Zacco - 360° Intellectual Property

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has announced two important updates to its domain name dispute resolution services. As the leading provider for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) cases, these changes will impact how brand owners can address online infringements and cybersquatting. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 WIPO has introduced an 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 supposed to deliver a formal decision within one month from the start of a case. This is a significant reduction from the standard timeline. “This welcomed change provides brand owners with a fast-lane option for when swift action is required to mitigate brand damage or financial crime,” says Commercial Director and UDRP advisor Niclas Jonsson at Zacco. “By offering a predictable, one-month resolution window, WIPO is addressing the need for urgency in cases involving for example phishing or fraud. It allows us to secure a decision before the harm to a client’s brand reputation, infrastructure or revenue becomes irreparable.” The 𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 has also been updated to better reflect the realities of modern data privacy. In most cases today, the identity of a domain owner is hidden behind privacy shields until a case is filed. If a complainant after filing discovers that the dispute can be settled or must be withdrawn, before the respondent is formally notified, WIPO will now offer a higher refund, only retaining 100 USD in cases involving 1–5 domain names. This reduces the financial risk for brand owners when there is uncertainty about the underlying identity of the registrant. Would you like to discuss how these changes could affect your brand protection strategies? Reach out to Niclas Jonsson, Kristian Elftorp or the Digital Brand team at Zacco to learn more.

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026! This year saw over 100 colleagues from Zacco offices across the globe take part in our annual walk and run to raise awareness. The idea to run was originally started by our Indian colleagues but has since evolved into an annual tradition, with all offices invited to take part. It’s always great to see such a large turnout, and to be able to share some of the pictures taken on the day. We will be holding an internal webinar for all colleagues later today, organised by Yashaswini Hiran and Porishmita Koushik who will be joined by a corporate powerhouse and empowerment advocate, sharing her experience breaking boardroom glass ceilings and building diversity into leadership structures. Nicola Edwards, our Group HR Director, also shared her thoughts on this year’s theme: "#GiveToGain reinforces radical generosity as a catalyst for gender equity. It reminds us that diversity isn't just a metric, but a continuous cycle of investment: when an organisation 'gives'—through mentorship, equitable pay, and visibility—it 'gains' a more resilient, collaborative and innovative workforce. For employees, this strengthens a culture of collaboration and support over competition. It’s about the power of opening doors, sharing knowledge, and recognising that the advancement of one woman creates a ripple effect of success that can elevate the entire team."

Have you also started planning your calendar for INTA? Zacco colleagues from multiple European offices are getting ready to go to London for the next INTA Annual Meeting. They will join the UK colleagues who are looking forward to welcoming the global IP community to their hometown between the 2nd and 6th of May. Our INTA committee members Annalena Nordin (Stockholm), Thomas Mølsgaard Molsgaard and Peter Gustav Olson (Copenhagen) will be going to London, accompanied by Hampus Adlerton, Kristian Elftorp, Christian L. Bardenfleth, Ane Strand Nilssen, Anders Sparlund, Michael Byström, Magnus Ljungdahl, Karin Kärvling Søholt, and our CEO Antonio Marsico. From London, our Head of Trade Marks Iram Zaidi and Chartered Patent Attorney Stuart Clarkson will also join the team for client meetings, networking and knowledge sharing. Stay tuned to follow our preparations and updates around INTA! If you are interested in meeting the team during the event then we invite you to reach out to them directly or email us at events@zacco.com. We look forward to connecting with you during this year’s Annual Meeting!

Zacco is delighted to welcome Christian L. Bardenfleth back to the firm after 13 years. Christian was part of the original team that convinced three major IP firms from Denmark, Sweden and Norway to join forces and become the international Zacco Group that you recognise today. A keen negotiator, litigator and IP strategist, Christian is also a renowned partnership manager and growth lead. He is eager to reconnect with both clients and old friends, many of whom will be excited by the prospect of working with Zacco again and who he knows will recognise the advantage of Zacco’s European, UK, Indian and online presence. Outside of private practice, Christian is the Chairman of the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society, one of Denmark’s largest patient societies. He also supports many other worthy causes, providing pro bono advice and guidance, and making use of his extensive network to generate awareness. Welcome back Christian, we wish you all the very best in your new role. You can read more about Christian, and his time at Zacco, through the latest news on our website: https://lnkd.in/d_yTbguM

Maria will be joining the Zacco office in Stockholm, bringing over a decade of HR experience and expertise primarily within multinational consultancy and technology firms. An expert HR Business Partner, her most recent role focused on growth strategies within performance, engagement and well-being, representing a perfect fit for someone curious about organisational behaviour, and understanding what drives people. For Maria, great HR means finding the balance between the pragmatic and the practical, knowing the rules without losing sight of the individual, and the empathy, nuance or cultural intelligence that keeps us inspired. Joining Zacco, she is looking forward to building developmental environments that motivate, align with the big picture and provide the space to grow, both professionally and personally. As a catalyst for colleagues to achieve their best, she’ll be cheering from the sidelines, supporting colleagues when they need it and ensuring that everyone has the tools that they need to achieve their best. While her primary HR responsibilities will be in Sweden, she will also be involved with many of the exciting international HR projects currently in the pipeline, and she is truly excited to be part of Zacco’s HR journey. Welcome Maria, we wish you all the very best in your new role.

