On the afternoon of April 29, 2026, Xuhui District held its 2026 Promotion Conference for the "New-Quality Service Provider Program" and Overseas Expansion Services. At the meeting, the second batch of new-quality service providers was officially announced, and the district's 2026 agenda for advancing the program and supporting outbound business development was introduced. Watson & Band Law Offices and Watson & Band Intellectual Property Agency Co., Ltd. were both selected for the second batch of designated service providers.
Under the Xuhui District program, "new-quality service providers" refer to a new generation of professional service institutions that respond to the latest wave of technological transformation, industrial change and restructuring of global supply chains. They are characterized by deep expertise, cross-disciplinary integration and high added value, and are expected to play a leading role in technological upgrading, industry standards and value creation within global professional service networks. Since the program was launched in 2025, Xuhui District has further expanded support in 2026 through service vouchers and by attracting leading professional service institutions in fields including legal services and intellectual property, with a view to supporting the global development of Chinese businesses.
Following this selection, Watson & Band will further leverage its strengths in cross-border intellectual property and integrated legal services to provide three categories of "new-quality services" to companies pursuing international expansion:
1. Integrated Intellectual Property Services
Service coverage extends across East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Africa and Russia. Watson & Band provides full-chain services in patents, trademarks, copyright and related areas, including patent filing, reexamination and invalidation, patent search and analysis, patent mining and portfolio strategy, and infringement risk assessment; domestic and international trademark registration, oppositions, invalidation actions and brand protection strategies; as well as IP advisory services, patent navigation, competitive intelligence analysis and support for overseas IP portfolio planning.
2. Cybersecurity, Data Security and Compliance
Service coverage includes North America, the European Union and Southeast Asia. Watson & Band provides professional legal advice to companies operating overseas on cybersecurity policy, data protection regulation and AI regulatory developments, helping clients navigate complex data compliance challenges.
3. Cross-Border Infringement Litigation and Legal Research
Service coverage includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Africa. Watson & Band provides cross-border intellectual property infringement litigation services and conducts local legal and regulatory research, including data law assessments, for companies expanding internationally, helping them mitigate legal risks in cross-border operations.
Founded in Shanghai in 1995, Watson & Band has developed over the past three decades into an integrated professional services platform spanning intellectual property, corporate and commercial law, data law, capital markets, litigation and dispute resolution. The selection of both the law firm and the IP agency is not only a recognition of Watson & Band's professional capability, but also a significant responsibility. Looking ahead, the firm will further integrate its IP agency and legal service capabilities to build a full-lifecycle service framework for companies going global, from target-market legal research and worldwide IP portfolio strategy, to compliance and risk control systems, and ultimately to cross-border infringement disputes. Watson & Band will also actively participate in the development of Xuhui District's "new-quality service provider cluster" and support more Chinese companies in expanding steadily onto the global stage, while contributing professional expertise to higher-level opening-up at both the regional and national level.
If you require any of the above services, please contact:
Zhu Rongjun
Secretary to the Management Committee, Watson & Band Law Offices
Service Areas: intellectual property, data compliance, cross-border infringement litigation, cross-border investment
Qin Qiuyi
Senior Planning and Consulting Specialist, Watson & Band Intellectual Property Agency Co., Ltd.
Service Areas: full-chain services covering patents, trademarks and copyright, intellectual property advisory services, patent navigation, competitive intelligence analysis, and overseas IP portfolio planning
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