Intellectual property lawyer in Poland

HWW Hewelt Wojnowski Lindner i Wspólnicy is a Warsaw law firm whose intellectual property lawyers work in English with foreign companies entering the Polish market, Polish subsidiaries of international groups and technology businesses that create, license or defend intangible assets under Polish law. The practice covers Polish and European Union proceedings, from the filing of a trademark with the Polish Patent Office (Urząd Patentowy RP, UPRP) to infringement disputes before Polish courts. The counselor at law responsible for trademark matters is Zuzanna Bokina-Kiełbasa, managing associate of the corporate and energy team, and the first conversation about a matter takes place within a few working days of contact.

When a business needs an intellectual property lawyer in Poland

• A brand, logo or slogan is being launched in Poland and needs protection before a competitor or a distributor registers it first.
• A competitor uses a confusingly similar sign, a copied product design or a look-alike packaging on the Polish market.
• Software, designs, photographs, texts or other works are created by employees, contractors or agencies and the company needs to own the rights, not merely to use them.
• A licence, franchise or distribution agreement governed by Polish law has to allocate intellectual property rights, royalties and territorial limits.
• An internet domain or an online marketplace listing infringes a trademark and the company needs a takedown, an arbitration award or a court order.
• A former employee or a business partner uses trade secrets or know-how of the company.

Scope of the intellectual property practice

• Trademarks: registrability searches, filing and prosecution before the UPRP, oppositions and cancellation proceedings, watch of the register and renewal calendars. For European Union trademarks the firm works with the EUIPO procedure, and for international registrations with the WIPO system.
• Copyright and neighbouring rights: transfer agreements, licences, software and database rights, works created within employment, moral rights of authors and collective management questions.
• Disputes and enforcement: warning letters, negotiations, preliminary injunctions and infringement claims before the Polish intellectual property courts, customs measures against counterfeit goods and enforcement of judgments.
• Unfair competition: product imitation, misleading advertising, misuse of reputation and protection of trade secrets under the Polish Act on Combating Unfair Competition.
• Internet domains and online sales: proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Internet Domains at the Polish Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications (PIIT) and takedown requests to platforms.
• Patents, utility models and industrial designs: strategy, cooperation with patent attorneys on the technical side of applications and representation in disputes over granted rights.
• Portfolio management and transactions: due diligence of intellectual property in acquisitions, contribution of rights to companies and valuation support together with the firm’s tax practice, including the IP Box relief for companies and the IP Box relief for sole traders.

Jurisdiction and languages

The firm advises on Polish law and on the European Union rules that apply directly in Poland. Where a matter reaches other jurisdictions, the firm coordinates local counsel and keeps a single English-speaking point of contact for the client. Correspondence, agreements and court pleadings can be prepared in English with the Polish versions required by Polish courts and offices.

Fees

Fixed-scope services have published prices. A trademark registration with the Polish Patent Office starts from EUR 850 net for a typical, uncomplicated filing, with official fees charged separately. Implementation of the IP Box relief starts from EUR 1,400 net for a sole trader and from EUR 4,500 net for a company. Disputes, negotiations and portfolio work are quoted individually after a first review of the documents, and the quote is given before the work starts.

How the work is organised

1. First contact through the form or by phone, in English, with a short description of the sign, the work or the dispute.
2. Review of the documents and a written quote with the scope, the fee and the expected timeline.
3. Work on the matter with one responsible lawyer and regular written updates, including deadlines of the office or the court.
4. Closing summary with the documents obtained, such as the certificate of protection or the judgment, and a calendar of renewals and follow-up steps.

Further reading

• Transfer of economic copyright: what should be borne in mind
• Types of copyright and ways to sell them
• Trademark registration with the Polish Patent Office

Contact an intellectual property lawyer

Describe the matter in the contact form and the responsible lawyer will reply with the next steps and a quote. Consultations take place in Warsaw and online.

FAQ - frequently asked questions about intellectual property law in Poland

Do I need a Polish lawyer to register a trademark in Poland?

A person or company without a residence or seat in Poland must act before the Polish Patent Office through a patent attorney, an advocate or a counselor at law (art. 236 of the Polish Industrial Property Law). The obligation does not apply to persons with a residence or seat in the European Union, in an EFTA state of the European Economic Area or in Switzerland, although a registrability search and a correctly drafted list of goods and services reduce the risk of refusal or opposition in every case.

Is a European Union trademark enough for the Polish market?

A European Union trademark registered with the EUIPO is protected in Poland without a separate Polish filing. A Polish national registration is used where the business operates only in Poland, where an EU filing faces opposition in another member state, or as an additional layer of protection for a key brand.

How long does trademark registration take in Poland?

The UPRP examines the application, publishes it and opens a period for oppositions. In an uncomplicated case without oppositions the procedure usually takes several months, while an opposition extends it and requires an exchange of pleadings.

Which court hears intellectual property disputes in Poland?

Intellectual property cases belong to the regional courts, which have specialised intellectual property divisions. The Regional Court in Warsaw has exclusive jurisdiction in matters concerning computer programs, inventions, utility models, topographies of integrated circuits, plant varieties and technical trade secrets (art. 479⁹⁰ of the Polish Code of Civil Procedure). Claims are often preceded by a request for a preliminary injunction.

Does the company own the copyright in works created by contractors?

Under Polish law economic copyright in a work created by a contractor stays with the contractor unless a written agreement transfers it, and the agreement covers only the fields of exploitation expressly listed in it (art. 41 and art. 53 of the Polish Act on Copyright and Related Rights). Works created by employees within their duties pass to the employer on acceptance, within the limits of the purpose of the employment contract (art. 12). The firm reviews existing agreements and drafts the transfer clauses.

How much does an intellectual property lawyer cost in Poland?

Fixed-scope services have prices in the offer catalogue, for example a trademark filing from EUR 850 net. Disputes and negotiations are quoted individually after a review of the documents, and the fee is agreed in writing before the work starts.