Team
Andrej Bukovnik
Intellectual Property Lawyer, European and Slovenian Trademark & Design Attorney, Benelux Trademark & Design Representative
Experienced IP expert with a successful track record in enforcement cases in Europe and Central Asia.
Key competencies:
I like a good and complex litigation case. Discussing strategies, preparing lawsuit claims, attending hearings and, of course, most of all: winning a difficult case in court!
More about Andrej
Prior to establishing Bukovnik & Kulbaba, Andrej worked for over 15 years in large law firms in Slovenia and Belgium specialising in intellectual property rights prosecution and enforcement in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Western Balkans. He was a client account manager for major multinational corporations and has several years of managerial experience in a multi-national IP law firm.
While highly experienced in all IP matters, Andrej excels in anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and infringement cases. He handles cross-border cases requiring legal advice in multiple jurisdictions and represents clients before EUIPO, Benelux IP Office and Slovenian courts and administrative bodies. He has published a number of articles on IP matters in Slovenia and other EU jurisdictions.
Testimonials
«Litigation ace Andrej Bukovnik’s expertise protecting and enforcing trademarks across central and eastern Europe, central Asia and the Balkans is key to the outfit’s appeal. “Andrej is one of the best trademark attorneys in the region, with excellent organisational skills, superb precision and ingenuity. He is readily available, understands his clients’ needs and works fast.”» – WTR 1000 Rankings Slovenia, 2023
«Managing partner Andrej Bukovnik is a familiar face before the customs offices – he never loses his cool, even in the most testing of cross-border matters.» – WTR 1000 Rankings Slovenia, 2019
«The firm’s EU regional manager, Andrej Bukovnik has a wealth of experience in cross-border cases.» – WTR 1000 Rankings Bulgaria, 2018
«When matters make their way up to the courtroom, “professional, creative and responsive” Andrej Bukovnik steps up to the penalty spot; a crack litigator he puts the ball in the back of the net with consummate ease.» – WTR 1000 Rankings Slovenia, 2018
Languages
Native: Slovenian, Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian/Montenegrin
Proficient: English
Basic: French, German, Spanish
Presentations
Publications
Taras Kulbaba
Lawyer, Intellectual Property Guardian
Seasoned IP professional with vast experience in managing large international portfolios of intellectual property rights.
Key competencies:
I view IP law as a creative profession and regard each case as a puzzle to be solved where I search for the most beneficial solution for the client.
More about Taras
Prior to establishing Bukovnik & Kulbaba, Taras worked for over 13 years in law firms in Ukraine and Belgium with a focus on intellectual property matters in Europe and Central Asia. He holds an LLM (with Distinction) in IP law from Queen Mary, University of London and has over 10 years of experience in managing regional and worldwide portfolios of IP rights.
During his career, he has been actively involved in all stages of trademark and industrial designs prosecution work, from designing a filing strategy through to management of the maintenance process. Some of the client portfolios he has been overseeing consist of over 3,000 trademark and design rights. Taras has vast experience in handling IP enforcement and anti-counterfeiting cases in jurisdictions of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
He is actively involved in the work of several international IP associations, such as INTA, and is a regular contributor to international IP publications and projects (e.g. Trademark Practice and Forms (Oxford University Press, Inc.), The Trademark Reporter (INTA), INTA Bulletin (INTA), Manual Industrial Property (Kluwer Law)).
Testimonials
«Taras Kulbaba, managing partner of Bukovnik & Kulbaba, is an adroit manager of global portfolios and an anti-counterfeiting ace who operates across Eastern Europe and the European Union; he has an exceptional track record in cancellation proceedings.» – WTR 1000 Rankings, 2023
«Through effective contract negotiation and judicious enforcement, Kulbaba never fails to unlock IP value for his clients.» – WTR 1000 Rankings, 2019
«The whip-smart Kulbaba is a strategic whiz who manages portfolios artfully.» – WTR 1000 Rankings, 2018
«…Taras Kulbaba focuses on the prosecution and enforcement of trademarks and industrial designs. Clients recommend the firm, praising its “responsiveness, initiative, creativity and transparency”.» – IP Stars 2018
«Taras Kulbaba is renowned for his lightning-fast responses to crucial enforcement briefs.» – WTR 1000 Rankings, 2016
«Taras Kulbaba “has a keen understanding of the needs and expectations of Western clients, is punctual, thorough and provides excellent services in a very difficult region of the world for trademark enforcement.”» – WTR 1000 Rankings, 2014.
Languages
Native: Ukrainian
Proficient: English, Russian
Advanced: French