Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property

Companies, regardless of global reach or industry, must prioritize developing an intellectual property (IP) strategy fostering the creation, management, utilisation and protection of their IP assets, which often represent their most valuable resources. Building such a strategy is becoming increasingly complex, particularly due to the rapid pace of digital transformation.  
 
Our IP team, equipped with a strong academic background and practical experience across all facets of IP law, assists global and local clients in effectively navigating these challenges. Particularly, our industry-specific expertise enables us to deliver tailored, bespoke IP-related services that cater to the unique requirements of each industry. 
 
IP Due Diligence and Advisory 

In merger & acquisition and similar transactions, we help clients in identifying and mitigating risks associated with their own or the counterparty's IP portfolios. We offer a thorough assessment of the value and potential vulnerabilities of these IP assets, enabling clients to make informed decisions and effectively safeguard their interests. 

Our IP team also provides day-to-day advice to clients on IP matters, including drafting or reviewing IP related clauses in agreements they are party to. 

Copyright 

Our IP team stands out for its deep expertise in copyright. Our offering specific to copyright includes: 

• Copyright-related agreements: We act for clients across diverse sectors such as media& entertainment or fashion industry, acting as various parties in the drafting and review of copyright-related agreements, including copyright transfer or license agreements, talent agreements, design agreements etc. Our IP team diligently safeguards clients' interests in these agreements, focusing on critical aspects such as ownership of copyrights, the right to initiate legal proceedings against third-party infringements, and liability for third-party claims related to the copyrights. 
• Litigation: We represent or defend clients in various forums to resolve disputes related to copyright matters, particularly including ownership battles and infringement claims. 
• Enforcement strategies: We develop and implement enforcement strategies for clients, particularly those in the software industry, to safeguard their copyright and achieve favorable settlements or resolutions. In this regard, we initiate civil or criminal proceedings to conduct a raid against the infringer for gathering evidence of the infringement. Depending on the client's preference, we also send warning letters or invoke other measures to halt the infringement and facilitate potential settlements. 

Trademark 

We provide a full range of services in relation to trademarks. The main services in this regard include: 

• Trademark registration: Our IP team is authorized to handle trademark registration applications on behalf of clients and represent them throughout all stages of trademark registration proceedings before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TürkPatent). Additionally, we manage international trademark registration processes through WIPO and collaborate with local lawyers in other countries to facilitate trademark registration in those jurisdictions.
• Portfolio management: We offer comprehensive global trademark portfolio management services, encompassing an inventory of the current status of clients' trademarks and handling their renewals, monitoring third-party applications/registrations that infringe clients' trademark rights, and taking necessary actions against such applications/registrations or infringements upon client approval.
• Litigation and Enforcement: We represent clients in trademark-related civil or criminal proceedings, conducting raids against infringers to secure evidence of infringement, and seize and dispose of infringing goods.
• Trademark-related agreements: We assist clients in drafting and reviewing trademark transfer or license agreements. 

Design and Patent 

Our IP team handles the design registration process with the TürkPatent and WIPO, and collaborates with local law firms to register designs in other jurisdictions on behalf of our clients. With the support of technical experts, we also guide clients through the patent registration process. 

Our IP and litigation teams work closely together to provide top-tier representation for clients in all forms of design or patent disputes. We specialize in handling invalidation requests, ownership disputes, and infringement claims, ensuring robust defence or advocacy as needed. 
 
Unfair Competition 

We are renowned for our expertise in unfair competition. Our IP team assists clients in protecting their businesses from unfair practices such as false or comparative advertising and deceptive marketing tactics. Additionally, we provide robust defence against unfair competition claims, ensuring our clients' interests are vigorously protected.