Patrycja Wrzosek-Mijas specializes in exclusive trademark rights renewals and register changes.
Tell us about your beginnings at JWP, please.
I started working for JWP almost twelve years ago, in 2010. I was in my final year at university and I remember that I was very keen to get a job with this firm. I wanted to become independent and gain experience in a field that had been completely new to me. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to cope with the challenges, but I learned very quickly that the people here are very kind and friendly. They helped me to beat the stress and after that it only got better.
What are your memories of your first days here?
I remember that I was interviewed for this job by Ms. Dorota Rzążewska, attorney at law, and Ms. Magda Rzążewska. It was still a relatively small company then, so it was easier to adapt. There were not so many people or such dynamically developing departments. My team consisted of three people, not ten like today. It was definitely easier for such a rookie as me. If I joined JWP today, I think it might be a bit more difficult.
What did you graduate from?
Iberian and Ibero-American Studies.
Everything was completely new to you…
Yes, it was. I decided to throw myself in at the deep end; at first I was an assistant to a patent attorney, and at the same time I was writing my MA thesis. Fortunately, I was able to combine the two. A few years later, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I completed a postgraduate course in intellectual property law which also made working at JWP much, much easier.
What do you value most about working for JWP?
I can honestly say that what I value most in this company are the people. I am an extrovert who suffers when there are no people around. I started working for JWP quite a long time ago, but there is still a group of people at JWP I have known all that time and without any doubt I feel closest to them. There are also a lot of new employees joining the team – at one point there were so many I even stopped counting! So in my opinion it is the people are the strength of this firm.
Working with such different individuals opens your eyes and helps you understand a lot of things. I really enjoy observing and analyzing human nature, so I know how to approach a person and what can follow. It also makes it easier to recover from potential conflicts. Diversity helps. Besides, the smiles I get every day at the office are priceless.
Can you share an interesting anecdote about JWP?
There was a situation that has stayed in my memory for years. It’s no big deal, but I remember it as if it happened yesterday. Shortly after I started working here, our head office, which at that time was still located in Żurawia Street, was visited by none other than Mr. Dariusz Michalczewski [former professional boxer; Editor’s note]. We were representing him before the Polish Patent Office in connection with his “Tiger” trademark and I must admit that greeting Mr. Michalczewski in the hall was something quite unusual, out of the ordinary. I wasn’t prepared for such a surprise and didn’t realize at that time that JWP was dealing with such well-known people. I remember saying to myself: “Anything is possible here”!
Do you have any hobbies? Do your hobbies have any influence on your work?
I have been an avid reader of psychological thrillers for many years. I read a lot and at any time of day or night, whenever I can. I love analyzing the meanders of the human psyche, it makes it easier for me to understand people. I think it is a useful skill at work. We talk differently with an extrovert than with someone who is withdrawn or phlegmatic. Everyone should be approached individually. Working in such a big team gives you a wide range of possibilities, so I think this insight into human behavior somehow helps me in my work.
What are your dreams at the moment?
This seems like a simple enough question and just two weeks ago I would have said that my dreams are quite mundane: getting a bigger flat, buying a pet… But in the light of what is happening in the world today, I must admit that right now I only wish we could live in peace, without any strife. I am unable to look ahead and dream about anything, as I just have this feeling that…
Our dreams have become reduced.
Exactly.
It’s true. I absolutely share your dream of living in peace, so let’s wish it comes true. And when it does, it will hopefully be possible to fulfill the next ones in line which are still there and waiting. So… What kind of pet would you like to have?
A turtle.
An aquatic or a land one?
The latter. I’ve always dreamt of having a turtle, but was not allowed to in my childhood. When I moved out and my daughter was born, it was also difficult to find time and resources to keep a pet. But I’m planning to move house and definitely want to get a turtle, so keep your fingers crossed.
I will.