
Andy Leck
Biography
Andy Leck is a distinguished senior legal practitioner in Intellectual Property and Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) matters. He is the head of the Intellectual Property and Technology (IPTech) Practice Group in Singapore, and serves as the Asia Pacific head of Baker McKenzie's TMT Industry Group.
Andy is widely recognized by reputable global industry and legal publications as a leader in his field. He was named on "The A-List: Singapore's Top 100 lawyers" by Asia Business Law Journal since 2018. Chambers Asia Pacific notes that Andy as "a well-known IP practitioner who is highlighted for his record of handling major trade mark litigation, as well as commercial exploitation of IP rights in the media and technology sectors. He's been in the industry for a long time and has always been held in high regard. He is known to be very fair and is someone you would like to be in the trenches with you during negotiations." Furthermore, Asian Legal Business acknowledges Andy as a leading practitioner in his field and notes that he “always gives good, quick advice, [is] client-focused and has strong technical knowledge for his areas of practice.” Under his leadership, the TMT team in Singapore is highly regarded for its expertise in “outsourcing, cloud computing and TMT IP-related mandates” and “data privacy, compliance, technology and telecoms regulations.”
Andy was appointed by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) as an IP Adjudicator to hear IP disputes between 2021 and 2023. He has been an appointed member of the Singapore Copyright Tribunal since May 2010 and a mediator with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, as well as the Singapore Mediation Centre.
Practice Focus
With over 30 years of experience, Andy specializes in both contentious and non-contentious IP and technology matters. He regularly represents Fortune 500 corporations across various industries, including TMT, pharmaceutical and life sciences, consumer goods and retail, and energy.
In the TMT space, Andy’s expertise spans data protection; artificial intelligence; and content moderation, making him an invaluable asset in navigating complex regulatory landscapes. He provides strategic counsel on data residency and sovereignty requirements, ensuring compliance with Singapore’s cyber security framework. He has demonstrated his capacity to act for leading Asia and Western corporates, including China-based industry leaders and globally renowned brands.
Andy’s IP experience covers all aspects of IP commercial and advisory work; anti-piracy; IP portfolio management and IP disputes. He has acted for some of the world’s best known brand names and technologies – assisting them in complex IP litigation and international arbitrations under the major institutional rules, including ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL and WIPO, and IP portfolio management. He also advises on the commercial exploitation of IP rights, particularly in the technology, franchise, pharmaceutical and media industries.
Representative Legal Matters
- Advising many of the world’s leading multinational companies on their various contentious and non-contentious IP needs and requirements. This includes advising an American multinational conglomerate operating in the fields of healthcare, worker safety and consumer goods on its regional trade mark portfolio management and enforcement matters across all of Southeast Asia.
- Representing a consortium of production companies from the Motion Pictures Association of America in successfully obtaining dynamic injunctions/site-blocking orders against the Singapore network service providers to disable access to Flagrantly Infringing Online Locations. This was a landmark decision where the court ordered network service providers to block access to a list of URLs, IP addresses and domain names which were being used to facilitate access to the servers hosting unauthorised movies. This decision marked the first time that site-blocking orders and dynamic injunctions in Singapore were granted.
- Representing Fox Network Group, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, Starhub Ltd and the Football Association Premier League (on a Criminal Private Summons) in successfully prosecuting in the Singapore State Courts, vendors of set-top boxes which allowed streaming of unauthorised movie content.
- Representing a leading business software designer in organising and coordinating anti-counterfeiting actions relating to counterfeit software disseminated through the Internet in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore.
- Representing a multinational technology company in an ICC arbitration against its Singapore customer over an agreement to supply military technology for use by a middle-east sovereign.
- Successfully defending the Singapore Ministry of Defence in a Singapore High Court patent infringement claim over the use of technologies featured in the government’s military mobile medical vehicle. The claimant’s patent was successfully revoked in the counterclaim.
- Representing a multinational technology company in a dispute with its Singapore customer over, among other things, IP held in escrow. The client sought Anton Piller injunctions and an order that the dispute be referred to arbitration. Astrata (Singapore) Pte Ltd v. Tridex Technologies Pte Ltd and another [2010] SGHC 250 and Astrata (Singapore) Pte Ltd v. Portcullis Escrow Pte Ltd and another [2011] SGCA 20.
- Acted as counsel in an UNCITRAL arbitration in Singapore and Hong Kong in a technology and patent dispute arising from a co-production agreement to build airport passenger boarding bridges between the US licensor and PRC licensee/manufacturer.
- Representing one of the world’s leading cosmetic brands in a trade mark infringement and passing off action against a Singapore medical clinic for the use of its well-known trade mark. Clinique Laboratories, LLC v. Clinique Suisse Pte Ltd & Healthy Glow Pte Ltd [2010] SGHC 189. This was Singapore’s first reported decision on the infringement of a well-known trade mark.
- Representing one of the world’s leading industrial automotive companies in a trade mark infringement and passing off action against a supplier of heavy construction equipment and its sole proprietor for the infringement of various CAT trade marks and vehicular model numbers [2006] SGHC 58.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Notary Public & Commissioner for Oaths in Singapore
- Singapore Copyright Tribunal
- International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition
- Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APPA)
- International Trademark Association (INTA)
- Honourable Society of Gray's Inn
Admissions
- Hong Kong (2000)
- Singapore (1993)
- England & Wales~United Kingdom (1992)
Education
- University of Bristol (1990)
Languages
- Chinese
- English
Previous Offices
- Hong Kong