Areas of practice: Trademarks, Copyright, Intellectual Property, Defamation, Litigation, False Advertising, Labor and Employment Law, Real Estate.
		Education: Doctor of Legal Science, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) (MGIMO),1985 Diploma in Jurisprudence, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) (MGIMO), 1978 Bar Admission: 1991 Patent Attorney (Trademarks), 1995 (Reg. No. 339)

Elena Gorodisskaya has been with the firm since 1993. Although experienced in many fields, Mrs. Gorodisskaya concentrates primarily on intellectual property. She has extensive experience in trademark enforcement, prosecution (including the preparation and filing of new trademark applications), trademark clearance, intellectual property licensing, trademark opinions and other areas associated with a broad intellectual property practice. Mrs. Gorodisskaya regularly handles various complex copyright and trademark infringement cases before judicial forums and the Chamber for Patent Disputes of the Patent and Trademark Office. She routinely provides general counseling on intellectual property issues, including development and implementation of effective IP protection plans. An important part of her practice is counseling clients on matters involving unfair competition and false advertising as well as representing clients in their interaction with the Russian government’s various enforcement agencies in connection with trademark infringement and false advertising.

She has broad experience in drafting and negotiating high-value license agreements, trademark assignment agreements. Her clients come from such varied industries as confectionery, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, food supplies, perfumery, computer software, oil and gas, and retail.

In the real estate area, Mrs. Gorodisskaya has developed significant experience preparing title opinions and conducting title searches. She provides legal advice to the top management of major Russian and foreign companies in connection with acquisition of residential premises in Russia.

Mrs. Gorodisskaya has also extensive experience in employment and labor law matters. She regularly counsels major foreign and Russian companies, as employers, on implementation of Russian labor law, wrongful discharge, personnel policies and employment agreements.

Mrs. Gorodisskaya speaks French, English and Russian (native).

Practice details:

Advice on the matters of trademark registration and exercise of rights to trademarks.

Drafting of documents necessary for registration of trademarks.

Drafting of trademark license and assignment agreements, attending to recordation of such agreements by the Patent and Trademark Office.

Representation of clients in disputes over registration of trademarks before the Patent and Trademark Office (at the stage of examination and before the Chamber for Patent Disputes).

Representation of clients before judicial and law enforcement authorities, Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, State Customs Committee in connection with protection of trademark rights.

Involvement in the work of a team of experts of the State Duma committee on drafting a restated Trademark Law, author of drafts of a number of law provisions.

Advice to and representation of clients before courts in connection with false advertising and infringement of copyright.

Representation of clients before courts in the matters of protection of honor, dignity and business reputation.

Counseling in the area of employment relations, representation of clients (employers) in labor disputes.

Advice on the matters of setting up and operation of foreign-based companies' representative offices in Russia.

Preparation of title opinions and conducting of title searches in connection with purchase of residential premises and lease of land plots.

Representative transactions:

Representation of a world leading manufacturer of tobacco products in disputes before the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service and state commercial (arbitrazh) courts. Input in developing and implementing measures against infiltration of counterfeit products in the Russian market.

Attending to registration of the trademarks of major European and Russian manufacturers of confectionery, computer and electronic equipment, clothes, footwear, and accessories. Protection of their interests in court.

Representation of a major European manufacturer of computer equipment in court proceedings in the matter of wrongful registration of its trade name as a trademark of another person; negotiating commercial contracts for the client and attending to registration of its trademarks.

Representation of European distilleries and alcoholic beverages manufacturers in connection with registration of their trademarks in Russia, before the State Customs Committee for entering their trademarks in the IP Register, and in disputes over infringement of trademark rights.

Advice to and representation of a major Russian distillery in connection with registration of its trademarks, and execution of license and investments agreements.

Representation of General M.T. Kalashnikov (creator of automatic fire-arms) in connection with the use of his name in different trademarks.

Successful defense of a Russian coffee drinks manufacturer in court proceedings initiated by a world leading coffee manufacturer.

Attending to registration of the trademarks of a major U.S. bank; advice on the matters of use of these trademarks in Russia by the bank's affiliates.