Working remotely full-time for Chile from China while simultaneously pursuing an international master’s degree in Intellectual Property (IP). That was the challenge taken on by Villaseca associate María José Morales Codelia when she moved to China in August 2025 after being awarded the prestigious Belt and Road Master Program on Intellectual Property scholarship granted by the Chinese Government, with sponsorship from Chile’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) for the candidate selection process.

María José’s interest in China began 10 years ago when she started studying Mandarin Chinese as a hobby at the Confucius Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. This later led her to spend a year living in Shanghai, China, between 2017 and 2018 to further develop her language skills after receiving a Chinese Government scholarship for the first time. However, the professional opportunity arrived last year when the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) announced a specialized Intellectual Property studies program offered by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) במסגרת the international Belt and Road collaboration initiative.

María José — a Molecular Biotechnology engineer with a master’s degree in Biological Sciences — explains that she decided to apply and, after submitting her application, obtained INAPI’s formal sponsorship, which later enabled her to win the scholarship together with another Chilean lawyer.

As a result, in 2025 she moved to China to begin the two-year master’s program at a top-tier institution, Tongji University in Shanghai, where she has been deepening her knowledge and practice in intellectual property while continuing her work as an associate at Villaseca handling patent prosecution matters.

Her technical background as an engineer and her seven years of experience as a patent agent in the life sciences field have allowed her not only to keep up with the program — where most of her classmates are lawyers or recent graduates — but also to apply the knowledge immediately in her work for Chile. “In the end, all of my previous background has been useful. It became a benefit and a great advantage,” she says.

She adds that this learning experience has strengthened her analytical skills and generated direct value, even in key client retention processes. “I started applying all the subjects from the master’s program in my work with them,” she explains. She also notes that the multicultural environment of the program has broadened her perspective on intellectual property: “Attending classes has been like being at a United Nations assembly,” she says.

For her master’s thesis, María José explains that she is focusing on patent prosecution and opportunities for improvement that could be proposed for the Chilean system. She notes that her approach has received positive feedback from her professors, even giving her the opportunity to discuss the topic with Francis Gurry, former Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, during one of the program’s academic activities.

Today, from China, María José continues contributing to her clients in Chile while also projecting her professional development through an increasingly global perspective on intellectual property. Her experience reflects how the combination of technical specialization, cultural openness, and international education can translate into concrete value for legal practice. Her journey demonstrates how local talent can thrive in global environments without losing connection to the Chilean market, contributing a strategic perspective in a context where innovation and the protection of intangible assets are becoming increasingly relevant.

Our partner Felipe Pavez and associate Francisco Valverde participated in the 2026 Annual Meeting of the International Trademark Association, held this year in London.

The event brought together intellectual property professionals and industry leaders from around the world to discuss the key trends, challenges, and transformations shaping trademark law and the protection of intangible assets in increasingly digital and global markets.

The participation of our team in this international gathering reflects Villaseca’s commitment to providing counsel that remains connected to the evolution of the industry and aligned with international standards and best practices.

Our associate Carol Schmeisser moderated a discussion on the future of trademarks in digital environments during the seminar “Trademarks in the Digital Economy: Challenges for the Law,” organized by Universidad Andrés Bello.

Together with Ximena Sepúlveda, Gabriela Alegría and Maximiliano Santa Cruz, the panel explored how trademark law is adapting to the rise of digital platforms, social media, and global markets.

At Villaseca, we value these opportunities for discussion and reflection, which help rethink the protection of intangible assets in an economy that is evolving at great speed.