Russia

The Russian Patent and Trademark Office conducts correspondence in Russian, with a requirement for translation of any materials submitted in other languages. Any foreign applicant needs to appoint a Russian Patent Attorney for handling its IP matters before the Office. The appointment can be confirmed with a copy of signed Power of Attorney. However, the original Power of Attorney may be necessary in some specific cases, such as assignment of property, oppositions at the Chamber for Patent Disputes or litigation cases.

When it comes to legal prosecution, most IP matters in Russia are considered by the special IP Court, which is suited for in-depth consideration of the most intricate and difficult cases. An attorney well-versed in the local court practice will ensure protection of the client’s best interest in any matter.

The Russian Patent and Trademark Office currently endeavors to shorten the examination time. Average examination timeframe for patents is about 12 months, and about 6-10 months for trademarks. Accelerated examination procedure, which is offered by the Office, allows to shorten the examination time for inventions, utility models, trademarks and industrial designs to 2 months.

Trademark applications are not published for oppositions by third parties, but an interested party can file a letter with arguments against a pending application.