We interview Luna Zhang, Senior Counsel at Kangxin Partners, a Chinese IP firm with offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Xi’an, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Qingdao. Luna holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School and an LLM from EDHEC Business School in France, and has practised in IP since 2006. She became a FICPI member in 2023.
“FICPI’s particular characteristic is that its membership consists exclusively of IP attorneys in private practice, so its programmes address not only substantive law but also the practical questions practitioners encounter, including practice management, professional standards, client relationships, and the use of new technology in daily work.
“Our work runs in both directions — assisting foreign rights holders in China and supporting Chinese applicants filing abroad — and both depend on good working relationships with attorneys elsewhere. The scale and format of FICPI’s international meetings allow for a good deal of direct conversation, which suits the way we prefer to build relationships.”
Please introduce us to Kangxin Partners and tell us more about the practice
Since its establishment in 1994, Kangxin has grown into one of the leading IP firms in China, with offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Xi’an, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Qingdao with more than 500 staff, including patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys and other IP professionals. We handle patents, trade marks, copyright, domain names, IP consulting, enforcement and training, and continue to invest in a digital platform for IP services. Our clients include both domestic Chinese enterprises and international companies. Kangxin is the top PCT filer in China and ranks among the top filers worldwide.
We cover both prosecution and enforcement, so a matter that begins as a filing and later becomes an opposition, invalidation or infringement action can be handled continuously by one firm; we have long experience working on instructions from overseas attorneys and the reporting and deadline practices this requires; and we maintain teams serving clients in English, Japanese and Korean.
What specialist expertise do you offer as IP attorneys based in China?
In China, the emphasis of recent years has been on the quality of IP rights rather than filing volumes. On the one hand, outbound filings by Chinese applicants continue to grow, which increases demand for coordinated international filing strategies. On the other, CNIPA's measures addressing irregular filings and its regulatory programme for IP agencies have raised compliance requirements, and adapting internal procedures takes time and resources. Clients also increasingly raise filing questions that involve commercial and regulatory considerations alongside legal ones.
Tell us a bit about your career as an IP attorney
I assist IP owners worldwide in devising and implementing tailored strategies for protecting their rights in China, covering both prosecution and enforcement. I work with Fortune 500 companies, law firms and related institutions on the analysis and use of global IP data, including trade mark, patent, domain name and online brand protection data.
I have been a FICPI member since 2023 and have attended FICPI meetings for consecutive years. I particularly value the opportunity to meet colleagues from other jurisdictions on a regular basis, which allows professional relationships to develop naturally over time.
What prompted you to become a FICPI sponsor?
We first sponsored FICPI in 2023 and found the experience worthwhile.
FICPI brings together IP attorneys in private practice from many jurisdictions, which makes its events a natural place for us to meet colleagues and exchange views.
Sponsoring is our way of supporting the organisation’s events and activities, and of indicating that we hope to remain part of this community over the longer term.
Kangxin participates in a number of international IP organisations and regards them as complementary, each serving a somewhat different purpose.
FICPI’s particular characteristic is that its membership consists exclusively of IP attorneys in private practice, so its programmes address not only substantive law but also the practical questions practitioners encounter — practice management, professional standards, client relationships, and the use of new technology in daily work.
The scale and format of FICPI meetings also allow for a good deal of direct conversation, which suits the way we prefer to build relationships.
How have you found previous FICPI Fora, Congresses, webinars and networking opportunities?
We have found them useful. The programmes are prepared by practitioners, so the topics tend to be ones we meet in practice. The webinars are a helpful way for colleagues unable to travel to follow the same discussions. We appreciate the balance between structured content and informal time, and look forward to the 23rd Open Forum in Budapest this September.
Meet the team at the 23rd Open Forum in Budapest
Kangxin’s team will attend the 23rd Open Forum in Budapest from 16 to 18 September, and we would be pleased to meet colleagues there, whether in connection with a current matter or simply to exchange views on developments in China.
Further information about the firm is available at en.kangxin.com, and we are always glad to answer questions by email.
Thank you Luna! We look forward to seeing you at the FICPI Open Forum in Budapest (16-19 September 2026).