On September 30, 2021, our IP lawyer, Maria Puronvarsi, LL.M., was qualified to represent our clients in all courts in Finland and is authorised to use the professional title Licensed Legal Counsel.

Licensed legal counsels in Finland are supervised and licensed by the Judicial Assistant Board, which operates in connection with the Finnish Bar Association. A prerequisite for obtaining this title is a master’s degree in law, and either the completion of an attorney-at-law examination or sufficient work experience demonstrated in the application that qualify to act before courts.

The conditions for granting and revoking authorisations are regulated by the Act (715/2011) on licensed legal counsels, which entered into force in 2013. In their duties, the licensed legal counsels are subject to the supervision of the Chancellor of Justice, the Supervisory Board referred to in section 6a (1) of the Lawyers Act and the Judicial Assistant Board.

Maria Puronvarsi has more than five years of experience in dispute resolution. She has successfully handled remarkable assignments specifically related to trademark infringements and counterfeiting. A recent example is the IPR case C 772/18, which she co-administered with Jani Kaulo: the case was processed at the Supreme Court of Finland and the Court of Justice of the European Union. As to compensations, the handling of this case will continue in the Helsinki Court of Appeal in the autumn of 2022.

In addition to defending brand rights, Maria specializes in legal issues related to marketing law as well as unfair competition and other unfair business practices.

“The majority of disputes are settled by agreements. Disputes can best be prevented with carefully drafted agreements and by managing potential IP risks in brand rights strategy. When these matters are taken care of in advance, brand owners have better tools in their hands in negotiations, even in situations where the brand rights must be defended in court. Brands should always be defended against infringements because that is the foundation for maintaining and increasing the value of the brand”, Maria reminds all brand owners.

Has someone infringed your brand and you would like to hear a legal opinion? Do you want to manage your business risks through comprehensive written agreements, or create a brand rights strategy? Contact us!

Maria Puronvarsi
Partner, Licensed Legal Counsel
EU Trademark and Design Attorney
maria.puronvarsi@kaulopartners.fi
+358 40 669 0527