Intellectual Property & Brand Protection

For many years, Inmar Legal has been developing a practice focused on the protection of a business’s intangible assets. Each intellectual property lawyer at the firm combines deep understanding of exclusive rights with extensive experience in solving complex issues faced by Russian and international companies.

We collaborate with various professional patent attorneys, which allows us to offer not only trademark registration services in Russia, but also to cover the entire life cycle of intellectual assets — from their creation and formalization to enforcement and litigation.

We provide advice on the legal regime of intellectual property results, support transactions involving such assets, conduct risk analysis, and create legal protection systems for brands, content, technologies, and commercial solutions. The work of an intellectual property lawyer often also includes support of IT projects, analysis of licensing agreements, and resolution of disputes regarding copying of design, software code, images, texts, and website architecture.

A particular focus is brand protection: trademark registration, renewal, inclusion in customs registers, combating counterfeits, and improper use of designations. We represent rights holders in trademark enforcement matters, including claims for compensation for unlawful trademark use, injunctive relief, and removal of infringing goods from circulation. Our team also works with copyright objects — from formalizing work-for-hire creations to disputes with infringers using content without authorization.

Services

Copyright Protection

When a company or creator faces unlawful use of a work, whether texts, audiovisual materials, software code, photos, or design elements, it is important to quickly involve a copyright lawyer who understands how to build proper protection in such cases. The lawyer assesses the circumstances, identifies the nature of the violation, gathers evidence, documents unauthorized use, and builds a legal position to stop distribution of the content and seek compensation.

In the digital environment, such violations have become especially widespread, therefore, in internet-related cases, the role of an intellectual property lawyer is increasingly important. On marketplaces images are often copied en masse, websites are cloned, social media materials are shared without permission, and AI tools create derivative works that may infringe others’ rights. In such disputes we secure quick documentation of infringements, initiate removal of unlawful content, conduct pre-litigation work, and, if necessary, structure litigation to fully restore violated rights and obtain fair compensation.

Intellectual Property Rights Registration

We support legal formalization of rights for a wide range of objects: literary works, audiovisual materials, software, databases, industrial designs, and trademarks. The work of an intellectual property lawyer includes analyzing the object, preparing documents, engaging with the patent office, and accompanying the procedure up to issuance of a certificate or patent.

Work-for-Hire Formalization

It is essential for companies to properly secure rights to employees’ work results to avoid disputes over ownership of exclusive rights and potential compensation claims. We prepare work-for-hire provisions, conclude agreements with employees, and develop internal documentation systems that ensure legal clarity of IP ownership.

Patent Disputes

In patent conflicts, not only legal strategy but also deep technical analysis is valuable. We participate in cases involving inventions, utility models, and industrial designs. Our experience and long-term collaboration with professional patent attorneys allow us to analyze both violations and the correctness of legal protection, initiate expert reviews, challenge expert decisions, and represent clients before patent dispute chambers and courts.

Registration Prospect Evaluation

Before registering an object, it is important to ensure it meets protectability criteria. We conduct registry searches, analyze similarity with existing objects, evaluate risk of refusal, and assess prospects for future protection — especially for trademarks, industrial designs, and design elements.

Trademark Registration

A company’s brand is an asset that must be both built and protected. We conduct similarity searches, analyze risks, prepare documentation, and support the process with the patent office at all stages. We register trademark in Russia, including advising on selection of Nice Classification classes, preparing arguments in responses to examination reports, and handling third party objections. For companies developing their products and services, trademark registration is a way to prevent market conflicts, confirm reputation, and create a foundation for brand commercialization.

Trademark Renewal

Registration is only the first step in brand management. We monitor protection terms, prepare renewal documents, analyze correct use of the trademark, and minimize risk of cancellation.

Software and Database Registration

Registering software and databases with the patent office confirms authorship, organizes proprietary rights, and allows combating infringers. We collect full documentation, describe functionality, architecture, unique elements, and submit the application.

Registration in Customs IP Register

For manufacturers and brands, registration in the Customs Register of Intellectual Property Objects is one of the most effective ways to prevent importation of counterfeits. We prepare documents, compile evidence of rights ownership, interact with the Federal Customs Service, and upon inclusion in the register customs authorities themselves prevent suspicious imports, notify rights holders, and detain goods.

Dispute Resolution

Dispute practice requires precise legal positioning and deep case understanding. An intellectual property protection lawyer prepares strategy, engages in negotiations, initiates expert reviews, gathers evidence, and represents clients in court. We resolve disputes about trademark infringement, domain names, copyright, trade secrets, unfair competition, and licensing contract conflicts.

