Introduction of Patentni biro AF d.o.o.

Dear visitors and readers of our blog,

as we have noticed that a part of our readers does not come from Slovenia, but from different foreign countries, we have decided to write some of our posts in English. This one will serve as an introduction of our company, while the following posts will address various topics in industrial property protection in Slovenia as well as in the European Union.

Who we are and what we do

Patentni biro AF d.o.o. is a family-run intellectual property law firm established in 1993, making it one of the oldest IP law firms in Slovenia. The team deals with all services connected with intellectual property with a strong emphasis on industrial property protection and enforcement.

    1) Patents and Supplementary protection certificates

• Opinions on patentability
• Prior art searches
• Preparation of patent applications
• Filing of patent applications and patent prosecution in Slovenia
• Filing of PCT applications
• Filing and prosecution of European patent applications (EPO)
• Collaboration with our foreign partners for filing national patent applications and patent prosecution (i.e. USA, Canada, Russia, China, etc.)
• Preparation of responses to official actions issued by IP Offices
• Validation of European patents in Slovenia
• Obtaining supplementary protection certificate (SPC)

    2) Trademarks

• Searches in different databases for similar trademarks
• Opinions on trademark suitability
• Preparation and filing of trademark applications in Slovenia, European Union (OHIM) and abroad (international trademark applications at WIPO – Madrid system)
• Collaboration with foreign attorneys for preparation and filing of trademark applications in foreign countries, which are not included in international trademark applications under WIPO (i.e. Canada, UAE, etc.)
• Responding to office actions, provisional or partial refusals
• Responding to oppositions

    3) Designs

• Searches in different databases for same or similar designs
• Opinions on design suitability
• Preparation and filing of design applications in Slovenia, European Union (OHIM) and abroad (Hague system, WIPO)
• Preparation and filing of Declarations for design invalidity

    4) Maintaining intellectual property rights in force

• Keeping records for fee and annuity payments
• Conducting procedures for maintaining obtained IP rights

    5) (Possible) Infringements of intellectual property rights

• Regular scan of databases in order to prevent infringements (watching service)
• Counselling regarding appropriate actions when an infringement has been detected
• Preparation and sensing of a warning letter
• Preparation, filing and other procedural steps for patent oppositions
• Preparation, filing and other procedural steps for oppositions against registrations of trademarks or designs
• Comparisons of patents, trademarks or designs
• Opinions on whether a specific product infringes a patent, design or trademark
• Collaborations with law specialists in litigation procedures

    6) Help with marketing, licensing or transfers of intellectual property rights

• Preparation and/or review of licensing agreements
• Preparation and/or review of agreements regarding ownership transfers
• Searching and contacting potential buyers or licensing partners, including negotiations

    7) Translations of patent applications, patent documents, lists of goods and                    services and other texts in connection with intellectual property protection

    8) Counselling and preparation of intellectual property protection strategies 

Our services are used by numerous Slovenian and foreign companies, institutes and individuals, which are engaged in different fields, for example in electronics, mechanical engineering, pharmacy, medicine, biotechnology, chemistry, environmental sciences, sports, just to name a few.

Our team

Ms. Antonija Flak graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. Prior to founding the company Patentni biro AF d.o.o. she has been working in the Department of Intellectual Property in Iskra, the largest Slovenian electronics company. She passed the patent attorney exam at then still common Institute for Intellectual Property in Belgrade. Later, she obtained the title European Patent Attorney, and when Slovenia joined the European Union, she also became an attorney for trademarks and designs before the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), which primarily handles protection of trademarks and designs for the entire area of the European Union. She has more than 30 years of experience in all areas of intellectual property. Antonija Flak is a member of the Association of Slovenian Patent Attorneys, a member of the European Patent Institute and a member of the Professional Education Committee (PEC) at the European Patent Institute.

Mr. Matjaz Vezjak graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor and immediately after graduation started working in Patentni biro AF d.o.o. He soon passed the trademark and design attorney exam at the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, which allows him to act as a Slovenian and European trademark and design attorney. He is a member of the Association of Slovenian Patent Attorneys.

Dr. Maja Boric Vezjak has a graduate degree in microbiology as well as a PhD in microbiology, both obtained at Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana. Soon after finishing her PhD she has joined the Patentni biro AF d.o.o. team and passed the patent attorney exam at the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, which allows her to act as a Slovenian patent attorney and as a Slovenian and European trademark and design attorney. She is a member of the Association of Slovenian Patent Attorneys.

Office location and working hours

Our working time is flexible, as we often adapt to needs of our clients. In general, the office is open from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. on working days, except Fridays when we usually close at 3 P.M. The office is closed on national holidays.

The address of our office is:

Kotnikova 32, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Our other contact details are:

T +386 1 43 00 335

F +386 1 43 00 336

M +386 41 722 566 (Antonija Flak)

    +386 40 462 729 (Matjaz Vezjak)

    +386 40 856 342 (Maja Boric Vezjak)

E antonija.flak@patentni-biro-af.si

   info@patentni-biro-af.si

   maja@patentni-biro-af.si

W www.patentni-biro-af.si

If you have any questions or concerns regarding protection of your intellectual property in Slovenia or in the European Union, we invite you to connect with us using any of above given contacts. We will be glad to help!