DeHeng Represented Cases Selected as Landmark Judicial Precedents in China’s Seed Industry

2024-04-10

Recently, the Supreme People’s Court released The Fourth Batch of Typical Judicial Cases for Intellectual Property Protection in the Seed Industry, including 15 cases. Two cases jointly represented by Huang Yong (partner, Chengdu Office), Liu Zhipeng (partner, Changsha Office), and Huang Min (partner, Hefei Office) for Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co., Ltd. (Longping High-tech) and Hunan Longping Seeds Industry Co., Ltd. in disputes with a leading seed company in Anhui Province involving the implementation and infringement of new plant variety rights have been selected.

The cases, involving industry leaders, significant monetary claims, and widespread media coverage, have been hailed as “the largest intellectual property case in China’s seed industry.” Media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, China Economic Weekly, Beijing News, ifeng.com, and The Paper have closely followed the developments. The litigation, initially filed in the Hefei Intermediate People’s Court and later elevated to the Anhui High People’s Court, involved complex legal issues and intense disputes.

As representatives for Longping High-tech and Longping Seeds Industry, DeHeng’s lawyers conducted in-depth analyses on key matters, including the hybrid combination procedures, licensing mode, contract interpretation, the applicability of industry practices, and the exercise of termination rights. After two days of hearings, the team participated in multiple rounds of mediation organized by the Anhui High People’s Court, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the China Seed Association. Guided by the principle of “resolving disputes amicably for mutual development,” the parties reached a settlement, withdrawing their lawsuits and achieving a lasting resolution.