Douglas Clark, the former head of global disputes practice at U.K. intellectual property firm Rouse, is slated to join Hong Kong’s independent law firm Tanner De Witt. Come September 1, he is set to commence his role as a partner, with plans to build its intellectual property practice whilst assisting in the expansion of its arbitration practice, as disclosed to Law.com International.
Prior to his tenure at Rouse, which began in 2020, Clark spent over eight years as a barrister at Gilt Chambers, specializing in patent, trademark, copyright, and unfair competition cases in Hong Kong. His legal career took root at Hogan Lovells where he practiced for 18 years; initially as an associate, and later as a partner. His roles there were both numerous and significant, featuring stints as the firm’s Head of IP in China, Shanghai managing partner, and the global head of the patent group. Before deciding to depart Rouse in 2022 to establish his own practice, Clark was also fluent in Mandarin, further grounding his expertise in the Chinese legal sector. He later joined Rouse, further enriching his already diverse legal career.