Alvin is a Director of Chevalier Law LLC and leads its Intellectual Property and Technology practice.

An intellectual property specialist since 2007, Alvin was recognized as a leading lawyer in the field of intellectual property in the 2017 and 2018 editions of AsiaLaw Leading Lawyers. He was also cited as a Patent Star in the 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/2022 and 2023 editions of Managing Intellectual Property's IP Stars in recognition of his patent litigation, patent strategy and counselling work. Alvin is also a ranked practitioner in the Silver Band of the World Trademark Review 2023 rankings for enforcement and litigation in Singapore.

Alvin's areas of practice includes advising clients in all aspects of intellectual property and intangible asset acquisition, management, commercialization, enforcement and brand protection strategy across a broad range of industries and technologies spanning life sciences, medtech, telecommunications, IT, electronics, semiconductors, automation, transportation, FMCG, food and beverage, music, fashion and design, luxury goods, digital technology and artificial intelligence.

Alvin has a strong IP litigation and enforcement practice, regularly acting for clients in patent, trademark, geographical indications, registered designs, copyright infringement cases, confidential information and trade secrets disputes, technology contracts litigation in Singapore and also cross border IP and technology related disputes including shareholder disputes involving IP ownership issues. Alvin also advises clients in data breach cases including data breach response, mitigation and prevention of further fraudulent activity such as identify theft.

Alvin's experience in handling pharmacological advisory and patent linkage work has seen him act for multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, F. Hoffmann-LA Roche AG, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co, Bristol-Myers Squib Pharma Co and AstraZeneca. Other notable clients Alvin has acted for include Nokia Corporation, Asahi Glass, NexPlanar Corporation, Rokko Holdings, JCS Echigo Pte Ltd, Aurigin Technology Pte Ltd, Swiss Ranks Pte Ltd, Staywell Hospitality Pty Limited, ERS Electronic GMBH, Lenzing, Virtual Map, and TMRG Pte Ltd.

Several of the cases in which Alvin has done involve novel issues of law and/or have been reported in the law journals and law reports of Singapore, including:

• IBI Group Hellas Single Member Societe Anonyme v Saber Holdings Pte Ltd [2023] SGDC 95
• Ncode Consultant Pte Ltd v We Are Perspective Pte Ltd [2023] SGDC 58
• Syed Ibrahim Shaik Mohideen v Wavoo Abdusalam Shahul Hameed & Ors [2022] SGHC 228
• TMRG Pte Ltd & Anor v Caerus Holding Pte Ltd & Anor [2022] SGHC(A) 4
• Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano v Fonterra Brands (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. [2022] SGIPOS 7
• Sun Electric Pte Ltd v Sunseap Group Pte Ltd and Ors [2020] SGHCR 1;
• Sun Electric Pte Ltd v Sunseap Group Pte Ltd and Ors [2019] SGHCR 11;
• Novartis (Jiangsu) Pte Ltd v Bristol-Myers Squib Pharma Co [2018] 3 SLR 1194;
• Dr Babor Gmbh & Co KG & Anor v Sante De Beaute Pte Ltd [2018] SGHC 159;
• Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc and Sheraton International IP LLC v Staywell Hospitality Pty Limited [2018] SGIPOS 11;
• Rohm & Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings Inc v NexPlanar Corp [2017] SGHC 310;
• Ship's Equipment Centre Bremen GmbH v Fuji Trading (Jiangsu) Pte Ltd [2015] 4 SLR 781;
• Invenpro (M) Sdn Bhd v JC Automation Pte Ltd [2014] 2 SLR 1045;
• Astra Zeneca AB (SE) v Sanofi-Aventis Singapore Pte Ltd [2012] SGHC 16; [2013] SGHCR 7;
• Hoya Corp v Asahi Glass Co Ltd [2010] SGHC 15;
• ASM Assembly Automation Ltd v Aurigin Technology Pte Ltd [2010] 1 SLR 1;
• Love & Co Pte Ltd v The Carat Club Pte Ltd [2009] 1 SLR(R) 561;
• Virtual Map (Jiangsu) Pte Ltd v Singapore Land Authority [2007] SGDC; and
• N.V. Sumatra Tobacco Trading Company v British American Tobacco (brands) Inc [2008] SGIPOS1.

The non-contentious aspects of Alvin's practice include conducting IP and intangible asset audits, IP registration and prosecution work, acting for clients in commercial IP transactions, drafting and review of technology contracts, providing advice on regulatory law and compliance in respect of data privacy, medical, advertising and fintech laws. Alvin's past and present clients in this fields include Singapore Airlines, Global Schools Holdings, LingoAce, Teva Pharmaceuticals, House of Teak, Lao Ban Soyabean and several deep tech start-ups.

