Kewei adds top IP partner Peng Lei to China joint operation with Herbert Smith Freehills

Peng Lei specialises in complex IP, patent and antitrust-related litigation across industries, particularly manufacturing, tech and consumer goods, and has represented international household names as well as China's biggest businesses.

Herbert Smith Freehills is one of only eight international law firms permitted to integrate China law advice with international legal services through its joint operation with Kewei in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

"IP and patent disputes capability is in demand from our clients, and Peng Lei is the perfect partner to launch this new practice for our firm," said Kewei international partner Gavin Guo. "He's an emerging leader in this area, offering experience with both domestic and international clients, in China's courts, and with regulators."

Peng will work closely with Herbert Smith Freehills' global IP team, who offer an integrated international offering for some of the world’s largest companies, and already shares many clients with the team.

"Peng is as comfortable advising in-house counsel in California as conducting advocacy in Beijing's courts," said partner and IP practice co-lead Rebekah Gay. "We're pleased to be able to offer clients access to our own China IP disputes capability through such a distinguished lawyer as Peng and our friends at Kewei – this is an exciting new chapter for our global IP team."

The joint operation, Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei, formally launched in August 2019 and its services have been in heavy demand from international and China clients since launch.

"This is a major and logical expansion of our capabilities in China with Kewei, given the growing demand from the firm's clients for IP capacity in China," said May Tai, Herbert Smith Freehills' Asia managing partner. "Over the past two years, the success of our joint operation with Kewei has exceeded all our expectations."

"Peng's appointment marks a new round of investment and expansion in our joint capabilities to build on this success and to meet ever-growing client demand."

科伟律师事务所迎来顶级知识产权合伙人雷鹏律师，该任命将扩充科伟与史密夫斐尔律师事务所联营办公室在知识产权与专利争议解决领域的业务。

雷鹏律师擅长复杂的知识产权、专利和反垄断诉讼，业务涉及多个行业，重点聚焦于制造、科技和消费品行业，为众多国际知名企业以及中国大型企业提供服务。

史密夫斐尔律师事务所通过与设立在上海自贸区的科伟律师事务所开展联营，是目前仅有的八家获准将中国法律服务与国际法律服务相结合的国际律师事务所之一。

科伟史密夫斐尔联营办公室资深国际顾问郭武汉表示：“我们的客户亟需知识产权和专利争议解决方面的法律服务，雷鹏律师正是助力我们推出这一全新业务的绝佳合作伙伴。雷律师是这一领域的新兴领导者，拥有为国内外客户服务的丰富经验，能够代理其在中国法院的诉讼以及和监管机构进行沟通。”

雷鹏律师将与史密夫斐尔全球知识产权团队密切合作，为世界大型企业提供整合型国际法律服务，并已着手与团队分享客户。

史密夫斐尔合伙人兼知识产权业务联席主管Rebekah Gay表示：“无论是为加州的企业内部法律顾问提供咨询，还是在北京的法院为客户代理诉讼，雷律师都能够应对自如。我们非常兴奋，能够通过如此优秀的律师以及我们在科伟的合作伙伴，向客户提供中国知识产权争议解决领域的服务，这为我们全球知识产权团队开启了一个激动人心的新篇章。”

科伟史密夫斐尔联营办公室于2019年8月正式成立。自成立以来，联营办公室推出的法律服务一直受到了国内外客户的青睐。

史密夫斐尔亚洲区管理合伙人戴枫媚表示：“鉴于客户对中国知识产权法律服务日益增长的需求，我们与科伟进行了此次重大且顺应发展的中国业务扩展。联营办公室在过去两年取得了超出预期的成功。”

“雷律师的加入标志着我们对联营办公室进行的新一轮投资和扩展。我们期待在现有基础上再接再厉，以满足不断增长的客户需求。”

ABOUT PENG LEI

Fluent in Mandarin and English, Peng Lei obtained bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from China's prestigious Tsinghua University in 2003 and 2006 respectively.

He then joined the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) as a patent examiner in 2006, before working at King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing as an IP litigator for five years. He joined Han Kun Law Offices in 2015 and attended the building-up of its IP team from early stage.

Peng Lei is a committee member of the Patent Law Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, and recognised as an expert in handling cross-border IP disputes by that association.

雷鹏律师简介

雷律师精通中文和英文， 分别于2003年和2006年取得清华大学工学学士和硕士学位。

雷律师自2006年开始在国家知识产权局任专利审查员。之后，他加入金杜律师事务所北京办公室，作为知识产权诉讼律师工作五年。2015年，雷律师加入汉坤律师事务所，并参与其知识产权团队的早期建设。

雷律师是北京市律协专利法律委员会委员，并入选北京市律协涉外律师人才库（知识产权、诉讼）。