Shanghai Daily Report
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=324316
Mar 21,2016
SINGAPORE, March 21 (Xinhua)– Businesses and entrepreneurs will enjoy greater access to intellectual property (IP) mediation services in Singapore through the IP Mediation Promotion Scheme which will take effective from April 1, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) announced in a press release on Monday.
Designed to help businesses and entrepreneurs leverage the strengths of mediation in achieving customized, win-win solutions, the IP Mediation Promotion Scheme funds parties who opt for mediation in IP disputes up to 5,500 Singapore dollars (4,044 U.S. dollars) per mediation case.
As the latest addition to IPOS’ suite of offerings for businesses and entrepreneurs, the scheme includes the appointment of a panel of IP Adjudicators to give disputing parties the opportunity to have their cases heard by some of the best legal minds in the local IP field. Five established IP academics and legal professionals will serve as IP Adjudicators for a two-year term from April 1.
Chiam Lu Lin, deputy chief executive of IPOS, said that IPOS hope many businesses and entrepreneurs will consider and make use of this scheme to achieve favorable outcomes in cases of IP disputes.
“Enabling the constructive resolution of IP issues through such initiatives is part of IPOS’ ongoing mission to foster a pro-innovation environment for all creators.” Chiam Lu Lin added.
“The appointment of IP Adjudicators demonstrates the ongoing commitment of IPOS to expand the range of dispute resolution options available in the IP field. It will help bolster the growing reputation of Singapore’s IP legal industry,” commented Professor David Llewelyn, deputy dean of the Singapore Management University, an expert in IP law and commercialization.
IPOS said about 30 IP disputes will benefit from this scheme over the next three years. Nearly 100 percent of businesses and lawyers had reported high levels of satisfaction resulting from mediation. The achievement of favorable outcomes, time savings and cost savings were cited as the benefits of mediation in a State Courts survey (2013-2014).