Maxim Ali has assessed for RBC the prospect of using insolvency in relation to the violation of intellectual property rights

Maxim Ali - Partner

Two years ago, the British company Entertainment One UK Limited, which owns the rights to the characters in the animated series “Masked Heroes” through the court, won more than 1 million rubles in compensation for the illegal use of its images. However, Baltic Circus, which violated the intellectual property rights, is still evading payments, and therefore Entertainment One UK Limited filed a petition declaring the debtor insolvent.

“Initiating insolvency in this case is effective, as Baltic Circus has enough assets and, most likely, it will voluntarily satisfy the requirements of the creditor, threatening to limit its operating activities,” commented Maxim Ali, Head of IP / IT Practice at Maxima Legal, for RBC Petersburg.

The number of disputes and complaints examined by the Intellectual Property Rights Court, according to Maxima Legal, has increased by 25% since 2017 in the North-Western District. Maxim Ali connects a large number of court cases with violation of intellectual rights in part with the fact that those who intentionally use someone else’s intellectual property are often inclined to try their luck. “On one side of the scale is the opportunity to implement a successful business project, crossing the line of the law in some places, and on the other there are some vague prospects of a dispute with an incomprehensible amount of compensation,” he explained.

To read the full article (in Russian), please see the RBC Petersburg website >>>