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creators and innovators
Startup lawyer and Intellectual Property (IP) specialist
Starting your own business but unsure where to start?
Many businesses struggle to find a commercial lawyer & IP specialist with deep technical expertise and extensive startup experience.
Unfortunately, I've seen many founders & entrepreneurs frequently waste time losing momentum and opportunities by personally attempting to navigate the legal, IP, and compliance challenges during their business's crucial early stages. Considering the opportunity cost, it'd be better to focus on leveraging their unique creative strengths: innovation, branding, or sales.
Success is rare without a competent & experienced team to help. How does an entrepreneur discern who can solve the unique challenges their early-stage business faces in a timely and pragmatic way?
Our team includes James Wan, previously Harrison.ai's first general counsel. Harrison.ai raised A$158M in its first two years (incl. Australia's largest Series B round of A$129M) and formed partnerships with I-MED Radiology (Australia's leading medical imaging provider) and Sonic Healthcare (the world's third largest pathology provider) to develop and deliver comprehensive AI solutions.
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TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James knows what startups need and I found that he always delivers actionable legal advice that is relevant to their business objectives. James possesses a valuable and relatively rare skillset to know how to apply IP legal skills to AI and also can advise
with a commercial lens. He is very responsive to a startup’s need for quick turnarounds and can provide thoughtful proposals that make a lot of sense as a commercial solution which are also straightforward to implement by founders.
Samantha Wong
General Partner, Blackbird Ventures
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
I like James! He seems very competent with deep expertise. Impressive guy. And I don't say those things lightly.
Shrey Viranna
Chief Executive Officer - I-MED Radiology Network
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James has proven himself invaluable to theCompass.ai. His deep understanding and experience with AI is exceptional, and we've found his advice and insights absolutely on-point and very useful. In addition to advice, James has helped prepare our corporate documents and reviewed commercial agreements. We've valued his pragmatic insights, great attention to detail, and unfailingly timely turnaround. We consider him a valuable member of our team.
Greta Bradman
Chief Executive Officer - theCompass.ai
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
Thank you for all of your most valued assistance in the past, and I have enjoyed working with you.
Mark Mezzapica
Chief Technology Officer - RF Industries Pty Ltd
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James was very knowledgeable in the blockchain space and used his extensive experience to cover all bases and get the best outcome possible. He was professional and a pleasure to work with.
Ermin Nurovic
Co-Founder - dHEDGE
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
I had the pleasure of working with James in developing IP for novel medical devices. He provided expert advice and guidance in crafting meticulous and thorough applications that considered prior arts, resulting in more impactful patents. Along the way, he was also a good teacher, imparting the art of IP development, which has been especially helpful for my role as a start-up founder.
Rachel Hong
Founder - Meracle Health
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James is a very knowledgeable IP specialist. Our company submitted the patent application on a timely manner with James' assistance. His computer science background also played a very important role in understanding our business and invention without too much trouble in order to communicate a complex technology idea in legal language. James was very responsive during the whole process and we are very satisfied with his effort. I highly recommend James to you should you require any patent application assistance.
Hugo Lai
Risk & Compliance - Life Trading
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
I had the opportunity to work closely with James during his time in Singapore. He is a sound patent attorney with a very strong understanding of the clients’ commercial needs. Having worked in Australia, Singapore and later HK, he is well placed to provide a global perspective. He is also a pleasure to work with.
Sheena Jacob
Partner & Head of IP, Technology, Media & Competition - CMS Holborn Asia
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
Worked with James as a client on some international IP fillings. James was very professional and his timely advice enabled us to secure two international patents. Thanks James.
Patrick Ow
Risk Specialist
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James helped me to prepare US patent document a few years ago, I remembered he did it professionally! Good work! Thanks James
Joanne Yip
Founder - Active Biotechnology (Hong Kong) Company Limited
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James assisted me in my United States patent application throughout the entire filing process. He communicated extremely well so that I was kept well informed, he managed to capture and cover all aspects of the invention appropriately. Further, he explained all legal issues in a very clear and concise manner, and I would certainly recommend James as a very competent patent attorney.
Bernard Fong
Co-Founder - Bespoke Assistive Care Solutions
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James is a highly skilled patent expert in the web3, AI, machine learning etc industry. I highly recommend James as he is a highly skilled professional
Leo de Bruin
Founder - ESN Cleer
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James Wan is one of the best lawyers we have ever engaged. He has been incredibly helpful to Partly with some of our legal templates, his review of our commercial agreements and IP strategy. James has a great commercial understanding which leads to a fantastic practical approach, attention to detail, and keen understanding of our business needs. His expertise has truly made a difference in our ability to confidently enter into various commercial arrangements. We highly recommend James Wan to anyone seeking professional and pragmatic legal support for their business.
