Feride Utku specialises in both prosecution and enforcement matters and has over 15 years of experience in these fields. She joined Deriş in 2008 and has worked with the trademark and litigation teams ever since. She became a partner of the firm in 2020 and currently heads the anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy teams.

Her main focus areas are counterfeiting and complex enforcement matters involving trademark, design, unfair competition and copyright issues. She is also well versed in portfolio management, domain name issues, searching and clearance activities.

In addition to Turkey, Ms Utku also guides clients through Northern Cyprus prosecution and enforcement matters and provides counsel on disputes and transactions for this area.

Ms Utku has taken part in numerous anti-counterfeiting projects, forming strategies, organising and leading simultaneous raids for world-famous brands – especially in the fields of cosmetics and fragrances, apparel and accessories, jewellery and luxury. She also has extensive experience in handling anti-generic programmes, including clearance actions, monitoring and continuous clearance services.

She is skilled in understanding the business needs of her clients and helps them develop the best IP protection systems for Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

Ms Utku has an outstanding track record of winning IP disputes. Some of her notable recent cases are:

• receiving a well-known trademark decision concerning an international trademark threatened by claims of dilution;
• representing a worldwide-known automotive brand in a court action against generic claims, securing a positive outcome;
• representing well-known companies active in the film industry with regard to copyright issues and online takedown requests;
• handling and contributing to a landmark court decision regarding unfair competition and trademark protection published in INTA’s Annual Review;
• conducting due diligence investigations for IP portfolios;
• representing well-known brands in domain name cybersquatting disputes brought under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy before WIPO; and
• handling anti-counterfeiting/anti-piracy projects for trademark, design and copyright owners.

Ms Utku is a member of the INTA Famous and Well-known Trademarks Committee.

Practice Areas & Work Department

Intellectual Property

Anticounterfeiting

Languages

English

Memberships

Member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) & Inta Famous Well-known Marks Committee

Titles / Properties Subcommittee, Member of the Ankara Bar Association, Chartered Trademark Attorney

Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (T.P.T.O.)

Chartered Patent Attorney, Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (T.P.T.O.)

Member of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)