Markku Simmelvuo, European Patent Attorney and Managing Director of Papula-Nevinpat, has been appointed as chairman of the Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys as of 1 January 2017. The term of the chairman is one calendar year, and one person may serve as chairman for no more than four consecutive terms.
”I’m excited to take this appointment and challenge. There’s a lot going on in our business, also internationally, and I want to draw special attention to the export of Finnish IP services abroad”, says Markku Simmelvuo.
Also Folke Johansson, Director of the Patent Department at Papula-Nevinpat, has been appointed as member of the Ethics Committee of the Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys. The term of the members of the Ethics Committee is three calendar years. Before his appointment to the Ethics Committee, Folke served for three years as chairman of the Association.
”As Markku is now taking charge, Papula-Nevinpat continues to make its contribution to the Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys. We find it’s important to proactively develop our professional Association in order to promote the Finnish patent expertise and the entire IP field”, comments Folke Johansson.
The Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys
The Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys, founded in 1928, is an association for industrial property professionals.
According to the rules of the Association, an industrial property professional is a person with an academic degree who has served in a private agency for at least six years on a full-time basis, representing and advising clients in patent, trademark, utility model and design matters. It is only after these six years of experience in the profession that a person will be eligible for membership of the Association.
The purpose of the professional qualification requirements is to ensure that the membership of the Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys will consist of experienced and qualified attorneys protecting the interests of their clients in the best possible ways in accordance with good professional ethics.
The Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys provides a forum for its members, safeguarding the professional interests of its membership and encouraging cooperation between member offices. To further the development of intellectual property rights, the Association also works in close cooperation with government agencies.
The Association’s link to the intellectual property professionals in 70 other countries is FICPI (Féderation Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle), founded in 1906. Through its FICPI membership, the Association of Finnish Patent Attorneys is involved as an observer and counselor in many international forums.
Papula-Nevinpat’s trademark practice has once again been recognized in the top tier of the 2025 edition of the World Trademark Review 1000.
Papula-Nevinpat is pleased to continue as the ESA BIC Finland program's intellectual property rights (IPR) partner.
Wishing you a warm and joyful holiday season!
Riikka Palmos, a European Trademark Attorney, has authored an article discussing key developments in Ukraine and Russia. You can read the article in the latest PTMG (Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group) newsletter.
