Gratitude and Commitment to Co-creation
Tani and Abe is like a tree, the seed of which was planted in 1977. It has been growing slowly and steadily since then. Now it has become a larger, more sturdy tree with many branches, leaves and new buds and, just as a tree trunk gets bigger and stronger every year, so does Tani and Abe.
Our tree is made from our patent and trademark attorneys and our supporting and paralegal staff. Our tree is also strengthened by the precious support of our valuable clients and our communication with various patent and trademark attorneys, attorneys at law, and scholars as well.
We are sincerely grateful for the valuable connections with many people world-wide and for the experience we have gained from the variety of work we have done. All these things have made our tree blossom.
Since the foundation of the firm in 1977 we have worked on long range plans. In the first decade, we concentrated on domestic practices. In the second decade, we developed international operations. In the third decade, we have further expanded our work into enforcement such as litigation and licensing.
From now on, we further target comprehensive, world class IP services including IP management which will make a sincere contribution to our clients’ needs.
To this end, our entire organization provides us with sustainable training curriculum and opportunities that will enhance our professional capabilities.
We truly believe that we, patent and trademark attorneys, accomplish our IP work, as a professional representative of our clients, as if we were the clients. We “step into the shoes” of our clients in order to understand their viewpoints, problems and concerns. Our professional advice is then tailored for individual clients to assist them in achieving their desired goals. We are confident that we can provide the greatest benefit to our clients by working jointly and closely with them. Here, Co-creation helps us, through understanding and appreciation, to turn ourselves into the client.
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“Philosophies of Co-creation” [ registered trademark ] were proposed by Dr. Tadashi Sasaki※ are comprised of five rules. They are: “Altruism” - be self-assertive with consideration for your associates ; Our professional conduct is based upon the “ Philosophies of Co-creation” |
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We commit to pursuing comprehensive IP services for creative activities, the acquisition of IP rights to protect the fruits of creative activities, and the maintenance and enforcement of IP rights through proactive and joint consideration with our clients. In providing these services, we always consider out client’s problems, needs, and concern. After understanding our client’s goals, we are jointly proactive with our clients to achieve these goals.
By embracing the “Philosophies of Co-creation” our tree has grown bigger and stronger and our clients and friends have helped us to blossom. We continue to nurture the growth of our IP tree through our clients and friends, while embodying the principles of the “Philosophies of Co-creation.”
※ Dr. Sasaki was a senior vice president of Sharp Corp. He was an honorary member of IEEE and had been active in the front line of cutting edge technologies and was one of the representative engineers of Japan until he passed away on January 31, 2018 at the age of 102.
I made his acquaintance at the strategic conference for activating industries in Shimane prefecture. Since then, I fully respect him and his concept of "Co-Creation".
Be proactively professional ; Our Philosophy:
Keep understanding the other side；
We always start our job by trying to fully understand what our clients are thinking and what IP rights they would like to protect such as an invention. We then have to have the invention understood by an examiner of the patent office. After a patent is granted, we start negotiations to enforce the patent and in this process we have to understand what the opposite party to the negotiations is thinking. If a lawsuit is filed, we cannot act properly without understanding what the opposite party thinks and what court judges think. When we work with people abroad we have to understand their way of thinking. Fully recognizing the differences between their cultures and ours, we have to explain our IP practices and cultures in a way that they can understand them from their cultural viewpoints. When we work with other colleagues in our day to day activities, we must understand them, especially those who are downstream in the workflow. As illustrated in these cases, it is vital for us to understand those we are working with to achieve Co-creation.
Strive for a positive information gap；
Clients do not expect us to work as their subcontractors. They expect us to serve them as professionals, providing them with something they do not have. That is why we must constantly strive to the highest levels of understanding in technology, the understanding of law, know-how concerning daily, routine work, knowledge of foreign practices, connections with overseas associates and with experiences in lawsuits and licensing negotiations. Our clients expect us to have those “positive information gap”. If our clients believe we know less than they do [ negative information gap ], we will be of no use to them as professionals.
Be proactive and sincere；
Make proactive and sincere efforts in the interests of our clients. Be faithful to our clients and strive foe excellence in order to satisfy their expectations. Do our best efforts to provide our clients with the highest quality services timely at a reasonable cost.
Enjoy our work for better results；
Our workplace is our battlefield and our job is a hard work. So, we must enjoy the challenge. To work effectively with our colleagues, we must inform and stimulate each other in order to provide timely, high quality services.
Stay young ;
Always look to the future by using the past as a springboard. Never be satisfied with the status quo. Think proactively about reforms for the existing situation in order to improve our relations in the future. Just as a tree constantly grows and renews itself with new leaves, we must constantly strive to stay young in order to serve our clients better.
