Krogerus strengthens its intellectual property team by appointing Henri Kaikkonen as senior associate
Krogerus has further strengthened its intellectual property team by recruiting IP professional Henri Kaikkonen who joined the team as a senior associate. Henri will provide strategic legal advice to our clients on intellectual property, marketing and consumer protection, and various agreements concerning technology and intellectual capital.
"We are very glad to welcome Henri to Krogerus. With his versatile experience from both contentious and non-contentious IP matters, and his client-oriented practical approach, he is an excellent addition to our team," says Kalle Hynönen, head of Krogerus' intellectual property practice group.
Henri's versatile experience in IP matters and technology related contracts from different fields of business will help clients in choosing the right tool for the right job. Further, having taken part in several IP dispute during his career, Henri provides practical advice, for example, on how clients should prepare themselves at the present moment when it comes to evidencing their rights in IP in the future.
"I think the current trend is that clients want to better understand the entire IP landscape, and how to approach it most efficiently. Digitalisation has brought up much interesting IP topics, like the IP rights around data and artificial intelligence. Since nobody wants to find themselves sitting on top of something valuable, but having no idea if it has been protected correctly in terms of law, IP lawyers are increasingly asked for a more holistic approach," says Henri Kaikkonen.
Henri has over 10 years of experience from the field. From the market perspective, he looks forward to seeing how the new remedies provided by new Trademarks Act and Trade Secret Act will change the IP enforcement trends in Finland.
"The new Trademarks Act, which is anticipated to become effective during this spring, will introduce certain administrative measures to seek cancellation of trade names and trademarks. This should speed up trademark registration proceedings and lower the legal costs, if and when prior trademarks or trade names are cited as obstacles," comments Henri.
"The new Trade Secrets Act, which became effective last autumn, has brought up new remedies to trade secret holders, such as further corrective measures and a right to reasonable compensation for trade secret violation. These new remedies will put right holders into a remarkably better position. In particular, the right to claim reasonable compensation will benefit the right holders in financial terms, since at least the general courts in Finland have been reluctant to grant damages for trade secret violation," he adds.
As for working with clients, Henri finds it rewarding to provide tailored and smart solutions to meet the client's true needs.
"What matters is that clients are provided practical guidance that takes into account not only the law and our experience, but also the various business goals of our clients. The best advice may not always be something to which our client would be entitled to under the law or market practice, but rather what is wise considering the circumstances and client's business goals. And seeking to always identify this wisest piece of advice from all the other, legally correct ones, is something I find especially rewarding in this profession," Henri concludes.
