Ai Ming Lee

Practice Areas

Lee Ai Ming is a Band 1 Leading Lawyer in Chambers Asia Pacific for Intellectual Property. She was appointed as a Justice of the Peace by the President of the Republic of Singapore in 2016. Prior to her present appointment; she was Deputy Managing Partner and Head of the Intellectual Property & Technology Group at Rodyk & Davidson.

She has practised law for more than 30 years in the areas of commercial litigation, real estate, financial instruments and now specialises in intellectual property and cybersecurity. She regularly represents both foreign multinational corporations and local SMEs in patent disputes involving cutting edge technologies in the fields of semiconductors, telecommunications, pharmaceutical preparations and biotechnology.

In the field of semiconductors, she has represented one of the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturers in several patent infringement actions against leading Taiwanese semiconductor foundries, involving microprocessor and chipset patents.

She also acted for a leading manufacturer of mobile phones in patent infringement disputes with Qualcomm Inc involving patents covering wireless technologies in the telecommunications field, telecommunication standards and chipsets for mobile phones.

Ai Ming led a team that successfully defended a local SME, Aurigin Pte Ltd, against a patent infringement action brought on by ASM Assembly Automation Ltd, the world's largest assembly and packaging equipment supplier for the semiconductor and LED industries in what is believed to be the first successful revocation action in the High Court of Singapore and later affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

In the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space, Ai Ming is well versed with the patent linkage system introduced in Singapore as a result of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, having represented pharmaceutical multinationals in patent infringement actions involving the freedom to operate, Bolar exemptions and compulsory licensing.

Besides patents, she also acts for companies involved in disputes over Trade Secrets and breach of Confidential Information. She led the team that successfully defended local SME, JCS Automation Pte Ltd against a Breach of Confidence and Copyright action mounted by the Malaysian Invenpro Group in which his honourable Justice George Wei delivered a 126 page judgement. Ai Ming has also acted in trademark infringement and Passing-Off actions. Significant cases handled include defending ICI against Nippon Paints in a trademark infringement and passing off action over the use of the descriptor "3-in-1". She has also handled trademark disputes over proprietorship, non-use and well known mark status.

Ai Ming is active in various forums that help to promote innovation among SMES in Singapore. She helps SME clients build IP portfolios, enforce their IP rights in Singapore as well as in the ASEAN region. She is also a member of the Copyright Tribunal.

Career

Senior Consultant, Dentons Rodyk & Davidson LLP (formerly Rodyk & Davidson LLP) (1982 - present)

Deputy Managing Partner - Rodyk & Davidson LLP (1982 – 2014)

Francis T Seow (1978 - 1982)

Professional Memberships

IP Adjudicator, Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Independent Director, Board of Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd.

Past Independent Director, Boards of HTL Holdings Limited, Keppel Land Ltd, K-Reit (now known as Keppel Reit) and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority

Past President, Asian Patent Attorney's Association (Singapore Group)

Member, Singapore Copyright Tribunal

Publications

A picture speaks a thousand words – Lessons from the Trunki case

Intellectual Property Audits

Languages Spoken

English, Chinese