20.4.2018
“I Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen do promise and affirm on my honour and my conscience that I shall act in my office in accordance with the Constitution and the law, I shall administer justice in a lawful and impartial manner to the best of my understanding, and I shall respect the equality of all persons before the law.”
With these words, the expert members appointed by the Finnish Government to the Market Court for the term 1 April 2018–1 March 2023 gave their solemn affirmation of office as they received their duties to serve as expert members of the Market Court. European Patent Attorney, European Trademark and Design Attorney Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen from Kolster was selected as one of the expert members on IP rights to this highly esteemed and responsible position.
The Market Court is led by a Chief Judge, and its other members include 23 Market Court Judges and two Market Court Engineers. In addition to these, the Market Court has part-time expert members, who are appointed by the Government for terms of five years. For the first time, Chief Judge Kimmo Mikkola prompted patent and trademark attorneys to apply as expert members, in order to supplement the expertise of the Market Court in IP rights matters.