On November 16, 2018,“FRAND Obligation and Tort Legal Responsibility Seminar on Standard Essential Patents”, sponsored by Beijing Intellectual Property Protection Association and co-organized by Beijing Wis & Weals Law Firm, was successfully held in Zhongguancun Intellectual Property Building, Beijing. The seminar was one of the series of academic activities organized by Wis & Weals to mark the 10th anniversary of its establishment.

Mr. Andy Yang, the managing partner of the firm, delivered a keynote speech entitled “FRAND Obligations and Responsibilities in Standard Essential Patent Infringement”. By combing the development history of standard patent infringement cases tried by the courts from 2006 to the present, Andy Yang analyzed the relationship between the FRAND principle and the general principles of the civil law, whether the FRAND principle constrains both parties, and raised certain logic flaws of FRAND in practical application.

Other guests also delivered keynote speeches: Jiang Wei, an associate professor at Law School of Tsinghua University , delivered a speech titled “The Problem of Hold-up in the IP Field ——Based on the Basic Theory of Organizational Law”; Hao Yuan, a researcher at Microsoft Innovation and Intellectual Property Research Center, Tsinghua University, delivered a speech entitled "On the Smallest Saleable Patent Practicing"; and Shi Jun, Intellectual Property Litigation Manager of Intellectual Property Licensing Litigation Department of Ericsson (China) Communications Co., Ltd., based on the position of the company, delivered a speech entitled "The Conditions for Granting Injunction for SEP case".

The seminar was hosted by Bi Chunli, deputy director of the Intellectual Property Center of China Information and Communication Research Institute. More than 30 representatives from Baidu, Xiaomi, Putian Information, Haiguang Information, Matsushita Electric Appliances, etc, and eight guests from famous universities, well-known enterprises and law firms attended the seminar. The atmosphere was very lively and the seminar ended with a warm discussion and exchange between the guest speakers and the audience.