The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Bulgaria > Intellectual property

Boyanov & Co. advises on the full spectrum of IP matters, with expertise in trade mark portfolio management, patent registration, software licensing arrangements, and trade secrets. The firm’s IP work is supported by experienced litigators; head of the litigation group Kina Chuturkova has experience in acting in contentious matters ranging from unfair competition and trade mark infringements to  protecting digital intellectual property against software piracy. Stela Sabeva heads the IP practice and advises on IP management as well as litigating in areas including copyright protection, licensing, and patent infringement. Natasha Andreeva, Rossiza Marinova and Marina Mollova are also key contacts within the practice.

Dimitrov, Petrov & Co supports companies in managing their trade mark portfolios, assisting clients in the pharmaceutical, food production, IT, gambling and retail industries. The team assists on identifying conflicting trade marks, and defending clients’ trade marks in opposition, cancellation and infringement proceedings. The team is led by Bilyana Angelova, who also heads the healthcare and life sciences practice group and whose expertise in IP matters covers patents, trade marks and franchise agreements. Software licencing is another key strength of the firm; it advises major clients in the IT sector, including Google, on copyright and licensing issues, and drafts  bespoke master services agreements for software companies and electronic payment services. Alexandra Lassina is a name to note.

Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov’s intellectual property team advises on trade mark protection and enforcement - it acts for clients in disputes over trade mark infringements and before the Bulgaria Patent Office. The team is also engaged in enforcement proceedings against counterfeit goods, and is active in the protection of intellectual property rights in software licensing arrangements and IT acquisitions. The team is led by Kalina Tchakarova, supported by senior associates Dessislava Iordanova and Kamen Gogov, a certified trade mark and design attorney. Associate Patricia Cherkezova has a doctorate in EU intellectual property law and advises principally on cross-border transfers of copyrights and IP rights.  

Georgiev, Todorov & Co handles IP matters related to distribution contracts, software licensing and development, and patent and trade mark enforcement. IP rights in software is an area of particular expertise; it drafts various contracts relating to on line gambling websites, and handles trade mark registrations for software development clients. Ivan Todorov and Arno Mamasyan are the practice heads, while senior associate Tsvetelina Dimitrova leads on many of  the team's mandates.

Kambourov & Partners primarily advises clients in the media and manufacturing industries. For media clients, this has included acquisition of intellectual property assets relating to M&A deals, acting against  unauthorised use of copyrighted fictional characters, and drafting contracts that protect recordings of live concerts. Notably the firm successfully represented a television production company against a defamation claim, brought by a former member of parliament mocked in a comedy sketch. The team also acts for manufacturers on the protection of their industrial designs. The ‘extremely accomplished’ Margarita Guigova leads the team.

CMS advises on IP transfers, trade mark registrations and oppositions, and patent applications for clients in a range of sectors. A key strength of the firm is litigating in matters concerning the infringement of intellectual property including patents. Joint practice head Antonia Kehayova has experience advising international companies on protecting their IP rights in Bulgaria, while counsel and joint practice head Nevena Radlova is a registered trade mark attorney with expertise in patent and domain name registrations; he advised Wizz Air on winning back a domain name from a cyber squatter.

Delchev & Partners’ versatile intellectual property practice assists Publicis (a major French advertising firm) and Abraxas (a Bulgarian film studio) on an ongoing basis regarding copyright and neighbouring rights issues. It also advises software companies on IP protection and licencing issues, and food and drink producers on trade mark disputes and registrations. Ivan Marinov, an experienced litigator and arbitrator, leads the team.

Kinkin & Partners assists clients with trade mark applications, oppositions and defence procedures in food production, financial services, and fashion industries. The team, led by Adriana Nacheva, also drafts agreements for the transfer of intellectual property in the pharmaceutical industry, and has experience in protecting trade secrets and industrial designs from infringing competitors.query inclusion

Penkov, Markov & Partners perform trade mark searches and due diligence, registrations, oppositions and renewals on an ongoing basis for clients in a wide range of industries. Practice head Vladimir Penkov advises on copyright and trade mark infringements. Ivan Markov is a key contact in the team. In 2020, Yordan Politov left the practice and is now an independent practitioner.

Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski has broad experience in drafting agreements including licencing arrangements, franchise and distribution agreements. Its expertise includes the registration and protection of trade marks; the fair use of trade marks and other intellectual property in advertising and marketing campaigns, and IP acquisitions and transfers. Clients include market-leading companies in IT, telecommunications and broadcasting, tobacco, and financial services. Notably, the firm acted for FC Barcelona in combating the importation of counterfeited branded goods. Ilya Komarevski is the head of the practice, while senior associates Dimitar Grozdanov, Philip Kiossev, and Victoria Tzonkova are names to note.

Wolf Theiss handles the structuring of IP transfers during mergers and acquisitions, the IP aspects of franchising and distribution agreements, trade mark protection, and the acquisition and licencing of patented technologies. An  aspect of the firm’s work is the intersection of IP and labour law; the team advises on contracts that govern remuneration for employees’ intellectual property works. Anna Rizova and Richard Clegg jointly head the practice, while senior associate Hristina Dzhevlekova is a name to note.