Joanne Kong

Joanne obtained her law degree from the University of Reading, United Kingdom in 2009. She was then admitted as a Barrister-at-Law, England & Wales in 2010 and as an Advocate and Solicitor in the High Court of Malaya in 2012. Joanne has advised clients on many aspects of protection of IPRs. While she advises on all IP areas, her primary focus is on trademark and assists clients with end-to-end trademark prosecution matters. Joanne actively handles trademark opposition proceedings and has obtained favourable decisions for clients. She also provides ongoing assistance to various trade associations in protecting and enforcing geographical indications in Malaysia.

Joanne advises on various commercial and compliance matters and a significant part of her portfolio includes advising clients on media and advertising compliance in Malaysia. She understands the nature and demands of the fast-paced advertising industry and is able to provide swift advice and practical solutions for clients which include a notable mobile technology multinational and a global financial services corporation. She also has experience in medical advertising clearance and has advised on labelling compliance for various consumer products.

Joanne was a member of the Young Practitioners Committee of the International Trademark Association (INTA) from 2020 to 2021 and is currently serving in the Building Bridges Committee. Apart from contributing to the committee’s objectives, she has also spoken at The Unreal Campaign’s first outreach organized by INTA in Malaysia to educate young consumers on the importance of trademarks and the dangers of counterfeit products. She has also co-authored the Malaysian chapter of the ‘International Comparative Legal Guide to Trade Marks’ by Global Legal Group in past years.

Out of the office, Joanne is a badminton and K-drama enthusiast. After years of watching countless Korean dramas, she was pleasantly surprised but also slightly horrified to discover that she could somewhat understand the language while on holiday in Seoul.