Our firm is serious about Intellectual Property law and our aim is to continually improve on what we think is already the best and most dedicated IP legal service available in the region. PIIPS is the specialist Intellectual Property division of our firm.
Our team is headed by Artika Prasad and Atu Siwatibau and they supervise 2 other lawyers (Aminiasi Vulaono and Ronlyn Sahib). PIIPS is also supported by 2 IP administrators (Rita Jioje and George Sela). The PIIPS team and approach has been designed to ensure that the services that PIIPS offers meet with international standards and are the best in the region.
PIIPS provides a filing and registration of trade marks and patent applications in Fiji and the South Pacific region.
The services PIIPS offer includes:
- Acting in opposition proceedings
- Recordal of mergers
- Trademark searches
- Defending actions for trademark removal
- Advice on brand protection in the region
- Registration of trade marks
- Renewal of trade marks
- Assignment or change of name of trade mark owner
- Change of address for trade marks
- Registration of patents
Why PIIPS excels – commitment to IP principles, world class service and the right people with the right connections
PIIPS has been operating since 1 June 2005 and Artika has built PIIPS with the express aim of lifting the standards of IP legal services in the region to the international quality service that we now offer. To do this Artika has followed some fundamental principles and these are:
- Building and maintaining the right relationships with the registries in Fiji and the region
- Keeping the client constantly updated
- Closely supervising all filings and not employing clerks to do the legal work
- Training other lawyers to be part of the PIIPS team
- Providing up front and competitive quotes on demand
PIIPS maintains an electronic database of all trademark and patent registration applications in Fiji.
PIIPS is a member of INTA and sends both Artika and Aminiasi Vulaono to INTA's annual conferences. In recent years this has included sending our representatives to Berlin, Boston (US), San Francisco (US) and in 2012 to Washington DC (US).
In May 2011 Artika was selected by the United States Department of State under its International Leadership Program to attend a training for Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the United States. The training was for four weeks from which various contacts in the IP Registries, IP Law Firms and Federal Court Judges were made within the US. Artika gained knowledge of IP related issues faced today and new ways of protection of IP rights of owners. To read more about Artika click here.
Our commitment to IP work is reflected by the fact that two of our lawyers (Atu Siwatibau and Aminiasi Vulaono) currently sit on the IP Legislation Review Board which has been set up to make Fiji's IP legislation compliant with TRIPS.