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Bronze - Individuals: prosecution
Following its merger with Davies Collison Cave, DCC Advanz Malaysia now has access to the group’s global network, which comes in handy while covering international and multi-jurisdictional matters. The technically minded team of eight patent experts handles anything across the non-contentious range, including drafting, and is also adept at providing practical and effective advice on contentious matters. At the forefront of the practice is computing expert Debbie David, who has a talent for strategically developing the patent portfolios of domestic clients. She is in high demand for her straightforward advice and ability to simplify complex concepts. Armed with a medical sciences degree and haematology research experience at a major Australian hospital, Wing Hang Foong heads the patent division. She manages and prosecutes patents across complex technical areas such as virology, neurology and pharmaceuticals. Senior associate Jia Woei Chong is similarly well-versed in medical sciences. Founder consultant Jern Ern Chuah is qualified in Malaysia and in England and Wales, and has led the company for more than 20 years. Now he focuses on dispensing insightful advice regarding IP strategy, valuation and commercialisation.
Jia Woei Chong's Profile
Jia Woei Chong is a senior associate within the patents department at DCC Advanz Malaysia Sdn Bhd. She graduated from the University of Malaya with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and also holds a Masters in Medical Science. Prior to her career in intellectual property, she was a research officer in a research center, where she helped developed medical devices for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing. Jia Woei is a registered patent agent of Malaysia.
With her extended knowledge and background in biology and medical science, Jia Woei is adept in the prosecution of patents across a wide range of fields in the engineering and life sciences space, apart from her general focus across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and food science. She is proficient across all areas of patent practice, from carrying out prior art searches and freedom to operate searches, to the drafting and prosecution of patents, as well as infringement analysis.
In working with clients, Jia Woei prioritizes their interests first, and seeks to first understand the client’s expectations and requirements before formulating the appropriate advice and solutions. Resourceful and analytical, Jia Woei often considers innovative ideas and resolutions in helping clients achieve their goals, and is very focused and detail oriented in the work that she does.
Jia Woei’s proficiency in the Chinese language allows her the added ability to build stronger engagements and relationships with the company’s Chinese speaking clients, and she presently coordinates the patent team’s initiatives in this area.
Firm Profile
[Note: As of 11 October 2022, Advanz Fidelis IP Sdn Bhd has integrated with Davies Collison Cave, and is now known as DCC Advanz Malaysia Sdn Bhd. This creates a wealth of opportunities and synergies between the two companies – the introduction of the DCC brand into the Malaysian market, and the expansion of the capacity of DCC to provide services across Asia Pacific with its present footprint across Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Hong Kong.]
DCC Advanz Malaysia Sdn Bhd (DCC Advanz) is an IP specialist corporation in Malaysia that offers a fully integrated IP service under one roof, from registration and portfolio management to advice on contentious matters (both advisory and consultation) and the physical implementation of policies relating to clients’ IP needs.
Strength in IP services
The people at DCC Advanz make up a well-rounded team, covering a wide range of disciplines. The company is specifically equipped to assist clients through all stages of IP development. The consulting arms are divided across four areas: technical research and patent development, legal and regulatory, business advisory and commercialisation. This has enabled the company to become the leading comprehensive provider of IP services in Malaysia.
The team comprises 25 professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including registered patent, trademark and industrial design agents, lawyers (non-practising), engineers, scientists, business advisers and commercialisation and accounting professionals. All of them share a voracious curiosity and passion for innovative solutions, which is the central and key core value of the company.
DCC Advanz has a very strong patent team, with team members from diverse backgrounds ranging from science to engineering. The team is one of few in Malaysia to take on patent drafting projects, and is recognised throughout the world. The team regularly push the boundaries in IP prosecution strategies, resulting in a number of success stories for novel IP filings and registrations in Malaysia.
The commercialisation and contentious divisions of the patent team are also very active, as is the IP consulting team. Both take on a large amount of cross-jurisdictional dispute resolution, negotiation and advisory work. Of note is DCC Advanz’s involvement as the IP adviser to the state of Sarawak and in the development of policies and frameworks for key government agencies and government-linked corporations. The company regularly helps its clients to develop IP strategies and action plans on how best to protect and commercialise existing and future intellectual property.
In addition, the company is renowned for its IP education services, which it provides for senior management of companies both large and small, specific industries, individual IP owners and even civil service personnel. With the ability to communicate complex subjects in a clear and understandable manner, its programmes have been extremely successful, with attendees reporting that they can easily appreciate, remember and apply key IP concepts.
Experience
What differentiates DCC Advanz from its competitors is its belief that IP must be considered from a business-centric perspective. The company is focused on ensuring that its end results have an enriching and beneficial effect on all of its clients. Using this approach, client advice is rendered with the aim of ensuring that the IP goals to be achieved are set from a business perspective, enabling clients to understand the importance and benefits of intellectual property in their business.
Through this approach, the company has garnered a wide range of experience spanning a diverse variety of topics. As well as standard IP prosecution activities, it is involved in:
the creation and development of comprehensive training programmes, audits and IP strategies
the development of strategic IP portfolios
the commercialisation of IP assets
the provision of strategic advice on dispute resolution
enforcement
the development of IP policy frameworks
the development of IP management systems
hands-on representation and negotiations for IP transactions and commercial agreements
DCC Advanz continues to innovate and improve on the services that it provides, and aims to offer clients a comprehensive and continuously growing range of services that meet and exceed their expectations.
Awards
DCC Advanz has regularly been recognised as a leading IP practice in Malaysia by its peers, overseas associates, survey groups and IP industry publications. It regularly wins awards and mentions, either by itself or through its consultants.
