On April 1, 2025, the “IP Practitioners in Bulgaria” seminar was held in Sofia. The event was organized by the Boards of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in partnership with the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria. Managing Partner of Georgi Popov & Co. Law Firm – Mr. Georgi Popov participated in the seminar, which was aimed at legal professionals in the field of intellectual property, including judges, lawyers, and industrial property representatives (IPRs).
The participants discussed topics related to the harmonization and convergence of practices in proceedings concerning evidence in trademark dispute cases, new types of trademarks, alternative dispute resolution, recent court rulings, and more. Specific cases from the practices of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal and the Bulgarian judiciary were presented and discussed, covering topics such as trademarks that violate public policy or accepted principles of morality, bad-faith trademark applications, unauthorized applications submitted by an agent or representative of the trademark owner, and the mediation practices of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal.
The discussion forum was also attended by Eng. Olya Dimitrova (President of the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria), Sven Stürmann (Chair of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal), Judge Tatyana Zhilova (Supreme Administrative Court), Harri Salmi (Acting Chair of the Second Board of Appeal), Ofelia Tsonkova (Seconded National Expert at the Boards of Appeal), and Plamena Georgieva (Legal Associate at the Fourth Board of Appeal).
Attorney Georgi Popov’s participation in this forum highlights the commitment of GP & Co. Law Firm to maintaining high standards in legal practice and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in the field of intellectual property. The seminar provided a valuable opportunity for exchanging knowledge and best practices, contributing to more effective client service by GP & Co. Law Firm in protecting intellectual property rights both in Bulgaria and across the European Union.
