Email: winnietam@dvc.com.hk

Winnie Tam SBS, SC, JP

  • Senior Counsel, Hong Kong Bar
  • -
  • Barrister-at-Law, England and Wales
  • Door Tenant, 8 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London
  • Solicitor and Advocate, Singapore
  • Solicitor and Advocate, Australian Capital Territory

Year of call

  • 1984 (Hong Kong Bar)
  • 1988 (English Bar)
  • 2006 (Hong Kong Silk)

Practice areas

Corporate Law
Entertainment and Media
Tech and Innovation
International Arbitration & Mediation

Winnie is universally acknowledged as "an IP guru," and “is without doubt the top counsel in the area of intellectual property law." She continues to command immense respect as one of the jurisdiction's most eminent IP practitioners, operating in all areas of the discipline and maintaining a focus on the handling of high-profile, cross-border cases on behalf of clients from a diverse range of sectors. Noted for her involvement not only in the litigation, but also in the arbitration, of IP disputes, she is also praised for being "incredibly good and incredibly busy," and recognised for “her advocacy skills and ability to lead a case," 


Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2022)

'An authoritative counsel, who has a highly persuasive courtroom manner.' Winnie Tam SC is accredited as a Leading Silk for Intellectual Property.


Legal 500 Asia Pacific HK Bar (2022)

Winnie Tam SC is endorsed for her “great gravitas” and “specialist knowledge in IP,” and is described as “excellent tactically” and an “outstanding advocate, at the top of her field.” She maintains a focus on impressive high-profile cross-border cases and acts on both litigation and arbitration proceedings, acting on behalf of clients from a diverse range of sectors. “Winnie is the name for IP,” and she is also described as “a really impressive senior counsel and obviously an IP expert who is very knowledgeable and commercial, and very good on her feet.” 


Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2021)

“Excellent: one of the best if not the best barrister for IP in Hong Kong, you can always rely on her to do her very best and fight hard in court.” Winnie Tam SC is accredited as a Leading Silk for Intellectual Property.


Legal 500 Asia Pacific HK Bar (2021)

Winnie Tam SC is a highly respected disputes specialist in the region, with market commentators describing her as “one of the best practitioners” for arbitration issues. (National Leader for Mainland China & Hong Kong SAR - Arbitration 2021)


Who's Who Legal 2021

Winnie Tam SC, JP of Des Voeux Chambers combines a busy IP practice with her role as chair of Hong Kong's Communication Authority and continues to be seen as one of the most accomplished counsel in the space. One source identifies her as “one of the two acknowledged leaders of the Bar” there and adds: “If anyone's looking for an IP silk, it's Winnie Tam or John Yan.” Other interviewees describe her as an especially “expert and excellent advocate,” one reporting: “She's very sharp and quick on her feet and has the ear of the judge.” Particularly well known for her handling of cross-jurisdictional cases.


Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2020)

Winnie Tam SC of Des Voeux Chambers is consistently identified by interviewees as “one of the leading silks for IP in Hong Kong,” one source maintaining that she was chosen to act on a particular matter because she was “the top specialist” in the jurisdiction, the same referee going on to say: “Everything she provides is just excellent and she was absolutely invaluable to the proceedings.” Sources further characterise her as an “extremely strong advocate who has the patience and skill to explain complex IP laws, will fight as hard as she can and has managed to turn around a number of difficult court cases successfully.” A notable feature of her practice is her strong focus on cross-jurisdictional disputes and readiness to appear in both litigated and arbitrated IP disputes.


Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2019)

Winnie Tam SC of Des Voeux Chambers enjoys tremendous respect in this area. Sources describe her as “an excellent advocate who knows IP law very well and is a pleasure both to work with and to instruct.” Her broad practice covers all the key IP issues and extends across an impressive range of industry sectors. She acted for Tsit Wing in long-running and ultimately successful trade mark litigation against TWG Tea.


