29.04.2024
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Kolster’s Sini Petsalo has been granted an authorisation of an Industrial Property Attorney. The professional title is protected by law in Finland and requires comprehensive competence of industrial rights. There are three Authorised Industrial Property Attorneys at present in Finland.
Sini Petsalo has Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Science (Technology) degrees.
“I have enjoyed in proceeding towards the versatile assignments that I now work with as an Industrial Property Attorney, and this path has suited me well considering my technical and legal background. Kolster has always supported and encouraged in extending competence”, Sini Petsalo says.
“Effective protection of intellectual property is often based on many factors. It is rewarding to be able to assist our clients in building competitive advantage comprehensively.”
Authorisation is granted by, and the register of authorised attorneys is kept by, the Industrial Property Attorney Board of Finland. According to the Act on Authorised Industrial Property Attorneys, the purpose of authorisation procedure is to ensure the professional competence of individuals handling industrial property assignments.
“Especially in conflict situations, such as in infringement cases, competence regarding the special characteristics of each IP right combined with the ability to assist with legal questions and in dispute resolution, before the national courts as well as before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) if needed, is clearly beneficial for our clients”, Sini Petsalo adds.
The professional title of an Industrial Property Attorney can be used by an authorised attorney handling industrial property assignments that has passed the sections on patent law, trademark law and design law as well as a common section of the industrial property attorney's examination organised by the Industrial Property Attorney Board of Finland and fulfils also the rest of the required qualifications. Additionally, work experience with industrial property assignments is expected relating to each section. As to the education, principally Master of Laws and Master of Technology degrees are needed.
The Act on Authorised Industrial Property Attorneys, that came into force in 2014, enabled according to so called “grandfather clause” registered attorneys who had been handling industrial property assignments for a certain time before the law came into force to register as authorised attorneys without passing the related complete industrial property attorney's examination that was set as a precondition in the new law. Sini Petsalo is the first Industrial Property Attorney in Finland who has been granted the title through the complete examination procedure.
