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‘Gorodissky & Partners’: a reliable legal bridge for Russia-oriented business

1 March 2016

Nowadays a very favorable situation has come to exist for the foreign business to come to Russia. The point is that the economic sanctions imposed by some western states limit western companies’ cooperation with Russia, thus making many profitable niches ready to accept foreign investments on quite beneficial terms. For as soon as the sanctions are over there will be definitely an upsurge of interest by foreign business in Russian industries allowing potentially high profits. Thus, experts see the current situation favorable as never before to make business with Russia.

In addition to that the legal mechanics to protect interests of intellectual property right holders and investors are ensured to a high standard in Russia. According to Vladimir Biriulin, a Russian patent attorney and partner at Russian law firm ‘Gorodissky & Partners’, «now all issues related to protection of investors’ rights have been resolved by the Russian law; the protection of IP is just as good as it is in any developed country».

The statement made by the reputable expert is trustworthy since law firm ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ is the biggest and the most experienced one in Russia engaged in patenting inventions, registration of trademarks and intellectual rights protection. Patent and trademark practitioners and lawyers of ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ who began their professional carrier in 1959 now make one of the oldest Russian teams in intellectual property issues. The company is specialized in protecting intellectual property of local and foreign firms in Russia. Besides, among over 10 thousand clients more than two thirds are foreign ones doing business in our country. The majority of industrial giants directly or indirectly represented in Russia are clients of ‘Gorodissky & Partners’.

The firm is well-known worldwide. It is among the ten of the biggest law companies in Europe and has a wide network of branch offices in various regions of Russia and in Ukraine. In October 2015 ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ opened a branch office in Vladivostok. The office is engaged in a wide range of legal activities on behalf of foreign clients. The new office has definitely made it easier to legally support Pacific Region companies.

Answering our questions as to assisting foreign companies doing business in Russia Mr. Biriulin agrees that today this is the sound legal basis which guarantees efficient and successful international business both related to direct investments in Russia and under joint international business projects. This aspect is especially important for transfer of technologies to Russia, the type of business growing more popular and in demand.

In this regard ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ is the most experienced and biggest one in Russia in terms of supporting foreign companies including investors. As a matter of fact the firm is competent in all legal activities regarding intellectual property, from handling patent and trademark applications up to supporting and protecting IP, n including routine and less frequent assignments on the Russian market. The list of activities is quite impressive; it includes drafting applications to register intellectual property, handling patent and trademark applications during prosecution in patent office, licensing, protection of right holders, tax planning and optimization, due diligence of intellectual property, support of license agreements, evaluation of intangible assets and so on. The company provides reliable services of as to all above-mentioned issues.

It should not go unnoticed that fees for legal services in Russia (including ‘Gorodissky & Partners’) have an obvious advantage over similar service fees in other countries. For comparison, one working hour of a patent/trademark attorney or a lawyer of the company may be two or three times less than in the USA; protection of rights in the court of first instance may be several times less expensive than for example in France, for example. And so on. No wonder that with such prices and quality of work ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ has the best portfolio not only in Russia but perhaps in all Eastern Europe.

The company has lots of work to do. For one thing, any merger or setting up a joint enterprise requires objective assessment of partners’ contributions and competent ensuring IP rights of every IP subject matter. Meanwhile, it is no secret that today intangible assets of many innovative companies cost more than tangible ones. Mr. Biriulin assures that ‘every project needs IP protection and we ensure such protection.’

Vladimir Biriulin provides a simple and vivid example. Developing any natural resources requires modern innovative equipment the investor is ready to deliver. Such equipment, as a rule, uses new exclusive technology solutions which have to be protected against being dishonestly copied. Mr. Biriulin and his coworkers are actively involved in these issues on behalf of foreign companies. Among their clients are mostly US, Japanese and European companies. It is worth noting that Japan is among the three biggest patent applicants in Russia.

‘Gorodissky & Partners’ is well-known worldwide.
iT is among The Ten of The biggest law companies in europe and has a wide neTwork of branch offices in various regions of Russia and in Ukraine. in ocTober 2015 ‘gorodissky & parTners’ opened a branch office in VladivosTok.
The office is engaged in a wide range of legal acTiviTies on behalf of foreign clienTs. The new office has definiTely made iT easier To legally supporT pacific region companies.

Being in possession of the biggest team of professionals in Russia (over 450 members including over one hundred Russian patent and trademark attorneys and lawyers, more than forty Eurasian patent attorneys ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ has an unrivalled experience. The specialists of this particular company were the first to be involved in protecting intellectual property back in Soviet era. Thus, the company understands specifics of making and operation of Russian legislation in terms of intellectual property.

Mr. Biriulin emphasizes that Russia is importing many various goods. Unfortunately not every manufacturer registers his trademark in due time in Russia, that is why sometimes it happens that these brands are registered by socalled trademark squatters. Vladimir Biriulin says, ‘Certainly, we later re-establish justice via courts and deprive pirates of illegal rights. However, it takes time and money. It is surely better to register a trademark in due time and smoothly develop business.’

According to the specialist, the further economy develops the more considerable and valuable becomes intellectual property for business development being often a core asset. It can be also demonstrated by technology transfer projects which are now the most popular kind of production-oriented business in Russia. ‘A technology should be initially protected in a proper manner, and only afterwards it can be transferred,’ says Vladimir Biriulin. ‘It can be transferred either under assignment agreement or a license agreement. By the way, this is a big part of our activities.’

Importance of a properly prepared agreement can hardly be overestimated. According to the expert, in practice it often happens that companies enter into a hastily drafted agreement of cooperation prepared by themselves, commence doing business, but after some time (a year or two) some disputable situations arise caused by mistakes made in the very beginning. Such disputes often concern intangible assets.

As an example of active international activities Vladimir Biriulin describes close relations with Japan and Japanese firms. Every year ‘Gorodissky & Partners’ prepares and gives seminars in Japan on legal support of business activities in Russia and prepares IP manuals in this regard for Japanese companies. The next, third manual on the Russian IPis to be released in spring this year and distributed to Japanese companies.

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