Birkett Long strengthens IP team with new trade mark attorney

Birkett Long’s Intellectual Property (IP) department continues to thrive with the recent qualification of Michael Pokrachynskyi as a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney. This significant achievement further cements the firm’s commitment to providing clients with top-tier expertise in IP law, combining deep technical knowledge with over 200 years of industry experience.

A Milestone in Michael’s Career
Michael successfully completed the Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice, marking the end of his qualification journey. In his new role within the IP department, he provides valuable support to the team on both contentious and non-contentious matters, including national and international trade marks, design registrations, and issues related to copyright, company/domain names, and unregistered rights.

Leveraging a Unique Background
Michael’s path into law is unique—he has a rich background that blends creative and scientific disciplines. Before entering law, he spent several years working in the music sector and holds a degree in GIS engineering. He views intellectual property law as a natural bridge that connects his analytical skills and creative interests, enabling him to tackle complex tasks and client challenges with a distinctive approach. This connection between his past experiences and future aspirations is what he finds most rewarding in his role.

Fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian, Michael is well-positioned to work with clients from a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and geographical backgrounds. His commercial background also helps him better understand clients' business needs, allowing him to manage legal risks effectively.

Supporting the Fight Against Counterfeiting
In addition to his work with Birkett Long, Michael dedicated time from 2021 to 2023 to volunteer with the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, working alongside government and law enforcement agencies to help brands protect their intellectual property and combat counterfeiting activities across the UK.

A Personal Milestone for Jonathan Perlmutter
Jonathan Perlmutter, Partner and Head of the Intellectual Property department, expressed his personal satisfaction in seeing Michael reach this milestone:

“It’s a great personal pleasure for me to have seen Michael through to qualification as a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney. We continue to strengthen and deepen our team in all areas of Intellectual Property Law and practice, consolidating our unique position in the region with a comprehensive IP team that comprises fully qualified European and UK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys within the context of a full-service law firm; this is what we mean by IP in Context. Michael’s aptitude in languages further supports our international practice, which currently sees us active in approximately 170 different countries.”

Looking Ahead
Birkett Long congratulates Michael on his achievement and looks forward to the continued growth of its IP department, where his expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the firm’s expanding international presence and client success.