US District Judge Ronald Lew, the Central District of California, is a participant in a six-day symposium discussing the enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) in border areas.

The event, which began on October 15 and will run through October 23, will visit three locations: the northern city of Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and the central city of Da Nang.

Vietnamese and US lawyers, judges, customs officers, and prosecutors have shared their own methods of enforcement and experiences in dealing with IPR infringements, involving the detection of counterfeit goods on the market and bogus products in border areas, legal procedures to be taken against violators, as well as prosecution and enforcement of the law.

Based on specific fieldwork cases, the participants have also discussed methods of cooperation that require various agencies’ involvement in handling IPR violations.