Nathan Taylor
Co-Founder - Partly
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
Transactional.ai would like to express our utmost appreciation for the outstanding legal advice and services provided by James Wan. His prompt, thoughtful, and commercially astute approach to preparing our commercial agreements and developing our IP strategy has been invaluable to our business. James’ technical expertise truly sets him apart in the industry, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. If you’re seeking a startup lawyer with a deep understanding of data, machine learning and combined with strategic commercial context, look no further than James Wan.
Ian Wong
Co-Founder - Transactional.ai
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
I am pleased to share my experience speaking with James Wan, who provided Human with valuable tips and advice on what to consider for a robust privacy, data, and IP framework. His pragmatic approach and deep expertise in the field have significantly contributed to our ability to navigate complex regulations while maintaining a strong focus on our core business objectives. We wholeheartedly recommend James Wan to any organisation seeking professional guidance in the areas of privacy, data protection, and intellectual property.
Kate Lambridis and Georgia Vidler
Founders - Human
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
I have had the pleasure of working with James on several occasions and have always been impressed with his level of professionalism and expertise. James has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of machine learning and its applicability to the healthcare industry. He is responsive, communicative, and always goes the extra mile to ensure that the matters are handled efficiently and effectively. I would not hesitate to work with him again in the future.
Catherine Zhu
Founding Partner - W3 Counsel, PC
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
James provided Strong Compute with insightful and pragmatic advice regarding co-developed IP for our Master Services Agreement with future customers. His expertise and clear guidance have been invaluable in helping us navigate complex negotiations and establish a strong foundation for successful partnerships. We highly recommend James Wan to anyone seeking professional advice in the realm of intellectual property and business agreements.
Ben Sand
Founder - Strong Compute
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
I cannot recommend James Wan highly enough for his outstanding assistance with my trademark. His prompt and pragmatic approach made the entire process a breeze. James’ expertise in the field ensured that my trademark concerns were addressed professionally and effectively. If you’re in need of reliable and knowledgeable support for your trademark requirements and get a trademark registered quickly and cost-effectively, look no further than James Wan.
Alex Brogan
Writer
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
We have always found James’ legal and IP advice precise and efficient. He is patient to explain complex legal concepts and also understand our business goals. He clearly communicates the various approaches to achieve our commercial goals and the risks/costs with each option. He has always done a really good job for when we needed him and we are more than happy to recommend his professional services. All in all, James is very good. Efficient, conscientious, considerate, technically excellent, understanding, helpful, responsive, effectively communicating. We were so lucky to encounter James in our first patent filing journey.
Guinness Siu
Founder - Festive Decor Commercial Display
TESTIMONIALS
What clients say
Srisai Tax Accountants is delighted to endorse James Wan for his exceptional assistance with our client’s trademark needs. James’ prompt, helpful, and pragmatic approach made the entire process smooth and efficient. His expertise in the field ensured that our client’s trademark concerns were addressed professionally and effectively. We highly recommend James Wan to anyone in need of reliable and knowledgeable support for their trademark requirements.
Anantha Sai
Chartered Accountant - Srisai Tax Accountants
Expertise
Patents
Copyright
Web3
Machine Learning
Trademarks
Designs
Software
BESPOKE ADVICE FOR ACCELERATING BUSINESS GROWTH
A business & IP law firm helping clients be successful
In Australia, 60% of new businesses fail within the first 3 years*
Several avoidable factors contribute to this:
- neglecting to register a trade mark or ensure freedom to operate
- lacking the right contracts, heightening legal risks and the potential for disputes
- permanent loss of valuable IP rights
- operating without an investor-friendly structure
These are a few of the common challenges for new businesses.
* “Why Small Businesses Fail In Australia”, Huffington Post, 28 Sep 2015
Expertise ◇ Responsiveness ◇ Excellence
James is a patent & trade mark attorney and commercial lawyer with over 21 years of experience across Australia, Singapore (3 years) and Hong Kong (6 years).
Make James your trusted advisor and leverage his expertise and experience so you can focus on building your business.
James will handle all your legal and intellectual property needs, including company registration, trademarks, shareholders agreement and more ...
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