Area of Expertise

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Ashley is an intellectual property and technology lawyer based in Singapore.

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She specialises in both contentious and non-contentious aspects of intellectual property (IP) law. She has represented both MNCs and SMEs across various industry sectors in high profile dispute resolution matters before the Singapore Trade Marks Registry and the Singapore Supreme Court. She also assists clients with negotiations of co-existence agreements and out-of-court settlements.

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In relation to non-contentious aspects of IP law, Ashley has significant experience advising some of the most valuable brands in the world on their IP pre-filing strategies, portfolio management and enforcement in the region, including in Southeast Asia, Indian Sub-continent and Greater China. She regularly reviews and drafts licensing, assignment, franchising, NDAs and other IP agreements.

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In addition, she assists in conducting IP due diligence in complex transactions and advises on the structuring of technology transfer, joint ventures or partnerships agreements, along with drafting procurement, distribution or reseller, manufacturing and supply agreements.

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Apart from IP matters, she routinely advises companies and start-ups on various employment and data privacy matters, as well as regulatory compliance in complex or novel areas such as gaming, gambling and cybersecurity in technology-related transactions involving software, blockchain and cloud computing on e-commerce and other online platforms.

Prior to joining the firm, she practised at a leading regional law firm and was the head of trademarks of the Singapore office of an international patents firm.

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Ashley graduated from the National University of Singapore, where she was awarded the Kent Ridge Undergraduate Scholarship.

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Interests

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Ashley has a keen interest in emerging technologies as much as emerging restaurants.

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As a strong supporter of the local arts scene, Ashley is a contributing author to the legal handbook for the creative industry, entitled “Advocates for the Arts”, which is published by the Law Society Pro Bono Services. She is also a co-author of the Singapore chapter of the ITech Law Association’s annual Startup Legal Playbook publication for technology start-ups.

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Representative Experience

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Ashley’s experience* includes:

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Advisory

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• Advising a world-leading media company on various licensing, gambling and other regulatory issues in relation to a marketing campaign for world's best-selling Scotch whisky in Singapore

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• Advising on a leading game developer on several blockchain-based projects in relation to NFTs and the metaverse on regulatory issues relating to gaming, gambling and advertising laws in Singapore

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• Advising a marketing start-up on potential legal issues in Singapore relating to data mining and scraping

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• Conducting extensive IP due diligence for various target companies in connection with a private equity, venture capital or potential investor’s investment

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• Advising the world's largest global higher education network on the proposed corporate structure and contract arrangement in connection with a potential joint venture with or acquisition of an edtech start-up

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• Assisted leading brands and other companies with the restructuring of intra-group IP licensing arrangements, reviewing the transfer and sale of such IP, and other inter-company agreements

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• Advised a cloud-based legal tech platform on regulatory issues in relation to offering services via a legal tech platform to start-ups and SMEs in Singapore

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Commercial Contracts

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• Advising clients on employment agreements, company handbook and policies, and employment share option plans in compliance with Singapore law

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• Advising on the termination of employment agreements and the implications including Employment Pass cancellation and tax considerations under Singapore law

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• Advising an IT manufacture and distributor company which had recently moved its operations from Hong Kong to Singapore, and reviewing all its existing distributor agreements and manufacturer agreements governed by Hong Kong law to be amended and “localised” in accordance with Singapore law

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• Advised a leading Singapore-based airline on a draft sale and purchase agreement for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Credits in compliance with Singapore law

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• Advising on a global leader in the creation of children’s fiction as well as programmes on TV and apps, in relation to conducting a review of an IP license agreement permitting a subsidiary of one of the largest China technology companies to create films and TV series based on the client’s copyright

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• Advising on a master services agreement and statement of work to highlight relevant risks in providing services to a leading integrated resort in Singapore

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• Advised a Chinese duty-free goods distributor on a sub-licensee agreement to ensure that the licensor, a global leader in events and exhibitions, holds the right to license the use of the IP rights of certain characters in a major blockbuster cinematic film franchise

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• Advised an agtech company providing data analytic SaaS, on the drafting of founder-related documentation, a co-founder exit, and advisors' agreements prior to its fund-raise

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Dispute Resolution

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• Successfully representing Harvard University as lead counsel in a successful appeal to the Singapore High Court for a trade mark opposition matter which had set a new precedent on novel points of IP law

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• Represented a leading Japanese sportswear brand in legal proceedings before the Singapore High Court for a customs border enforcement matter as lead counsel, and negotiated with counterparty for an amicable settlement

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• Successfully representing the largest worldwide manufacturer of pipe and fittings in contentious trade mark opposition proceedings before the Singapore registry and, negotiated with counterparty for an amicable settlement High Court

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• Preparing and sending a cease and desist letter to previous distributor and legal opinion on parallel importation for a leading global supplier of electrical and automotive products

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• Advising an IT company on breach of confidential information and copyright infringement by former employees of the company

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• Advising a leading nuts distributor and manufacturer in Singapore on phishing incidents and website-spoofing attacks carried out on the business, including cross-border investigation into offending sites and coordinating with authorities on takedown attempts and court actions

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• Preparing a legal opinion in relation to potential infringement and passing off action against e-commerce website for one of the famous LVMH-owned brands

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• Conducting use investigations (through private investigators), carrying out negotiations to acquire a third party's mark for a global FCMG company in the beauty and cosmetics sector

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• Coordinating regional proceedings to be filed in several jurisdictions as the lead counsel, pending negotiations for worldwide settlement for various leading brands, including a Swiss manufacturer of watches and jewellery and a US-based premium lifestyle and activewear brand

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• Liaising and entering into negotiations with a global F&B franchise on behalf of the client in relation to pending opposition matter, drafting and reviewing related co-existence agreement

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*includes matters handled prior to Collyer Law.