Key Observations from the APAA Kuala Lumpur 2025
Michael Cooper recently travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend the Asian Patent Attorney Association (APAA) meeting.
Congratulations to the Malaysian chapter for delivering such a well-organised conference in a vibrant city. Reconnecting with long-standing contacts and meeting attorneys from across the region remains a key benefit of APAA events. It was also a pleasure to catch up with Cooper IP’s Howard Lee, an Australian trade marks attorney who works closely with the team while based in Korea.
The designs committee meeting was a professional highlight for Michael Cooper, who sits on the APAA Designs Committee.
Cooper IP’s key observations from APAA 2025 included:
- While some countries are experiencing economic challenges impacting filing numbers, others remain steady.
- India’s growth continues to be remarkable, with the rapid expansion of its IP system.
- Many countries are struggling with software patent issues, much like Australia.
- Korea remains an economic powerhouse with strong ongoing momentum.
- Geopolitical risks are significantly impacting some countries. For Australia, our relative stability is something to be appreciated.
Looking ahead, APAA will head to the Gold Coast in 2029, and the international IP community is already looking forward to it.
