From an IP administrator’s perspective – with Julia
A small community of just over 12,000 inhabitants, in the middle of the vast forests of the Värmland region, is the home of an international company. The town is Hagfors, the company is IP Station, and that is where I, Julia, work.Julia’s reflection
Spring and brighter times are finally here, hopefully shedding the cold and dark of winter. It feels vibrant and energetic especially with the glowing of the sun with hopes of warm summer days ahead. Work at IP Station is still in full gear and we are in anticipation of the near future, both with new colleagues and clients. So, keep a look out for exciting times ahead! I have some personal news to share – something very exciting is brewing for the summer! Ten little fingers, ten little toes … I’m going to be a first-time mom in July! Yes! This will be the last article for a very long time. I would like to thank you for the great response I’ve received so far, and maybe, I could be back again after my maternity leave. So, this is saying – take care of yourselves and have a great summer!Interview of the month with Sara Bimer
Sara Bimer has been working as an IP Paralegal at Groth & Co for 3 years. We met at Affärshögskolan in Karlstad where we both studied the IP- Paralegal course and graduated in the summer of 2018.
Groth & Co was founded in 1869. It is a well-established firm in the IP Industry with clients all over the world. The firm provides business advice on Intellectual Property, with experts in the areas of patents, trademarks, design, domain names, copyright, litigation, and process and more.
IP Station has been in a steady business relationship with Groth since 2016. Groth is one of our biggest and oldest clients. We provide administrative services to them for both patents and trademarks. We are tasked with overall responsibility for specific tasks, while others are more demand driven. We are very happy to have a great working relationship with Groth and we hope that it continues in the future.
What kind of work do you do at Groth today and how long have you been working there?
– I work in the Law & Research department. My main task is to write preliminary investigation reports for clients who wish to file new trademark applications. It is of value to the client to have an idea of trademarks that are already registered, both nationally and internationally and in the class(es) they wish to file their applications. We simply help at an early stage to identify both threats and opportunities for the potential trademark(s). We then give a recommendation to the client on whether to proceed with the application or not.
The instructions we receive can be about everything from small surveys in Sweden alone, to larger projects where we examine the trademark registers all over the world. Deadlines vary from 48 hours to a few days and up to several weeks. All depending on the size of the project.
I also monitor clients’ trademarks and domain names. In addition to this, there are of course other administrative tasks such as invoicing and working in our databases and case systems. When necessary, I support with renewals and transfer of trademark rights in Sweden. I started as an hourly employee at Groth in March 2018 to a full-time employee as an IP- Paralegal at the end of June the same year.
What has been and is the biggest challenge of working as a IP Paralegal?
– Personally, it has been a challenge to adjust and learn about the administrative part of trademark and trademark law and practice as I had only previously worked in business law. Working towards extremely short deadlines was not something I was used to from my previous jobs. The biggest challenge, however, has been trying to familiarize myself with the legal aspects of trademark, to understand how to analyse and present arguments. I have come a long way in that area but there is still an incredible lot to learn.
What is the best thing about your job?
– First and foremost – trademark is an interesting area of IP to work with. In addition, I have challenging tasks which help in my growth and development. I’m also very grateful to be given the opportunity to shape my professional role from the beginning the way I wanted which is not always certain getting that chance as a new graduate. And of course, working with very knowledgeable and nice colleagues.
Your best tips for a new IP Paralegal?
– Ask as many questions as possible. Try to keep in touch with a mentor at the workplace who can support and guide you. Attention to detail and working systematically is of high importance even when the tempo is high, it’s very important to not miss anything especially deadlines. A good foundation in English facilitates, and finally always remember to be patient – it takes time to learn!
IP Station’s three quick questions
What is a must in your fridge?
– Vegetables, oatmilk, sparkling water and feta cheese. (In the freezer lives the bad conscience consisting of ice cream, usually chocolate and caramel taste)
Favourite countries?
– Iceland and Italy are close to my heart.
What do you prefer to do on a rainy Sunday?
– Since I currently have football training every Sunday, I am on the pitch then, regardless of the weather…. But most of all I play with my nephews who are 2- and 7-year-olds.
Tip of the month
Many are working from home due to the pandemic which has probably led to one or two goodies too many. Yes, I admit to that guilt! I, however, thought of sharing two healthy but delicious recipes that are super easy to make when the sugar craving sets in.
Green cream
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas (not too ripe)
- 1 avocado
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- You can also add spinach or bean sprout – your choice!
Directions: Put all ingredients in a blender or in a bowl and use a hand mixer. When everything is mixed, you can top the mixture up with chopped nuts or your favourite muesli.
Nicecream (ice cream)
Ingredients:
- Frozen bananas about 2 pcs (peeled and frozen in slices)
- As many raspberries as you would like. Strawberries, mango, or any other fruit of your preference can also be an alternative.
Directions: Let the frozen berries or bananas thaw for a while before putting all ingredients in a blender. Blend to a smooth texture and it’s ready to eat!
For a creamier texture, you can add a couple of spoons of oats / coconut or cow milk / cream. To make it a chocolate ice cream, add some cocoa powder, and with just 2 bananas and 1 tablespoon peanut butter it turns into snickers ice cream! Let your imagination set the limit. Enjoy!