Cecilia Arestad has now joined our office in Stockholm from an in-house senior counsel position in the sports and entertainment tech industry. Previously in IP private practice, her recent legal role provided the opportunity to expand her expertise into every aspect of the legal counsel, advice and support. This meant working with company law, licensing, contracts, compliance, knowledge sharing and other prominent areas necessary to protect an organisation, monetise its ideas and support its expansion.   Cecilia became enamoured with IP early on in her law studies, realising early that it was an integral part of companies everywhere. It also represented an opportunity to work with interesting and distinct organisations, creating technology or brands that drive public conversations forward. This interest in the interaction between law and IP, across borders, products and brands, has carried on throughout her career and in returning to private practice she is keen to apply her in-house expertise and experience to the wider IP lifecycle.   Having heard great things about Zacco from her own network, Cecilia is excited to be joining the team, and is looking forward to supporting clients across entertainment, consumer products, FMCG, tech, fashion and luxury brands. Driven by a lifelong interest in music and literature, she is also eager to explore opportunities to leverage copyrights, alongside more general IP and contracts, with such rights becoming increasingly prominent in the age of AI and LLM training.  

Zacco is pleased to announce that we have been shortlisted for Firm of the Year in nine categories at the Managing IP Awards 2026, Including the prestigious Europe Firm of the Year for Trademarks and Nordic Firm of the Year.   The competition for the top spots remains fierce, with many great firms in the running, so it is an honour to be shortlisted in so many categories. This is particularly true for the European Firm of the Year, recognising the extent of our work developing, managing and protecting EU and national trademarks for our global clients.   National Shortlists: Patent Prosecution Firm of the Year in Denmark, Norway and Sweden Trademark Firm of the Year (Patent & Trademark Attorney Firms) in Denmark and Norway Trademark Disputes Firm of the Year in Sweden Trademark Prosecution Firm of the Year (Patent & Trademark Attorney Firms) in Sweden   Practitioner of the Year (Patent & Trademark Attorney Firms): Rita Lillegraven – Norway Thomas Mølsgaard – Denmark Paul Winblad – Sweden   Rising Star of the Year: Louise Bülow Andersson – Sweden   The awards will take place on Friday 1st May in London, so we are crossing fingers and looking forward to the final announcements. Well done to all of the other firms and peers recognised, we wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing you at the awards ceremony.   As always, a huge congratulations to all of our colleagues. Regional and National awards are never won alone, so shortlisting is thanks to the contributions of everyone at Zacco, as well as to our clients who continue to trust us with their most valuable assets.

  India has become and innovation powerhouse in recent years, and it is not difficult to see why. Our CEO Antonio Marsico visited our offices in Bangalore and Delhi last month to meet many of our colleagues, clients and partners in the region. We are incredibly proud to be a part of India’s thriving innovation ecosystem, and Antonio outlines some of the main reasons why in our latest video.

“We had, last year, one in five employees contributing to our innovation pipeline”   Have you heard our latest Fireside Chat? Our CEO Antonio Marsico spoke with Joakim Frid, IP Strategy and Portfolio Manager at Zenseact, around balancing IP protection and collaboration in developing the software that underpins self-driving cars.   A leading developer of autonomous driving and advanced driver-assistance software, Zenseact sits in the middle of an incredibly fast-moving technological arena, requiring flexibility and creativity when it comes to developing and protecting their ideas and output. This episode explores how they remain at the forefront of emerging research through a combination of supporting creativity and experimentation, and protecting confidentiality while remaining open to partnerships and knowledge sharing.   The Zacco Fireside Chats explore the role of IP in solving global issues, driving innovation and building brands. Visit our website to learn more about the amazing work that Zenseact is doing to make autonomous and assisted driving safer, and how they use IP and other assets to achieve it.   You can find the full interview and transcript here: https://lnkd.in/edSA3ddc

Nominations are open for the Nordic Innovation Award 2026 As one of Europe’s leading IP firms built on strong Scandinavian values, we would like to highlight the Nordic Innovation Award 2026. The award was first distributed last year intending to feature small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that successfully combine pioneering innovation with a smart Intellectual Property (IP) strategy. The award emerged from a unique collaboration between the five Nordic Intellectual Property Offices: PRV (Sweden), Patentstyret (Norway), DKPTO (Denmark), PRH (Finland), and ISIPO (Iceland), with the ceremony held this year in Oslo on 21st May 2026. The jury is looking for sustainable, IPR-protected innovations that can be scaled up. To be eligible, your SME or start-up must be based in the Nordics and have fewer than 250 employees. As you might expect, you also need to hold at least one registered intellectual property right, such as a patent or trademark. Details can be found on the different national PTO's websites. To all of our innovative clients and partners across the Nordics, we encourage you to step forward and nominate yourselves or another organisation before the deadline on 28th February 2026. Let's celebrate the global impact of Nordic Innovation and its significant commitment to sustainability and quality!