On the morning of February 2, 2026, the Shanghai Bay Area IP Ecosystem Co-construction Salon and the official Unveiling Ceremony of Watson & Band (Jinshan) Law Offices were successfully held at the Roadshow Center of the Shanghai Bay Area Science and Technology Innovation City.

Organized by Watson & Band’s Shanghai headquarters and hosted by the new Jinshan branch, the event brought together government officials, legal experts, and business leaders to discuss the future of intellectual property protection and the optimization of the regional business environment.

Pictured: The opening ceremony and IP Salon attracted nearly 30 corporate representatives from the Shanghai Bay Area.

Distinguished Guests

The ceremony was presided over by Shi Yuanbin, Director of Watson & Band (Jinshan) Law Offices.

The event was honored by the presence of key government officials and firm leadership, including:

     ■  Cao Yanxian, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Xuhui District Justice Bureau.

     ■  Kang Shaojun, Deputy Director of the Jinshan District Justice Bureau.

     ■ Wu Danqing, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanyang Town.

     ■  Xu Jincheng, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Bay Area Sci-tech Innovation Development (Group) Co., Ltd.

Watson & Band’s leadership team was fully represented by Qian Junliang (Director), Fu Qiangguo (Senior Founding Partner), Tao Hairong (Chair of the Management Committee), Zhu Xiaosu (Vice Chair), Gao Ze (Deputy Director), and Liu Yizhou (Secretary General), alongside directors from various branch offices.

Pictured: Shi Yuanbin, Director of Watson & Band (Jinshan) Law Offices

Leadership Addresses: A Cross-District Collaboration

Kang Shaojun emphasized in her address that intellectual property protection is the key to driving industrial transformation and enhancing market competitiveness. She urged enterprises to strengthen compliance awareness and build robust IP systems, expressing hope that multi-party collaboration will inject new momentum into the region's rule-of-law business environment.

Pictured: Kang Shaojun, Deputy Director of the Jinshan District Justice Bureau.

Cao Yanxian congratulated the establishment of the Jinshan branch, noting that this expansion represents a significant practice in the cross-district layout of legal services (connecting Xuhui and Jinshan). She encouraged Watson & Band to integrate deeply into the regional development strategy and drive high-quality growth in the legal service sector.

Pictured: Cao Yanxian, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Xuhui District Justice Bureau.

Unveiling a New Chapter

Witnessed by officials and guests, Qian Junliang and Tao Hairong jointly unveiled the plaque for Watson & Band (Jinshan) Law Offices. The ceremony marked the official commencement of Watson & Band’s services in the Jinshan region and the opening of a new chapter in the firm’s national network.

Pictured: Director Qian Junliang and Chairman Tao Hairong unveiling the plaque for the new branch.

Strategic Insights: Focusing on IP and Data Assets

Following the ceremony, the event transitioned into the IP Ecosystem Salon, featuring a keynote on regional policy and three expert presentations from Watson & Band Senior Partners.

     ■ Xu Jincheng introduced the strategic layout of the Shanghai Bay Area Sci-tech Innovation City, highlighting the critical role of legal services in supporting this innovation highland.

The legal experts then took the stage to share forward-looking insights:

    ■ Liu Yizhou focused on Trademark Protection, outlining a "Trinity Strategy" of registration, use, and enforcement. He emphasized the accumulation of value and legal maintenance of trademarks as core corporate assets.

    ■  He Xiaobo provided a deep dive into Trade Secrets, analyzing the rules for determining and protecting secrecy points. He highlighted the combination of technical features and data compliance as crucial elements in corporate trade secret management.

    ■  Wu Yueqin presented on "Data Mining," exploring the transformation path from data compliance management to assetization. She underscored the vital role of legal compliance in data flow and ownership confirmation.

Looking Forward

The establishment of Watson & Band (Jinshan) Law Offices is a vital component of the firm’s strategic layout. By operating under a "One Firm" model, the Jinshan branch will leverage the professional resources of the Shanghai headquarters to serve the Yangtze River Delta.

Watson & Band remains committed to co-building a thriving IP ecosystem, contributing professional legal power to Shanghai’s development as an international legal services center and a hub for high-quality economic growth.