Source: Untar Public Relations – VC
The Faculty of Law (FH Untar) officially conferred Susy Tan as the 52nd Doctor of Law after successfully defending her dissertation during an Open Doctoral Promotion Session held on Monday (15/12/2025) at the Auditorium of Building M, Campus I Untar.
The session was chaired by Untar Rector, Prof. Dr. Amad Sudiro, S.H., M.H., M.Kn., M.M., as Chair of the Examination Board. The main promoter was Prof. Dr. Mella Ismelina F. R., S.H., M.Hum., accompanied by co-promoter Prof. Dr. Ariawan Gunadi, S.H., M.H., as well as an internal examination team.
In her dissertation titled “Reformulation of Trademark Protection in a Responsive Law Perspective through a Study of the Application of the Foreign Equivalent Language Doctrine in Indonesia,” Susy Tan examined legal challenges arising from the increasing use of foreign terms in trademark registration in Indonesia. She highlighted inconsistencies in legal interpretation regarding the meaning and distinctiveness of foreign terms, both in administrative examination stages and court decisions, which may lead to legal uncertainty for business actors.
Through her research, Susy proposed a more responsive legal approach by adapting the Foreign Equivalent Language (FEL) Doctrine as an interpretative tool in trademark examination. This approach is considered capable of creating a more consistent and fair trademark registration process, aligned with the dynamics of foreign language use in modern business practices.
“In trademark registration practice, foreign terms are often interpreted differently. Without clear interpretative guidelines, this may create legal uncertainty. Therefore, an approach is needed to bridge linguistic aspects and legal protection objectives so that the trademark examination process can be more fair and consistent,” Susy Tan stated in her dissertation presentation.
Main Promoter, Prof. Dr. Mella Ismelina F. R., S.H., M.Hum., expressed appreciation for Susy Tan’s academic achievement and the relevance of her dissertation to the development of intellectual property law. “This dissertation shows a strong connection between theory and practice and provides an important contribution to the development of trademark law in Indonesia,” she said.
Susy Tan graduated with a GPA of 3.91 and received the distinction Very Satisfactory. In addition to her academic role, she is also active as a Curator Advocate, Intellectual Property (IP) Consultant, Tax Consultant, Mediator, and currently practices at Susy Tan & Partners, Jakarta.
This Open Doctoral Promotion Session reaffirms the commitment of the Faculty of Law Untar to producing legal research relevant to practical needs and global developments, while strengthening the university’s contribution to fostering a national legal system that is adaptive, just, and sustainable.
(VA/YS)