B for Being Involved in Patent Examination – for years, JWP Patent and Trademark Attorneys has been raising awareness among scientists and entrepreneurs about the patent examination and the importance of conducting the right research at the right time as an important strategic and even business tool. Many types of examination can be distinguished, but from our perspective, knowledge of three basic types is enough to feel more confident in the matter of research. These are the state-of-the-art examination, the patentability examination, and the patent clearance examination. The state-of-the-art examination is the examination that determines the closest state of the art for a given solution. The patentability examination is the examination that verifies whether a particular solution is patentable, i.e. in particular whether the solution is new and has an inventive step. The patent clearance examination, on the other hand, is the examination of whether a given solution infringes the exclusive rights of third parties. This examination is usually carried out for solutions for which an exclusive right has already been granted, or which are introduced to a given (geographically defined) market. Such a level of knowledge should be enough to sensibly decide at what stage of development our solution is and what type of examination should be selected. However, it is worth commissioning a professional attorney to conduct the examination itself.

Artykuł B for Being Involved in Patent Examination pochodzi z serwisu 30-lecie JWP.

Sylwia Zwolan is a specialist in industrial property matters. She is involved in the works connected with conducting trademark and industrial design cases under the domestic (Polish Patent Office), EU (EUIPO) and international (WIPO) systems. Her duties include preparing application documents and other official papers, as well as dealing with translation and communicating with clients and foreign attorneys.

How did it happen that you started working for JWP?

My career at JWP started almost nine years ago. Before that I also worked in a patent law firm, but it was much smaller. My previous employer retired and closed his business. Most of the cases he conducted were handed over to Ms. Dorota Rzążewska, attorney at law, and I was recommended for cooperation. I remember well my first conversation with Ms. Rzążewska – it was really stressful, but also exciting. I was very happy about the prospect of working here. JWP was already a big law firm then.

Do you remember your first day at JWP?

At the beginning working at JWP was a whole new adventure for me, and the first day was quite unusual as we were moving from our previous main office in Żurawia Street to the office building in Żelazna Street. I met most of the people then. Everyone was in a hurry to move, so I was able to blend in with the crowd and observe everything from a distance.

I must say, however, that I received a warm welcome. From my first day I remember Helena Gajek very well. She showed me her support with a friendly smile and a kind word. Such gestures are very important. You always remember them.

Can you name a client that most people might know?

CD Projekt – the largest Polish producer of computer games, whose flagship production is the “Witcher” trilogy. They have also released “Cyberpunk 2077” computer game.

Our department is involved in conducting application proceedings on behalf of this client, we also coordinate trademark registration in various countries all over the world and advise them on building and managing the industrial property rights portfolio. Cooperation with this client has certainly allowed me to get to know the gaming sector better. I follow with interest all the gaming industry trivia and new products appearing on the market.

Have you ever used the products of any of JWP’s clients?

Plenty of times. For example, I have used SMYK products a lot, mainly because of my daughter and the many children of my relatives and friends. I also buy PIĄTNICA products (cream cheese – my daughter’s favourite), MIESZKO confectionery (because I love sweets!) and beverages produced by Grupa Żywiec (but only non-alcoholic ones😉).

And what is your hobby?

I exercise regularly, I like to watch a good movie and listen to Polish jazz which I have discovered thanks to my husband.

I used to be a professional athlete – for many years running was my passion. I devoted all my free time to training, which required self-discipline and many sacrifices on my part. Sport has taught me a lot, above all perseverance, responsibility and conscientiousness, but also humility. The relay races in which I participated were mostly about team work, which has taught me the value of mutual understanding and compromise. On the other hand, individual races which I mainly trained for meant that I had to fight with myself to overcome my own weaknesses. I think sport has shaped me to a large extent and had a huge impact on who I am today. I look back on that period of my life with fondness… Maybe one day I will return to running regularly…

Do you have any dreams?

Yes, I have many! Small and big, but most of them are my secrets. I can tell you about one of them: I would love to take a swing on the Nevis Swing in New Zealand (the biggest swing in the world – editor’s note). It would be like going back to my childhood in a way, only slightly more extreme 😊.

Great! What I like most about this dream is that it is attainable!

Right! Maybe not tomorrow, but in time…

I’m keeping my fingers crossed! 😊

Artykuł “A kind word and a smile – you can’t forget that” – Sylwia Zwolan pochodzi z serwisu 30-lecie JWP.

We will celebrate our double Anniversary, namely the 30th Anniversary of JWP and the 10th Anniversary of JWP Foundation, together with our Clients, Partners and friends throughout the year. A variety of activities and events are planned to take place. We will talk about our history, introduce those who make JWP, focus on the values that are crucial to us, and invariably share our knowledge with you to depict a fascinating world of Intellectual Property. Let’s be together this year!

2022 is a “year of meetings” – such a symbolic meaning is carried by the number that dominated the year of our Anniversary. And although, as pragmatic patent attorneys, engineers and lawyers, we are not superstitious, it has a certain symbolic significance to us. We have already got accustomed to changing conditions in difficult times of the pandemic and we are always thoroughly prepared for new challenges and unexpected circumstances.

