Steve Zhao

Introduction

Steve Zhao is a highly experienced intellectual property litigator and partner at GEN Law Firm in Beijing. With 19 years of experience, Zhao focuses on complex litigation involving trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, data rights and emerging areas of unfair competition.

Zhao has been involved in many cases that have contributed to the development of IP jurisprudence in China. His cases have been frequently selected as annual typical cases by the Supreme People’s Court and provincial high courts. In 2023, Zhao’s cases were selected as representative cases by the Supreme Court and high courts nine times.

Zhao’s strong advocacy skills and creative approach have led to significant victories in many influential cases. He represented the plaintiff Assa Abloy in the “Panpan” trademark infringement case, which resulted in a record-breaking punitive damages award of RMB100 million (USD13.7 million), the highest-ever for a foreign trademark in China. In another notable case, Zhao successfully argued the first-ever unfair competition case involving data scraping and illegal selling on behalf of Sina Weibo, setting an important precedent for data rights protection in China.

As a skilled negotiator, Zhao has a track record of achieving favourable settlements for clients in high-value disputes. He has successfully represented clients in mediation and settlement of cases involving trade secrets, unfair competition, software development and trademark infringement, with disputed amounts ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of RMB. In addition to litigation, Zhao also assists clients with IP asset acquisition, brand crisis management, product quality investigations and advertising compliance.

Zhao is an active member of the IP legal community and holds positions in several professional organisations. He serves as a member of the Global Advisory Council at the International Trademark Association, vice secretary-general of the Trademark Law Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, and an expert for the China Anti-Infringement and Anti-Counterfeit Innovation Strategic Alliance. Zhao’s contributions to the field have been widely recognised by various legal directories, including Chambers and Partners, World Trademark Review, Legalband, and The Legal 500, affirming his position as a leading IP attorney in China.