Pioneers in our field

Professor Konstantin Katzarov

Published with the kind authorization of the Fonds Katzarovi

Professor Konstantin Katzarov, born in 1898 in Sofia, Bulgaria, studied law at the University of Bern from 1916 to 1920. In 1921, he established his law firm in Sofia, Bulgaria, and in 1924 published the first edition of his guide for patent and trademark registrations – “Katzaroff’s Patent Directory”.

In 1956 he returned to Switzerland and in 1967 established his law firm in Geneva “Prof. Konst. Katzarov SA” dedicated to industrial property protection worldwide, with a particular focus on Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union.

Professor Katzarov continued publishing regular editions of his Patent Directory and also served as a guest lecturer at the University of Geneva.

In 1976, the Patent Directory was renamed to “Katzarov’s Manual on Industrial Property“, and in 1981, the law firm changed its name to “Katzarov SA“.

In the early 1990s, during significant geopolitical shifts in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, our firm was actively involved in establishing intellectual property standards in the emerging countries of the region. Our experts have also contributed to the normative and doctrinal changes achieved in the field.

Through almost six decades of growth, we have steadily expanded our activities serving as a gateway to more than 200 jurisdictions. Today, as one of the foremost intellectual property firms in Switzerland, we represent numerous domestic and international clients both in our home country and before foreign intellectual property authorities. Thanks to our historical expertise and long-established privileged contacts in the countries still commonly referred to as Eastern Europe, as well as in the Balkan and Eurasian countries, we are still at the forefront of serving our clients’ interests in these jurisdictions.

Acting as a hub for our clients, we take on the complexities of IP protection, ensuring smooth execution across multiple jurisdictions through a single, trusted partner, handling everything from registration and prosecution to enforcement and strategic portfolio management.

In addition to our IP practice, and as part of our commitment to providing invaluable knowledge to fellow IP professionals, we have been editing the KATZAROV’s Manual on Industrial Property since 1924.

Originally starting in 1924 as a printed guide for patent and trademark registrations, the Manual has evolved into a state-of-the-art website, available in over 100 languages and covering more than 200 jurisdictions.

Katzarov’s Manual on Industrial Property has continuously evolved since its first publication in 1924 and now covers all forms of industrial property rights, including patents of invention, utility models, industrial designs, trade and service marks, geographical indications, and topographies. There are also additional chapters on plant varieties, domain names, copyright and trade secrets.

The Manual website is updated daily by a dedicated team working in collaboration with 140 local IP law firms and assisted by KATZAROV’s team of experienced attorneys.

To this day, the Manual remains the worldwide trusted reference for every aspect of our profession. We strive to uphold Professor Katzarov’s vision of providing our colleagues all over the world with access to this invaluable reference tool. As he himself stated, “it should be in daily use by every colleague“(Sofia, Bulgaria, January 1931).