We look forward to all the meetings planned!

We will write about all our anniversary activities in social media and on a specially designed website at www.30.jwp.pl/en. Our anniversary celebration will focus on the following topics:

#30yearsofJWP #teamJWP

In the anniversary year, we want to share with you a lot of information and interesting facts about the history of our law firm. Thirty years following its establishment in 1992 by Trademark and Patent Attorney Jan Wierzchon, many changes have taken place. We will present our employees’ profiles. We will talk about what we do on a daily basis and what kind of a team we are.

The round 30th anniversary falls on 1 April 2022. On this day, we will meet along with our colleagues and blow out candles on a birthday cake together. In June, we will hold an anniversary gala with the participation of our Clients and Partners, during which, in addition to the numerous presentations and attractions offered, we will also present a unique film about JWP Trademark & Patent Attorneys.

This autumn, in turn, you are invited to an international conference on patent law, including the EU unitary patent protection system.

#JWPCaseStudies

It will be a series presenting our Clients, their products and projects. We will show you how the protection of intellectual property rights helps our Clients grow their businesses, what problems we face on a daily basis and how we deal with them. And we will focus on how our Clients achieve success with patent attorneys’ assistance.

#greenJWP #CSRJWP

The major theme of our Anniversary is environmental protection. We plan to carry out, with joint efforts of the entire JWP team, two environmental projects related to the world clean-up and greening, and to take part in environmental workshops. Also, we will promote Greenpeace’s Adopt a Bee project and initiatives for the planting of flower meadows.

#30interestingfactsfor30years

In addition to standard IP articles, our All Rights Reserved blog will feature thirty interesting facts about unique events, inventions and the most interesting cases. We will share our own experiences with you and write about the latest trends in the world of innovation. 

#IPalphabet

As part of this series, we will focus on keywords and the most important facts related to IP rights. In this easy and enjoyable way, we hope to offer an insight into this area of law to all those who do not deal with law books professionally.

P.S. And on 26 April, on the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day, which this year focuses on IP and Youth, quizzes and puzzles as well as presentations of interesting inventions developed by the youngest will be published in our social media accounts. We also plan to hold a webinar on the protection of intellectual property rights!

We have an interesting year ahead of us, full of meetings, opportunities to exchange thoughts and ideas, and joyful celebration. We hope to spend it with many of you. Please join us to participate in the events we will hold and read the articles we will post in social media and on our anniversary website at www.30.jwp.pl

JWP Team

Artykuł 30 years of JWP Patent & Trademark Attorneys – events to be held pochodzi z serwisu 30-lecie JWP.

As reported by Time[1], film studio Miramax has sued Quentin Tarantino for copyright infringement over the film “Pulp Fiction”.

Last year at NFT.NYC, Tarantino announced that he intended to auction off portions of his original “Pulp Fiction” screenplay, which contain “secrets” about the film and its creative process. This includes copies of manuscripts of seven script fragments with deleted scenes and musical commentary. It is doubtful that the original screenplay written by Tarantino before the contract with Miramax is an asset of this company, but the exact date of the auction is yet to be announced. Tarantino’s lawyer claims that selling NFTs falls into the clause of “publishing the screenplay” included in the 1993 contract. However, Miramax claims that selling is “a one-time transaction that does not constitute a publication”. The other party believes that the author has the right to sell NFTs of his screenplay written by hand.

Putting aside the intricacies of the dispute between the studio and the director, it is worth noting that one of the points of the lawsuit was that the film company itself intended to sell NFTs relating to the film. Perhaps this is just an assertion for the sake of litigation, but the very fact that the lawsuit was brought indicates that the studio wants to highlight its interest in the NFT market and that it is watching it closely. In the same article, Time quotes one IP lawyer as saying that the vast majority of NFT disputes are resolved outside the courtroom. This is because litigants are well aware that the fledgling market is highly volatile and any lawsuits could erode confidence in the bidder at auction or sale, nullifying potential profits from the transaction. As in other markets, the key issue is trust in the counterparty and the institution providing the tokens.

This whole dispute begs the question of the ultimate goal of both parties. Many people purchase NTFs believing that they will be worth more in the future. But is it really possible to make even more money on “Pulp Fiction”? Is Tarantino planning a continuation of his work? Or maybe the company wants to increase its presence in the virtual world?

[1] Andrew R. Chow, “The Quentin Tarantino-Miramax Dispute Isn’t the First Lawsuit Over NFTs—And it Won’t Be the Last”, November 17, 2021 4:14 PM EST, https://time.com/6120878/tarantino-nft-lawsuit/ accessed 26.01.2022.

Artykuł Dispute over NFT of the Pulp Fiction script pochodzi z serwisu 30-lecie JWP.

Artykuł Industrial Property Alphabet – A for the Stockholm Act pochodzi z serwisu 30-lecie JWP.