Enoch Liang

Enoch H. Liang

Co-Founder / Senior Adviser
300 South Grand Ave., Suite 3950, Los Angeles, California 90071
tel: (650) 241-2138 || fax: (213) 612-3773
enoch.liang@ltlattorneys.com

Overview

Enoch Liang is a co-founder of the firm and launched its San Francisco office.  He also served as the firm’s most recent past managing partner.  He is an experienced IP attorney, and has litigated all facets of IP disputes (including patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, trade secrets and idea theft claims).  Enoch has served clients across numerous industries including in technology, retail, cosmetics, automotive, and entertainment, in cases venued in California, Delaware, Texas, Ohio, and New York, as well as in China and Hong Kong.

Enoch is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and in 2016, the BTI Consulting Group honored Enoch as a “Client Service All-Star,” one of only 30 IP attorneys nationwide in the entire report. He has been named a “Super Lawyer”  by Thomson Reuters multiple times. Enoch was also recently selected by his peers for inclusion on the 2018 list of The Best Lawyers in America©, after being named a “Recommended Expert” in trademark litigation by the World Trademark Review. American Law Media and Martindale-Hubbell also rated him as a “2014 Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law.”

In addition to IP matters, Enoch has successfully represented clients in business litigation, including in partnership disputes, breach of contract disputes, and consumer class actions. Since mid-2010, Enoch has argued (and won) all the appeals he has handled, including four in the Ninth Circuit and several more in California state courts.  In that same timeframe, Enoch served as the first chair trial lawyer in seven trials or arbitrations – winning all of them.

Enoch also has had the unique distinction of practicing commercial and IP litigation with leading law firms in both the United States and China. This provides him with rare experience and perspective regarding the legal systems of the world’s 2 largest economies, as well as an extensive network of contacts in both countries.  In China and in Hong Kong, Enoch focused his practice on IP matters, including the acquisition and enforcement of IP rights. He has also personally attended numerous trials in China. With this background, Enoch is well-positioned to counsel clients engaged in cross-border business—either from the US going to China, or vice versa—as well as the attendant litigation that often arises.

Notable Representations

U.S. Litigation

  • Acted for defendant in complex, multi-jurisdictional trademark dispute where trademark owner requested $30M in damages in the US case; complete defense verdict after 6-day jury and bench trial in CDCAL; appeal to the Ninth Circuit pending.
  • Lead trial counsel for defendant in AAA arbitration over distributorship contract in Turkey; complete defense verdict.
  • Lead trial counsel for defendant in bench trial over patent ownership dispute; complete defense verdict.
  • Lead trial counsel for plaintiff in 2-week jury trial over dispute over dilution of minority shareholder’s shares by majority shareholder; 12-0 jury verdict for plaintiff, including punitive damages.
  • Lead trial counsel for defendant in 2-week jury trial over construction dispute; jury returned verdict of less than 13% of plaintiffs request for damages; verdict was much less than what client offered to settle the case.
  • Lead counsel for two defendants in federal court copyright and trade dress infringement action; obtained summary judgment less than one week from trial.
  • Lead counsel for leading Taiwanese entertainers in breach of contract case where entertainers did not perform at a concert; substituted in only 21 days before trial and obtained very favorable settlement.
  • Argued and won complex 9th Circuit trademark appeal overturning district court ruling; substituted in as counsel for oral argument after briefs were already completed.
  • Argued and won 9th Circuit copyright/trade dress appeal with novel issues; 9th Circuit affirmed two weeks after oral argument.
  • Represented bank in 3-week arbitration over failed sub-prime credit card business; plaintiff sought over $100 million in damages; resulted in complete defense verdict and award of costs to client.
  • Defended one of world’s largest sporting shoes and apparel companies in design patent case where plaintiff sought over $60 million in damages; resulted in summary judgment for client; affirmed on appeal by the Federal Circuit.
  • Coordinated defense of nationwide class actions over failed hard disk drives; resulted in very favorable settlement for client hard disk drive manufacturer.
  • Handled over 50 copyright, trademark, and trade secret matters for numerous clients, including leading toy company in California, famous entertainment institutions, and companies spanning all industries, ranging from insurance to video games to cosmetics to arts & crafts to tiles, etc.

   China Litigation

  • Acted for world-famous software provider in multi-patent litigation in Shanghai (together with Chinese patent litigation counsel); resulted in very favorable settlement for LTL’s client.
  • Ran anti-counterfeiting program in China and Hong Kong for world-famous manufacturer of consumer electronics; numerous favorable civil litigation verdicts for client.
  • Represented multi-national automobile accessories manufacturer in cross-border IP infringement litigations in China, Germany, France, and the US.
  • Coordinated Asia Pacific defensive strategy in worldwide patent litigation between two wireless technology companies.
  • Represented large oil company in unfair competition and trademark infringement actions against Chinese infringer, with parallel trade mark oppositions and cancellations; resulted in complete victory for client.
  • Represented Italian car manufacturer in design patent litigation against Chinese manufacturer that copied an entire car.
  • Represented world famous mobile phone company in appeal of and set-aside of adverse arbitration award arising out of contract dispute.

   China Non-Litigation

  • Conducted IP audit for one of the world’s largest automobile accessories and parts manufacturers by visiting all plants in China, and then providing comprehensive advice on structuring and strategic management of IP portfolio.
  • Team lead in due diligence and then negotiations for successful sale of 2 Chinese companies–one for over $35 million and another for over $300 million.
  • Negotiated and advised on numerous IP licenses, including for trademarks and patents.

Activities

Board member (2016-2017) – Leaders Forum
Board member (2010-2012) – Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association
Advisory Board Member (2010-2011) – Asia Society of Southern California
Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers

Awards

BTI Consulting Group “Client Service All-Star 2016” (only 312 attorneys selected nationwide; only 30 attorneys were focused on practicing IP)
AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Named by his peers to the 2018 list of Best Lawyers in America©
World Trademark Review “Recommended Expert in Trademark Litigation” for 2015 to 2017
“Super Lawyers” list by Thomson Reuters in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 (both Southern and Northern California)
“2014 Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law” by American Law Media and Martindale-Hubbell

Education

Columbia Law School (J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 1999)
The Ohio State University (B.S., summa cum laude and with honors, 1996)

Foreign Languages

Chinese (Mandarin)

Prior Affiliations

Lovells International Law Firm (China)
Junhe Law Offices (China)
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP

Publications/News

“The Newest IP Threat in China — IP Hijacking (Part 1 of 2)”, published in New Matter, the official publication of the Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of California.
“The Newest IP Threat in China — IP Hijacking (Part 2 of 2)”, published in New Matter.
“Civil Litigation in the Wild Wild East”, published in the September 2008 Business Litigation Report of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges.

(1) According to Martindale-Hubbell®, “AV Preeminent is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.”  Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ reflect a combination of achieving a Very High General Ethical Standards rating and a Legal Ability numerical rating. A threshold number of responses is required to achieve a rating.