Chambers Global (2018)

Ms Winnie Tam SC, JP has been recognised by WWL Trademarks 2019 as a Global Leader in the field of Trademarks (2019)


WWL Trademarks 2019

Profile

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  • 2006 Appointed to Silk
  • 2015-2017 Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association
  • 2017-2019 Chairman of the Standing Committee on China Practice Development of the Hong Kong Bar Association
  • Chairman of the Committee on Intellectual Property of the Hong Kong Bar Association
  • Chairman, Committee on Sports Law, Hong Kong Bar Association
  • Recorder of the Court of First Instance, High Court of HKSAR
  • Co-Chair of Women In Arbitration, HKIAC
  • Member of the Appointments Committee, HKIAC
  • Overseas Bencher of the Middle Temple Society of England
  • Chairman of the Hong Kong Advocacy Training Council
  • Member of the Law Reform Commission
  • Chairman of the International League of Competition Law (LIDC), Hong Kong Chapter
  • 2017-2018 Co-Chairman, Forum for Barristers and Advocates, IBA
  • Member, Policy Sub-Committee, Bar Issues Commission, IBA
  • Member, China Working Group, Asia Pacific Forum, IBA
  • Officer, Diversity and Inclusion Council, IBA
  • Vice Chairman, Women Business Lawyers Committee, IPBA
  • Member of the Board of Advisors, Shenzhen Lanhai Research Institute on Legal Services in the Greater Bay Area
  • Member of the New Intellectual Property Rights Committee, Asian Patent Attorneys Association
  • HKIAC’s Intellectual Property Specialist Panel
  • HKIAC’s Domain Name Dispute Panel member
  • Hong Kong Bar Association Arbitration Panel member
  • Director of eBram International Online Dispute Resolution Centre Limited  
  • CIETAC Panel Arbitrator
  • SCIA High Technology & Intellectual Property Arbitration Centre, Member of Expert Committee
  • South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, Panel Arbitrator
  • Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
  • Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators
  • World Intellectual Property Organization, Panel Mediator
  • JAMS/SCMC, Panel Mediator
  • Hong Kong Mediation Council Panel Mediator under the Mainland and Hong Kong CEPA Investment Agreement
  • Mainland – Hong Kong Joint Mediation Center Panel Mediator
  • Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center (SMAC) Panel Mediator
  • Shenzhen International Arbitration Centre, Panel Arbitrator
  • HKIAC IP Panel Arbitrator

  • Member of the Panel of Arbitrators for the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (2022)

  • Chairman, Communications Authority
  • Chairman, Performing Arts Committee, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
  • Member, Law Reform Commission
  • Member, Chief Executive’s Council of Advisers on Innovation and Strategic Development
  • Member, Independent Commission on Remuneration for Members of the Executive Council and the Legislature, and Officials under the Political Appointment System of the HKSAR
  • Member, Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
  • Member, Board of Governors, Hong Kong Philharmonic Society Ltd
  • Member, Consultative Committee of the Qianhai Special Free Trade Zone (PRC)
  • ABG Juicy Couture LLC v Bella International Ltd – HCA 1764 of 2008
  • Acron International Technology Ltd v Chan Yiu Wai and Law Sui Chun – FAMV 13/2018
  • Bruce James Stinson v Gu Ming Gao – HCA 2352/2012
  • Guccio Gucci SpA v Cosimo Ludolf Gucci – HCA 1582/2008
  • Hugo Boss Trade Mark Management GmbH & Co KG v Britain Boss International Co Ltd – CACV 114/2015
  • L’Oreal (UK) Ltd, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) v YLS Brands HK Ltd – HCA 2814/2017
  • Louis Vuitton Malletier SA v Marco Leather Goods Ltd – HCA 1511/2009
  • Louis Vuitton Malletier v Cuvee XLV French Wine Ltd – HCA 1900/2013
  • Mary Kay Inc v 浙江天猫网络有限公司 (Zhejiang Tmall Network Co Ltd) - [2021] HKCFI 1403
  • Nerium Biotechnology Inc v Nerium International, LLC – HCA 1188/2016
  • N.V. Sumatra Tobacco Trading Co v Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Co Ltd (Triple Happiness) - TM No.300982350
  • SNE Engineering Co Ltd v Hsin Chong Construction Co Ltd – HCA 1466/2012 (26.3.2014)
  • Stichting BDO v Banco De Oro Unibank Inc – HCA 1162/2009
  • Tsit Wing (Hong Kong) Co Ltd v TWG Tea Company Pte Ltd – HCA 2210/2011, CACV 191/2013, FACV 15/2015, FAMV 6/2015
  • Xcelom Ltd v. BGI-Hong Kong Co Ltd – HCA 3089/2015
  • CIETAC-HK (IDRA) 2021 - 22.2.2021