Franchising

We support drafting and negotiating commercial concession (franchise) agreements under Russian law that include the transfer of trademarks, technologies, designs, and other intellectual assets. The firm evaluates the franchise model, considers applicable legal requirements, and ensures proper registration of agreements where required.

Licensing Agreements

Licensing is a key tool for commercializing intellectual property. We develop simple and exclusive licenses, structure rights and obligations, regulate usage, agree on remuneration, and provide legal guarantees for clients.

Domain Disputes

We protect clients’ rights in domain name conflicts: bad-faith registrations, brand imitation attempts, corporate disputes, and cybersquatting. Our work includes both out-of-court procedures and litigation.

Trade Secrets Implementation

We design internal protection systems for critical information, develop internal regulations, define information constituting trade secrets, and establish access procedures. This protects production secrets, customer bases, development strategies, and other critical data.

Practice Overview

Inmar Legal’s intellectual property practice is built to ensure companies have real control over their intangible assets. For modern business, assets such as software, content, technology, design, and brand often have more value than physical resources. With respect to national innovation strategy, legal protection of intellectual property is a priority.

One of the most pressing issues today is legal protection of content in the digital environment. Platforms, marketplaces, automated systems, and AI tools create new scenarios of rights violations. Infringers increasingly use sophisticated copying schemes, and evidence in such cases requires precise documentation and sound legal interpretation.

An intellectual property lawyer plays a key role in building a comprehensive asset protection system, including:

• conducting IP audits

• trademark registration services in Russia

• documentation at product and content creation stages

• transaction support

• court protection in infringement cases

• risk prevention from copying to unfair use

Trademark registration has special significance: it secures brand ownership, facilitates fighting counterfeits, allows inclusion in customs registers, and enables protection in international markets. Only a registered trademark provides exclusive use rights and grounds for compensation claims. Work of specialists in copyright protection helps companies avoid disputes before they arise: by properly formalizing work-for-hire creations, regulating transfer of rights with contractors, organizing development documentation systems, and establishing internal protection of information

Experience

Defending multiple clients in a series of copyright infringement claims

Represented a group of defendants in hundreds of nationwide claims alleging unauthorized use of a photographer’s works. Our experienced copyright lawyer conducted detailed analysis of each allegation, assessed the factual circumstances, demonstrated absence of liability, and challenged disproportionate claims. The team achieved significant reduction of penalties and dismissal of a substantial portion of the claims.

Comprehensive IP asset analysis for a construction materials manufacturer

Conducted a full audit of the client’s intellectual property portfolio, including assessment of copyrightable material and technologies created in-house. Identified assets requiring formal protection and developed recommendations for a systematic internal rights management process. Resulted in successful registration of key trademarks and a strategic plan to enhance brand protection.

Protection of a global apparel brand against counterfeit goods

In a Far Eastern region of Russia, uncovered and documented widespread distribution of counterfeit products using a major international brand’s marks. Our intellectual property protection lawyer gathered evidence, coordinated undercover purchases, documented infringements, and initiated legal proceedings. The court recognized the infringements, prohibited further sales, and awarded significant compensation.

Defending a Russian IT brand in a website copying dispute

Represented a domestic technology company in copyright enforcement in a website copying dispute, where a competitor had nearly identically replicated its website design, content, and layout. Our team conducted in-depth comparative analysis, prepared detailed infringement reports, and secured a court order preventing further use of the copied site while obtaining monetary relief for the client.

Protection of rights for a prominent social media content creator

Acted for a well-known blogger whose original materials were widely reproduced without permission. The copyright lawyer developed a tailored enforcement strategy, undertook pre-litigation engagement with platforms, secured the takedown of unlawful content, and implemented measures to prevent further infringements.

Trademark analysis and registration support for a food import company

Assisted a food importer planning to launch new product lines. We conducted protection-ability analysis of proposed trademarks, identified potential conflicts with existing rights, recommended design refinements, and managed the filings. All key marks were successfully registered, strengthening the client’s market position and mitigating brand misuse risks.

Trademark registration services in Russia for an international logistics company

Advised a global logistics provider entering the Russian market. Our turnkey trademark registration services in Russia included comprehensive clearance searches, selection of appropriate Nice Classification classes, preparation and filing of applications, and full prosecution through to registration. The client secured protection for multiple marks in Russia and confidently expanded services without exposure to local infringement risks.