IP-focused firm Cho & Partners was established in 2002 by partners Tae-Yeon Cho and Ik-Hyun Seo. It is widely recognised in the market for its high-quality representation, particularly in trademark litigation matters. Although the firm, led by the two partners, is not large in size, it punches above its weight with a stellar roster of multinational and domestic clients across a broad spectrum of sectors. The firm has a diverse offering in all aspects of IP, from trademark and patent prosecution to anti-counterfeiting and copyright matters. It has recently been active in domain name disputes, with Cho acting as outside counsel for the Internet Address Domain Name Dispute Resolution Committee. Seo is a panellist for the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Client feedback
"While Cho & Partners is a smaller boutique firm, they competently compete with the largest general practice firms in Korea both in terms of capabilities and the quality of clients they represent. Even for us, the trademark work was transferred to Cho & Partners several years ago from one of the largest firms in Korea." – Intellectual property
"They possess expertise in their field, are attentive to their clients' needs, and consistently deliver excellent results." – Intellectual property
Tae-Yeon Cho
“One of the key strengths of Mr. Cho is his creativity and willingness to think outside the box to find practical solutions even in complex matters. He is very strong in formulating long-term strategies, always looking several steps ahead of others.”
Ik-Hyun Seo
“He is a reliable partner. Extremely professional and knowledgeable in the field of IP and brand protection.”
Work highlights
Represented Microsoft Corporation in litigation against Asiamuyeok for cancellation of their domain name and for an injunction against their sale of product keys for Windows 10 program software on their website. This case regarding product keys provided with licensed software marks the first time such an issue has been considered by the courts in Korea. The ruling is therefore likely to have important ramifications for the common unauthorised resale of product keys in the country, setting a new legal precedent on this matter.
Represented French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton in a civil action against Korean entities that organised an exhibition featuring works from an artist who uses logos of world-famous companies in his works, as among the works displayed at the exhibition were works using modified versions of Louis Vuitton’s logo. This particular case presents an intriguing matter pertaining to the definition of protected art and the boundaries of fair use, which remains untested within the Korean judicial system.
Key clients
Apple, Burberry, Crocs, Intel.
