophie McDADE joined LLR in 2012. After graduating from the CEIPI in 1993, she started her career in Canada, where she qualified as a Canadian and US patent attorney. In 1997, she moved to Scotland, playing an active role in the international development of a British firm. The pan-European dimension of this firm enabled her to acquire in particular the national professional qualifications to pratice as a British, French and European patent attorney. Her technical expertise in drafting patent applications (both in English and French), acquisition, defence and litigations (in particular oppositions and appeal proceedings before the European Patent Office) includes pharmaceutical and biochemical fields (especially biopolymers – tissue repair), immunology, as well as cell and gene therapies for the treatment of various diseases including cancers and hereditary diseases. Her expertise also extends to virology and in particular diagnosis of viral diseases, their treatment (antiviral drugs), vaccines as well as the use of viruses as vectors (phages). Sophie McDADE is also skilled in organic chemistry and straightforward mechanical inventions, especially in the field of prostheses and medical devices. She provides consultancy services to clients on their innovation development strategy and delivers in-house intellectual property awareness courses. She has conducted and supervised numerous due diligence reviews, carried out for acquisition or licensing of technologies. She has also carried out pan-European freedom-to-operate and infringement opinions.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS

The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)
Franco-Scottish Business Club (FSBC)

COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES

« Patents » presentation seminars (FSBC)

Li LIANG

After graduated from Troyes University of Technology in France, Li LIANG joined a leading IP law firm in Beijing and worked there for nearly three years. She was engaged in handling patent applications and office actions and dealt with hundreds of cases of various types, such as Chinese national stage of PCT applications and Chinese applications under Paris Convention.

To strengthen her ties with France, Li LIANG joined LLR China’s patent team in June 2012, where she gained solid experience of patent proceedings in various countries and familiarized herself with Intellectual Property cases related to European, American, Japanese, Indian patents, etc. This patent team became LLR China Patent in 2016, and in 2023 became part of the international department of the Chinese law firm Easytimes IP, which specializes exclusively in intellectual property. Li LIANG is a member of this international department.

Li LIANG’s practice focuses on the technical fields of electrics and mechanics, such as computer hardware and software, semiconductor technology, telecommunication, data processing, medical device, automotive, hydrogen, aviation or else household appliances. Most of her clients are multinational companies, who have been very enthusiastic about her services.