Interview with Maria Luisa Arce Torrecilla
Could you start by introducing yourself and telling us about your role within our company?
I am an Industrial Property Attorney, specialized in trademarks and designs, based in our Paris office. I assist clients of all sizes, from international groups to SMEs and private individuals, both French and foreign, particularly in the management of their trademark and design portfolios. This assistance can begin with the choice of a trademark or the creation of a design, and continues with the verification of their availability, their registration, and the monitoring and defense of the corresponding rights.
What aspect of intellectual property (IP) particularly captivates your interest?
Everything about IP captivates me! But it is definitely the international aspect that fascinates me the most. I am Peruvian and have had a bicultural education since my early childhood. I did all my schooling at the Lycée Français de Lima, then studied law in Peru and France. I'm a lawyer at the Lima Bar (I've also been admitted to the Paris Bar) and a French and European IP attorney. So naturally I have a particular curiosity for other cultures. Our clients' IP rights also need to be protected at international level, which means that we are in daily contact with foreign colleagues whom we have the privilege of knowing personally thanks to the various international IP congresses and conferences we attend (INTA, ASIPI, MARQUES, etc.). The various IP subjects that we have to deal with, due to their international nature,confront us with different ways of thinking and apprehending reality, this which leads us to understand and assimilate various aspects of other cultures and mentalities. It is exciting! The same applies to languages - French, Spanish and English for me - but also to the simple contact with other languages through the issues we deal within our cases and our exchanges with colleagues from all over the world.
Why work for Jacobacci Coralis Harlé?
Jacobacci Coralis Harle is part of the European Jacobacci & Partners group, with offices in Italy, France and Spain. This aspect of the group suits my taste for international affairs, languages and diverse cultures perfectly. The spirit of the group is very open and dynamic, especially in this respect. For example, I'm a member of our Latam Desk, through which we offer to our clients, from our Madrid office, services in all Latin American countries, in close collaboration with our network of local correspondents. We also enjoy a very efficient and pleasant cooperation with our Italian and Spanish colleagues.
Is there a hobby or passion that enriches your professional experience and that you would like to share with us?
I like history a lot, I read many historical works, stories, novels and I try to visit the relevant places as soon as my free time allows me in France and abroad. I am also very interested in languages. The culture of each country is inevitably linked to its history, which contributes to an understanding of what is going on in this country and also the mentality of its inhabitants. These interests enable me to better grasp and manage certain issues, particularly trademark-related ones, as well as the exchanges with our foreign associates or opponents, thus complementing, worthwhile, the purely legal approach to our cases.
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