Berggren has recently focused on international recruitments and expanded its activities abroad. "Experienced Japanese and US patent attorneys have now joined Berggren, following the lead of our expert on Chinese patent law. We also have a newly established office in the US," Hannu Syrjälä, CEO, says.
According to the firm's strategy renewed in 2013, Berggren has now enhanced its service capacity outside the borders of Europe: in Asia and in the United States.
Qualified international attorneys who have joined Berggren from China, Japan and the US help our clients in questions relating to local patenting processes and patent legislation. Through them we can also provide Asian and American firms with the know-how of a European full-service IP house.
Intentional investments in selected markets
"The highest numbers of patent applications are presently filed at the Chinese, US, Japanese, Korean, and European patent offices. In all these markets, Berggren now has stronger IP know-how than before: four out of these under our own roof," Syrjälä says.
Attorneys working for us include Fu-Chia Aspelin who has passed the Chinese Patent Attorney examination, as well as Ryoko Oshikamo, LL.M., Japanese Patent Attorney, and Susanne Somersalo, Ph.D., US Patent Attorney, both of whom joined Berggren in October this year.
"Our aim is to provide more straightforward service by using their expertise. They know the local systems and the special features of IP proceedings, as well as have a full command of the local language. On the other hand, they work in our business-oriented community of experts, for the best of our great clients, utilizing our best electronic work environments," Kim Simelius, leader of the Patents unit, specifies.
Straightforward local service now also on the other side of the world
Another important step in internationalization is the establishment of a US subsidiary in Hoboken, New Jersey, opposite Manhattan.
"Berggren Inc. started its activities in October. It is headed by Susanne Somersalo, US attorney specialized in chemistry. We have already made a dynamic start by filing several PCT national entry applications with the USPTO through Berggren Inc.," Kim Simelius says.
Susanne Somersalo, who has cooperated with Berggren for several years, represents our business oriented quality standard at its best, provides surveys and analyses in the Finnish language and is well acquainted with, for example, the different ways of requesting for accelerated examination.
"For the clients, this naturally means a cost advantage in the different steps of the process. And US patent services in the Finnish language."