Alvin has also been retained by clients as external "in-house counsel" in diverse fields such as med tech, semiconductor manufacturing, beauty and aesthetics and automation, where he worked directly with and provided legal support to business stakeholders and executives.

Alvin is a member of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association and serves on the Singapore Law Society's Inquiry Panel representing the Law Society in disciplinary proceedings. Alvin also served as a IPOS appointed consultant on IPOS’ IP Legal Clinic on IP infringement, opposition, invalidation or revocation matters from 2019 to 2024.

For a more detailed and comprehensive list of Alvin’s track record and experience, please request for a copy of his curriculum vitae.

Work Highlights

• Acted for TMRG Pte Ltd and Luke's Tavern Holdings Pte Ltd as lead counsel against Luke's Seafood LLC and its Singapore franchisee in a trademark infringement and passing off trial in the Singapore High Court. Clients operated a fine dining establishment called "LUKE'S" and had to take action against the American F&B giant Luke's Seafood LLC who started a "Luke's Lobster" franchise in Singapore to avoid confusion and damage to client's brand and goodwill.
• Acted for F.Hoffmann - La Roche AG against Drug Houses of Australia Pte Ltd in a patent linkage dispute relating to a drug used to treat lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. The action resulted in a favourable outcome for client as the Defendant eventually withdrew its product license application.
• Acted for Bristol-Myers Squib Pharma Co in patent linkage proceedings against Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd. This case resulted in a Judgment reported as Novartis (Jiangsu) Pte Ltd v Bristol-Myers Squib Pharma Co [2018] 3 SLR 1194, a high profile decision in relation to whether corrections may be made to the Registrar of Patents in correct errors in the Patents Register that captured the attention of the Singapore Patent Attorney profession.
• Member of team advising Nokia Corporation in a complex and multi-jurisdictional patent and licensing dispute in the telecommunications field involving complex issues such as standard essential patents and FRAND licensing. This was a major project involving extensive investigation field work around mobile chipsets and providing validity and infringement opinions in respect of assertable patents in Singapore covering a wide range of technologies.
• Member of team acting for AstraZeneca in patent linkage proceedings commenced against Sanofi-Aventis Singapore Pte Ltd for infringement of patents covering a cholesterol drug. Although the matter was eventually settled, this case involved the previously novel issues of whether section 12A of the (old) Medicines Act contemplated an independent cause of action from a patent infringement action under the Patents Act (reported at Astra Zeneca AB (SE) v Sanofi-Aventis Singapore Pte Ltd [2012] SGHC 16), and the extent to which the Plaintiff must provide further and better particulars of the Defendant's alleged infringement (reported as Astra Zeneca AB (SE) v Sanofi-Aventis Singapore [2013] SGHCR 7).
• One of the team leaders in team appointed by a global pulp and paper manufacturing giant to carry out a major IP audit project for tax restructuring purposes. This was a two year project requiring team leaders to travel to the client's various international offices, manufacturing plants, plantations, power plants and various business units to interview the client's business leaders, engineers, R&D personnel and other employees for the purpose of the IP audit and recommending follow up action required.
• Acted for a leading Japanese fermented drink manufacturer, Kabushiki Kaisha Honsha in a successful trademark opposition filed in Brunei against Societe des Produits Nestle S.A
• Member of team that acted for a German technology company enforcing its Singapore patents covering semiconductor technology against a leading service provider of semiconductor packaging design, assembly, test and distribution solutions in Singapore. This "David vs Goliath" action lead to a licensing deal being agreed by parties.
• Member of team that defended an American technology company against claims of patent infringement by an international manufacturer of chemical products relating to chemical mechanical polishing technology. The High Court Judgment was reported as Rohm & Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings Inc v NexPlanar Corp [2017] SGHC 310
• Served as de facto "in-house" external counsel over a three(3) year period for a local SME whose founders had invested millions in cutting edge technologies in areas such as medical devices, energy and water desalination. I provided legal services to support the incorporation of the company, the hiring of its first local management and operation teams, acquiring of office premises, negotiations of agreements with contract manufacturers, reviewing of marketing materials to comply with advertising laws, negotiating of distribution agreements, reviewing clinical research agreements and providing other general legal advice to the managing director, operations, human resource director and marketing director until the client had expanded its operations sufficiently to hire its own in-house counsel.