Svetoslav Ivanov, LL.M.

Experience and Expertise

Our founder, Svetoslav Ivanov, LL.M., is a German attorney-at-law specialising in intellectual property law. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property Law and also advises on civil and commercial law, as well as private international law.

He advises and represents companies across a range of industries in protecting, enforcing and defending their intellectual property rights. His practice also encompasses commercial contract drafting, negotiation and enforcement, including litigation. He has developed his practical expertise through many years of experience at several German commercial law firms and a major international law firm.

In recognition of his specialised knowledge and professional experience, the Munich Bar Association (Rechtsanwaltskammer München) authorised him, pursuant to Section 43c of the German Federal Lawyers’ Act (Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung – BRAO), to use the protected German specialist title Fachanwalt für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz, reflecting his specialist qualification in intellectual property law.

Education, Professional Training and Distinctions

Svetoslav Ivanov passed the Bavarian Second State Examination in Law (Bayerisches Assessorexamen) with an overall result in the upper range of the rankings and particularly strong performance in civil law and civil procedure. He thereby qualified for judicial office in Germany. He earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property Law with the highest score in the final examination while simultaneously working at a major international law firm. In the specialist training course for the German qualification Fachanwalt für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz, he attained the highest result in the course.

He earned his law degree with a focus on private international law at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, which regularly ranks first in Germany for law in the WirtschaftsWoche university ranking. He developed his analytical abilities early on during his high school years, which he completed with distinction, while successfully participating in numerous mathematics and physics olympiads. During his legal traineeship (Referendariat), he prepared court decisions at the Munich I Regional Court (Landgericht München I) and appeared in court on behalf of the Munich I Public Prosecutor’s Office, presenting the prosecution’s case.

Global Experience

Svetoslav Ivanov completed the elective stage of his legal traineeship (Referendariat) at the headquarters of a multinational company in San Francisco, California. Immediately after graduating with his law degree, he had already begun working remotely from Germany for the company’s US legal department, before further expanding his international experience through his placement in San Francisco.

He also spent half of his LL.M. studies at Keio University Law School in Tokyo, where he explored international, US and Japanese legal issues relating to intellectual property, with a particular focus on US trademark and patent law, Japanese and international IP law, licensing and arbitration.

Fluent in English and experienced in navigating different legal systems and business cultures, he advises clients on cross-border intellectual property matters, including international opposition and cancellation proceedings, and the drafting and negotiation of international contracts, often involving multiple languages and jurisdictions. His practice also encompasses coexistence agreements, technology transfer and licensing agreements, international cooperation agreements, and the cross-border enforcement of trademark, patent and design rights.

He represents clients in proceedings before international organisations and institutions, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). He also draws on an international network of law firms and legal professionals across key markets worldwide.

Approach and Litigation Practice

Attorney Svetoslav Ivanov represents clients in contentious proceedings before the German Regional Courts (Landgerichte) and Higher Regional Courts (Oberlandesgerichte), the Federal Patent Court (Bundespatentgericht) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC).

His intellectual property practice encompasses opposition, cancellation and invalidity proceedings before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), opposition proceedings against European patents before the European Patent Office (EPO), and international trademark registrations through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

His approach is grounded in a precise assessment of the facts, the identification of the decisive issues, the timely preservation of evidence, and the development of a legally sound and strategically robust position. He consistently advances his clients’ interests, both in negotiations and in proceedings before courts and administrative authorities.

Not every dispute needs to end in a court judgment. Where a settlement offers the more advantageous legal and commercial outcome, he recommends pursuing one. Where effective protection of his clients’ rights requires litigation, he pursues their interests with determination and resolve.

Focused on Protecting Your Interests

Attorney Svetoslav Ivanov has one clear objective: achieving the best possible outcome for his clients. His approach combines rigorous legal analysis with a clear understanding of the commercial realities at stake — your market position, your business interests and the long-term protection of your rights against competitors.

He represents clients in disputes throughout Germany, whether they are based in Germany or abroad. Tell us about your case. You can generally expect a response within 24 hours, including an initial assessment and an outline of the next steps available to you.