EPAM provided legal support to DynaEnergetics, a world leader in the manufacturing and selling of oilfield equipment, in a complex project on closing its plant and selling its subsidiary in the Tyumen region of Russia.
Until recently, Aqua Investments Group, a client of the Firm, in cooperation with Kavminkurortresursy JSC, had successfully protected their exclusive geographical indication (GI) rights to the products Yessentuki N4 and Yessentuki N17 (GI Yessentuki). In most cases, the holder of the GI rights had managed to prevent competitors from launching counterfeit products attempting to use the well-known healing diets and mineralized healing water brands.
The national pharmaceutical chain VITA / VITA Express, which has been operating in Russia since 1995 and numbers 1,730 pharmacies, engaged the Firm’s services after it became known that a competitor was also using a logo containing the word “ВИТА” (the Russian word for VITA) and a similar colour combination on its signs. Moreover, VITA’s opponent managed to register its logo as a trademark with Rospatent. Protecting the client’s interests proved to be challenging as the logo used by the client was different from the one protected by their trademark.
The Firm’s attorneys continue to successfully defend the patent rights of major international pharmaceutical companies. This is the fourth pharmaceutical manufacturer (along with Novartis, Bayer, and BMS) that successfully sought legal redress in the Intellectual Property Court thanks to the Firm’s team
Petersburgsky Traktorny Zavod belongs to the Kirovsky Zavod PJSC group, the oldest and the largest Russian producer of tractors. PTZ JSC tractors and other road equipment have been produced under Kirovets brand since the 1960s, and with their remarkable appearance and special model IDs, they have become widely known amongst customers over the course of their 50 year manufacturing history.
In March 2018, Rospatent rejected the company Abrau-Durso’s registration of the ABRAU JUNIOR trademark (a new product line of carbonated non-alcoholic beverages based on grape juice as it had previously done to other brands from the ABRAU product line. The major obstacle for ABRAU in obtaining the registration was the existing Rospatent practice in which trademarks are not granted if a product’s name is similar to its place of origin.
On November 29, 2018 Saint Petersburg hosted an awards ceremony for the Top-100 - 2018 prize winners organized by Delovoy Peterburg newspaper. Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner at EPAM, was recognized with the Law Firm Management and Development nomination.
On September 21, at the meeting of the Supervisory Board of the High-Tech Park, a positive decision was taken regarding registration of the subsidiary of Appodeal Inc. as an HTP resident.
On 5 June 2018 the AEB Intellectual Property Committee held a general meeting to discuss latest legislation changes and their implementation, as well as to elect a new Deputy Chairperson.
Associates at EPAM devised and successfully executed a competent strategy to represent ALVIZ, a subsidiary of Russia’s largest alcoholic beverages company Beluga Group, in a trademark infringement dispute, allowing ALVIZ to continue to market its key brand, Arkhangelskaya vodka.
Elena Avakyan, Counsel at EPAM and Executive Director of Non-Profit Partnership For Advancement of Corporate Law joined the ranks of Russian experts of ICC Global Commission on Intellectual Property. Elena will become a member of the Task Force on Reduction of Formalities in IP Registration Procedures.
Danone Russia and Soyuzmultfilm have signed an agreement to produce a series of sequels to the popular animated short film Three from Prostokvashino. The terms of cooperation provide that shooting is to start in 2017. Danone Russia will act as the project originator and will use the project to promote Russia’s largest dairy brand, Prostokvashino, on an ongoing basis.
Daria Sergeeva has joined the team at the St. Petersburg Office of EPAM as a Senior Associate in the intellectual property, technology, media, and telecommunications practice (Intellectual Property/TMT).
EPAM is pleased to announce the promotion of a number of senior associates in its Russian offices. Effective as of January 1, 2015 Evgeny Bolshakov, Maria Kobanenko, Alina Kudriavtseva, Vladimir Pestrikov, Mark Rovinskiy and Pavel Sadovsky were appointed as counsel in the Moscow office. Elena Agaeva and Elena Legashova have become counsel in St. Petersburg.
By its decision issued on 29 September 2014 the Vologda Region Arbitrazh Court has fully dismissed the opponent’s claim to invalidate the Russian utility model patent held by ZAO Ultracraft. The utility model refers to the innovative technology for ultrasonic testing of steel structures used for high-tech equipment supplied by the client to Germany, Japan, etc.