The following represents Azarith Sofia’s experience prior to joining Low & Partners:
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) REGISTRATION & PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Trademark Registration
- Attending to the registration of trademarks in Malaysia and foreign jurisdictions for local as well as foreign companies.
Clients include Proton Holdings Berhad, DRB-Hicom Berhad, Al Rajhi Bank, Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS), MBSB Bank Berhad, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Bank Islam Malaysia, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd, QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad, Padiberas Nasional Berhad, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Open University Malaysia (OUM), Waafi Bank Ltd, BIMB Investment Management Berhad, Pernec Integrated Network Systems Sdn Bhd, Lembaga Pembangunan Industri Pembinaan Malaysia (CIDB), Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd (MODENAS), Munchy Food Industries Sdn Bhd and KPJ Healthcare Berhad (KPJ).
Foreign jurisdictions include ASEAN, Europe, Africa and Middle Eastern countries.
2. Acted for Munchy Food Industries Sdn Bhd in respect of the filing, prosecution, opposition management, cancellation actions and multi-level appeals of its trademark applications in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, including attending to office actions, preparing responses to oppositions, managing non-use cancellation actions, filing appeals before the relevant trademark authorities, coordinating with foreign associates, attending to mediation proceedings, managing publication requirements and attending to Declaration of Actual Use (DAU) filings required under Philippine trademark regulations.
3. Acted for Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd (MODENAS) in respect of the filing, prosecution, portfolio management, opposition defence, cancellation strategies and enforcement coordination for its trademarks in multiple foreign jurisdictions, including the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Greece. This includes attending to office actions issued by foreign trademark offices, preparing responses to objections, coordinating cancellation and invalidation actions against conflicting marks, liaising with foreign associates on evidence preparation, managing publication requirements, overseeing post-registration formalities, and attending to Declaration of Actual Use (DAU) filings required in the Philippines.
4. Advised clients on the protection of their new trademarks pursuant to their respective re-branding exercises, including attending to the filing and registration of the trademarks in Malaysia.
Clients include Proton Holdings Berhad, DRB-Hicom Berhad, Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation (Malaysia) Bhd (Al-Rajhi Bank) and Prince Court Medical Centre Sdn Bhd.
5. Prepared and filed written submissions in response to objections issued by MyIPO for the purpose of appealing the refusal of trademark applications, and successfully secured acceptance and subsequent registration of the clients’ trademarks.
Clients include MISC Berhad, Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad, Padiberas Nasional Berhad (BERNAS), Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Bank Rakyat, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Pitech Solution Sdn Bhd, DRB-HICOM Berhad.
6. Attended ex-parte hearings before the Registrar for trademark applications that were objected to by MyIPO, and successfully secured registration of the clients’ trademarks upon submissions made during the ex-parte hearings.
Clients include DRB-HICOM Berhad, QSR Trading Sdn Bhd, Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation (Malaysia) Bhd (Al Rajhi Bank), LBC Development Corporation, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad (BMMB), MBSB Bank Berhad, Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS), KPJ Healthcare Berhad, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), FELCRA Berhad, Progressive Impact Technology Sdn Bhd.
7. Advised and acted on behalf of clients in respect of opposition proceedings filed by third parties against the registration of the clients’ trademarks in Malaysia, including the preparation of the Notice of Counterstatement, evidence, written submissions, and attending to hearings before the Registrar.
Clients include QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, 3C Marina Park Sdn Bhd.
Copyright Voluntary Notification
8. Attending to the filing of copyright voluntary notification in Malaysia. This includes drafting of statutory declaration to evidence ownership over the copyrighted work.
Clients include Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS), Celeste Exclusive, Pantai Holdings Sdn Bhd, Ola Oli Sdn Bhd and Rimbunan Islamik Media Sdn Bhd.
Industrial Design Registration
9. Attended to industrial design filings with the MyIPO for various clients.
Clients include DRB-HICOM Berhad, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Norjuma Binti Habib Mohamed (AIDIJUMA), Stealth Solutions Sdn Bhd, Proton Holdings Berhad, Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd (MODENAS).
Patent Registration
10. Conducted a comprehensive patent search and prior art assessment relating to graphene-based technologies, including evaluating potential infringement risks and patentability considerations for proposed commercial applications.
11. Attended to patent-related advisory and coordination in Malaysia, including advice on patent law, patentability issues, disclosure requirements and contractual arrangements relating to R&D activities.
Clients include University of Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), UMW Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Portfolio Management & Legal Advisory
12. Attended to the management of clients’ intellectual property portfolios, including monitoring renewal deadlines, advising on maintenance strategies and coordinating multi-jurisdictional registrations.
13. Attended to renewals of trademarks, industrial designs and patents, including updating ownership details, attending to recordals, and responding to MyIPO formality requirements.
14. Provided legal advisory on intellectual property matters, including intellectual property ownership, licensing implications, software development arrangements, branding and trademark strategy, patent-related issues, copyright compliance, and contractual obligations arising from the creation, use and commercialisation of intellectual property assets.
Clients include:
- Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad (EON) – Intellectual property issues relating to software development arrangements for the Workforce Management System of the EON Group of Companies.
- Padiberas Nasional Berhad (BERNAS) – Legal opinion on the continued use and ownership of registered trademarks pursuant to the proposed acquisition of a target company.
- Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) – Legal and contractual issues relating to the production of a music video and the composition of PKNS’s corporate song.
- University of Malaya (UM) – Advisory on patent application processes, disclosure obligations and intellectual property clauses in collaborative research agreements.
- UMW Corporation Sdn Bhd – Intellectual property protection strategy for its mobile application; drafting the Intellectual Property Guidelines to be adopted across the UMW Group.
- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) – Advisory on Malaysian patent laws and intellectual property provisions under various agreements executed by UTM with third-party collaborators.
- Client (undisclosed) – Legal opinion on the legality of providing scanning and digitisation services under Malaysian copyright law, including assessment of infringement risks, permitted acts and statutory exceptions.
- Kent Pet Group, Inc. (via Young Basile) – Legal opinion on potential passing-off risks in Malaysia relating to commercial use of competing branding and product get-up.
15. Acting for and on behalf of Encik Iqbal Abdullah, the heir of the late Dato’ Abdullah bin Hussain, the Eighth National Laureate, in various matters relating to the copyrighted literary and artistic works created by the late Dato’ Abdullah bin Hussain.