Illustrative image (source: Matthias Böckel/Pixabay)
When a brewing company in neighbouring Czechia patented the word ‘radler’ (the term in much of Europe for a shandy, or beer mixed with soft drink) a few years ago, it caused an uproar and highlighted the questionable practices of producers and patent offices. However, Slovak courts too are dealing with a similar case.
IP: 10 largest law firms
HAVEL & PARTNERS
TaylorWessing
BRICHTA & PARTNERS
IKRÉNYI & REHÁK
Paul Q
MATHISON legal
Allen Overy Shearman Sterling
G. Lehnert
Advokáti Chlipala
Hillbridges
Ranking created based on the following criteria (values for 2023): number of IP deals with regard to reward law firm received for them (70% weight); sales revenues (10% weight); points for number of lawyers (20% weight). The ranking reflects also the proportion of each firm’s hours spent on this category.
Currently, they are examining whether the label ‘Horec’ can be protected as a trademark for alcoholic beverages, so that other alcohol producers are prevented from using it.
This is just one of several cases related to intellectual property law. The biggest law firms in the field have handled many, many more.
Top spot unchanged
In the intellectual property (IP) law category of the Largest Law Firms ranking compiled by Sme and The Slovak Spectator, the winning law firm is the same as last year: Havel & Partners.
The ten largest firms in this category were invited to disclose one inspirational deal whose details may be made public. Law firm G. Lehnert revealed the details of the dispute over the use of the term ‘Horec’.
Its client is Slovenské Liehovary a Likérky (Slovak Distilleries and Liquor Makers). G. Lehnert's partner Vladimír Jakubička explained the case: “The opposing party, which owns the ‘Horec’ trademark for alcoholic beverages, is challenging other alcohol producers which use ‘Horec’ as a flavour label, arguing the use infringes on the party’s rights to the registered 'Horec' trademark.”
The lawyers argue that ‘Horec’ refers to the flavour of a drink and should not be eligible for trademark protection. In court, they challenged the trademark’s validity, claiming it was registered contrary to legal regulations.
The firm Ikrényi & Rehák handled a different case. Partner Viktor Ewerling said that “they provided their client legal assistance in finding and implementing a solution to settle a years-long dispute involving source codes of a system which allow Slovakia to fulfil its international obligations.”
One against nine
Allen Overy Shearman Sterling was also among the top 10. The firm is representing pharmaceutical company Bayer in a case against nine generic drug manufacturers over a drug for thromboembolic diseases.
