Navigating Russia’s evolving IP landscape – challenges and practical advice for trademark holders

Riikka Palmos has been working as a European trademark lawyer at Papula-Nevinpat since 1995. She is also a senior partner in the company and the director of our Trademark Department.

Before Papula-Nevinpat, Riikka worked at Unilever Finland as an assistant IPR attorney.

Riikka has 25 years of experience in trademarks in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, including changes in the trademark legislation and practices, licensing and assignment of trademarks, protection of well-known trademarks, registration of domain names, registration processes as well as infringement and litigation issues in the Russian Patent Office and Courts. Riikka also has experience in Finnish and EU trademark processes, and she handles cases relating to international trademarks. In addition, she is the head of Papula-Nevinpat’s Legal Team in Russia.

Riikka’s expert articles have been published in a number of major publications of the field (such as World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR), Expert Guide Intellectual Property 2020, Trade Mark Yearbook, IP at the Boarder, Litigation and Enforcement Focus, Managing Intellectual Property, IP Strategy Yearbook, Getting the Deal Through Trademarks 2007).

Riikka is also a popular speaker in Finnish and international conferences and seminars, as exemplified by the presentations held for the Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce – “Protecting brands in Russia”, Talentum Lakikoulutus –“ Do you use your trademark correctly in Russia?”, IPR Nordic Forum – ”How to avoid infringing in Russia and the CIS countries?”, IPR University Center – “Intellectual Property Rights in Russia”, and by a number of other presentations in seminars and training events.

Riikka was a member of the Enforcement Committee during the years 2014-2015 and the Trademark Office Practices Committee for the 2018-2019 term at INTA (International Trademark Association). In 2021, she was an Advisory Board member in the EEX Journey entrepreneurial leadership program advising startup entrepreneurs with the company’s growth strategy. Riikka was featured in the WIPR – World IP Review Influential Women in IP 2022 list. She was ranked in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 edition of WTR1000 – the world’s leading trademark practitioners. Riikka has been a member of ECTA International Trade Committee since 2022.