Protection of intellectual property rights in the field of information technologies (IT) has enormous value for Ukraine. In past times Ukraine was considered to be one of the most serious violators of copyright and related rights; however with the adoption of new legislative acts in this sphere the situation notably improved.

Notwithstanding the fact that violations have not yet ceased altogether, the level of foreign investment in the field of IT is increasing year after year. Analysts say that the Ukrainian IT-market shows trends of annual growth up to 30%. The basic stable elements of fast-growing market are applicable computer programs, «ERP» systems («Enterprise Resource Planning systems»), introduction of databases, computer and network infrastructure, and also IT-consulting.

Specialists of Konnov & Sozanovsky offer clients working in the sphere of IT, a complex approach on protection of their rights, including judicial means, applying boundary protection measures (suspension of custom registration of goods with possible infringement of intellectual property rights attached to them) etc. We provide services in setting-up of software companies in Ukraine, and also in acquisition of already existing companies; tax planning of client’s activity; protection of clients’ business from misconduct of their contractors; development of internal structure of a company. We advise clients on issues arising in the field of intellectual property, including legal support of all of types of agreements on copyright and related rights. Our specialists render legal services in registration of engineering decisions, related to computer programs, in the form of utility models, and also registration of copyright to the computer programs. We advise on all questions in the area of intellectual property, touching computer programs, their components, applets, video- and audio recordings, texts. All questions concerning confirmation of authorship on the computer program, protection of commercial secret on the source code of the computer program, so-called «free» use of the computer program, and choice of optimum methods of protection of the infringed right also fall within the practice field of our firm. We offer legal services in contractual registration of processes of planning of functional and technical architecture, introduction and technical maintenance of «ERP» systems, development of databases and carrying out conversion of information, and settlement of relations with a legal owner.

The protection and defense of intellectual property (IP) rights in the sphere of information technologies is of great importance for the Russian Federation. It is necessary to acknowledge that some time ago Russia was considered to be one of the most serious violators of copyrights as well as of related rights; however, with the acceptance of new regulations in this sphere, the situation has substantially improved. Notwithstanding the occurrence of breaches, the level of the foreign investments in the sphere of Information Technology (IT) increases each year. In the analysts’ view, the rate of growth of foreign investment into Russian sector of information and communication will remain at the level of 20-25% per year in the nearest years. With respect to its growth rate, the Russian sector of information technologies and communication is one of the world leaders. Konnov & Sozanovsky’s lawyers offer their clients, working in the IT sphere a comprehensive approach regarding the rights’ defence, including judicial protection, application of protective measures (temporary suspension by the Russian custom authorities of merchandise delivery, containing objects of intellectual property rights which are alleged to be counterfeit), etc.

We render the following services:

• regarding establishment of the companies, developing computer programs within the state boarders of Russia, as well as purchase of the existing companies;
• regarding tax planning of the client’s activity;
• regarding protection of the client’s business from the illegal actions of the contractors;
• regarding development of the internal structure of the client’s company;
• regarding carrying out of the client’s consulting, with respect to all and any questions, arising in the sphere of intellectual property right, including legal support of all kinds of agreements, the subject of which comprises objects of the copyright and related rights;
• regarding registration of the technical decisions, pertaining to computer programs in the capacity of utility models, as well as registration of the copyright for computer programs.

We advise with respect to all and any subjects in the realm of intellectual property, concerning computer programs, their components, applied applets, video- and sound records, and texts. Matters of confirmation of authorship on computer program, protection assurance of trade secrets for the initial code of the computer program, so called free usage of the computer program, choice of the optimal means of protection of the violated right are also included into the spectrum of our services. We offer legal services upon contractual execution of the designing processes of the functional and technical architecture, data-base development and data conversion, regarding settlement of the relations with the rightholder.

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