        Law which can only be tentatively identified after a trawl through Extensive authorities must be condemned as not fit for purpose

  • IDRA 2021 Webinar Series on Decoding Hong Kong Contract Law - 25.1.2021
  • Hong Kong’s unique role in IP creation, protection and enforcement as well as dispute resolution in GBA and beyond - Arbitration in Intellectual Property - 4.12.2020
  • BIP Asia Forum 2020 - 2.12.2020

        Challenges and opportunities brought by COVID-19 to the legal and IP fields

  • Hong Kong Mediation Conference (Legal Week) - 6.11.2020

        United Nations Mediation Convention – Challenges to Arbitration​​​

  • Hong Kong Legal Week 2020 - 3.11.2020

        Inaugural Rule of Law Congress Towards 2030: A Decade of Action for Rule of Law

  • Hong Kong Arbitration Week 2020 - 19.10.2020

        International arbitration in the digital landscape: technology, cybersecurity and data protection (In-person and virtual)​​​

  • Hong Kong Academy of Politics and Public Policy - 10.10.2020

        The Legal System of Hong Kong​​

  • WIA 仲裁生态漫谈 — 男性仲裁员眼中的女性仲裁员 - 9.10.2020
  • 香港国际仲裁中心WIA委员会主办成功仲裁女性炉边访谈 - 3.7.2020
  • BIP Asia Forum – 6.12.2019

         Effective Global IP Enforcement Mechanism – How Does HKSAR Contribute to the Cause?

  • BIP Asia Forum – 5.12.2019

         Divergence : Unwelcome Uses of Well-Known Copyright Works and Trademarks

  • Australian Arbitration Week, Brisbane – 18.11.2019

         Resolution of IP Disputes Through Arbitration – The experience of Hong Kong SAR & China

  • DLA Piper and DVC – 17.10.2019

         Inspiration vs Appropriation: Well-known Trademarks in Hong Kong, China and

         around the World

  • HKTDC - Belt and Road Summit – 11.9.2019

         Towards a Greater Success of Belt and Road Projects for Sustainable

         Investment – Hong Kong Can Lead (香港：引領一帶一路項目持續投資及成功發展)”

  • IBA Conference Seoul 2019 – 24.9.2019

        Chaired a session entitled “Global Justice and Globetrotting Judges”

  • 湾区法律服务一体化 – 第二届广东企业法律服深圳蛇口务论坛 – 23.8.2019

       跨境知识产权争议调解

  • Inaugural “Mediate First” Pledge event in Shanghai – 20.8.2019

      商事纠纷 调解为先 –  沪港交流研讨会 (跨境知识产权争议调解)

  • POLA Annual Conference 2019 (Kunming China) – 2.8.2019

         Alternative Dispute Resolution for Multi-National Businesses in the

        Greater Bay Area of China

  • IP Mediation Conference 2019 at Spain – 30 & 31.5.2019

        China Intellectual Property Commercial Mediation Practice and Thoughts

  • Legal Tech Forum – 20.5.2019 

        New Technology & Changing Legal Ecosystems    

        The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Is our IP Law Ready for the Wave of New Technology?

  • IPBA Conference Singapore – 29.4.2019

        Arbitrating IP Disputes – Is it the final frontier or the beginning of the journey?

  • International Resolution Dispute Conference 2019 – 17.4.2019     

        Exploring Aspects of Development of Alternative Dispute Resolution relevant to

        Business in the Greater Bay Area