Berggren Oy is a full-service intellectual property (IP) law firm specializing in all areas of IP, from patents and trademarks to copyrights and trade secrets, covering every stage of the IP lifecycle. Because the field is so broad, Berggren is continuously looking for new professionals to join its team. Here, three of them share how they found their way to Berggren – and why they chose to stay.
The path to becoming an IP professional is not straightforward. In fact, there are as many paths as there are IP professionals.
Erika Herronen has a degree in biomedical engineering and has worked on developing EEG software. Elina Pörsti has degrees in biomedical science and business, and she worked previously as a researcher in the biomedical field. Michael Braun has a Ph.D. in chemistry.
Now, they all work in the patents team at Berggren, as patent attorneys or patent agents, and are very enthusiastic about how patents and the legislation around them work.
At Berggren, every patent attorney or patent agent shares at least two things in common: they have a strong educational background in technology or natural sciences, and they are eager to help clients understand and use the patent system to their advantage.
The world of patents is constantly evolving, and every professional at Berggren needs to stay up to date with legislative changes and technological developments. Berggren has established a mentoring program to support new experts on their path toward patent attorney qualification and to help experienced professionals continue developing their expertise.
Mentoring makes development easier
For Erika and Elina, the field was new at first. Elina started in September 2022, and Erika joined Berggren in May 2022 after working for another IP firm for a year and a half.
To qualify as a patent attorney, one must pass demanding professional exams. This is no small task, but Erika found having a mentor invaluable at this stage.
– I had one official mentor, and he was the person I could turn to with any question I had. Our relationship was very easy-going, and we talked almost daily. I could always ask anyone at Berggren for help if I thought they had the most knowledge about a specific matter, says Erika.
In 2024, Erika reached a major milestone in her career. She qualified as a European Patent Attorney on her first attempt, and her answer to Paper D was chosen as the best in Europe among more than a thousand candidates.
Elina works as a patent agent and appreciates the regular meetings she has with her mentors, which ensure dedicated time for her development.
– As I was new to the field, I had two mentors. I really looked forward to my tutoring sessions with both of them, as that time was reserved for going through any practical questions I had about the work, Elina explains.
Peer-to-peer mentoring enables personal growth
Michael Braun holds an impressive list of qualifications: he is a European Patent Attorney, a German Patent Attorney (Patentanwalt), a European Trademark and Design Attorney, and a European Patent Litigator. Despite his extensive experience, he is constantly seeking to improve his skills.
– Even after gaining a lot of experience in the patent world, everyone should aim to get better. I think it’s very important to keep mentoring ourselves. At Berggren, we have close internal cooperation to ensure the best results for our clients and to keep developing professionally. Beyond daily teamwork, anyone can reach out to a colleague for a second opinion or any other kind of help, Braun says.
Elina, Erika, and Michael all agree that working at Berggren provides endless opportunities for personal growth..
– Berggren offers us many ways to continue developing our expertise. That was one of the main reasons I decided to join the company in the first place – everyone here wants to grow and expand their capabilities, Michael Braun adds.
Berggren encourages its employees to participate in external courses that help them deepen or update their knowledge or prepare for qualification exams. Internal training sessions are also regularly organized to share updates in legislation and practice.
– Berggren has offered us the best training possibilities available. The learning curve in this profession is steep – and learning continues throughout one’s entire career, Erika explains.
Excellent work culture
Michael is very pleased with how Berggren’s high level of professionalism and supportive atmosphere help everyone achieve excellent results and develop further.
– The working atmosphere among colleagues at Berggren is very positive and encouraging. For most people, feeling comfortable at the workplace has a positive effect on the quality of their work, he tells.
Michael joined Berggren in January 2022 and remains happy with his decision.
– There is excellent synergy between our clients’ needs and the expertise of our professionals and attorneys. I’m both happy and a little proud to contribute to this synergy and to the success of both our clients and the firm, he describes.
Erika and Elina also feel they had a very warm start at Berggren.
– I was warmly welcomed to Berggren. When I started and came to the office, people sought me out just to say hello. That felt very nice, especially because many people work remotely but still wanted to greet me face to face, Elina recalls.
– I get to do meaningful work, and over the past few years I’ve become increasingly involved with clients and developed stronger relationships with them. I consider myself a bit of a geek – I’m very interested in technology and everything related to it. It’s wonderful to be among the first to see new inventions and to help inventors protect them, Erika says.
