VERBA LEGAL defended Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat in a patent dispute for 300,000,000 roubles

The company’s former contractor and employee patented a service invention and sought prohibition of its use after dismissal and tried to recover 300 mln roubles from Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat and its contractor as compensation for damages.

As part of the project, VERBA LEGAL built a successful defence strategy and proved that there were no grounds to prohibit the use of the employee’s invention. The court recognised non-infringement on the part of Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat and its contractor.

Alexey Darkov, Counsel, Head of Intellectual Property Practice at VERBA LEGAL, comments:

‘We are satisfied with the decision and its rationale. We expect the claimants to challenge it and are ready to defend the rights of Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat. An employer has the right to use an employee’s invention by virtue of clause 4 of Article 1370 of the Russian Civil Code, therefore, courts should recognise the former employee's attempts to prohibit such use as an improper remedy.’

On behalf of VERBA LEGAL, Alexey Darkov (Counsel), Vladimir Domashin (Assosiate), and Alan Baspanov (Paralegal) worked on the project.