People

Aleksina Kouhia

My name is Aleksina Kouhia and I’m the new IP Specialist for Boco IP. I am part of mechanics team and I'm usually working in Tampere. I have studied International Business and I have specialized in financial management. I don’t have experience from Boco’s field of activity, but I’m looking forward to the new challenges, which I’m facing with excitement.

Anastasiia Kravtcova

I provide advisory services to clients regarding their inventions related to medical devices; microsystems, sensing and actuation technology; electronics; as well as diverse consumer products. My role involves assisting clients in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications at patent offices in Finland, Europe, and the USA. Additionally, I conduct novelty searches, freedom-to-operate studies, and technology analyses.

Prior to my career in IPR, I engaged in numerous research and development projects within various Finnish technology companies. I also pursued research at Aalto University, specializing in electronics and biomedical engineering.

I have been a part of Boco IP since 2021.

Anita Lehtonen

I perform a wide range of administrative tasks in the office. I take care of the operation and procurement of the office, communication with various service providers and the organization of various events.

My task is to enable our experts to have a smooth and comfortable everyday life in many ways. In addition, I manage the purchase ledger and assist in financial administration. I am also involved in occupational safety and health and on the board of the personnel fund. I have been employed by Boco since 2017.

Antti Pörhönen

I have handled patenting of mainly mechanical solutions in various fields of technology. Additionally, I conduct patentability searches and patent evaluations, and I also have experience with design applications. In my work, I value long-term cooperation with clients, striving to understand their business and relevant technologies. My background is in materials technology with a specialization in metallurgy and steels, and I have also worked in research and development as well as mechanical design of electrical machines. I have been working in the field of patents since 2021, and I am a registered patent attorney in Finland.

Christian Westerholm

I have an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and I am a European Patent Attorney (EQE 2002), a European Design Attorney and a registered patent attorney in Finland. In addition to drafting patent applications and taking care of the prosecution of patent applications, I also handle opposition proceedings before the Finnish Patent Office and the European Patent Office and I have an extensive experience of oral proceedings at the European Patent Office.  I handle also utility model applications as well as design rights applications and prepare statements for various kind of IPR’s. I also have experience in IPR licensing negotiations and acquisitions. I have been working in the patent field since 1996 and have been employed by Boco since 2005.

Elina Heikkilä

I work primarily with trademarks and designs. I have years of global experience in IP protection proceedings, opposition, infringement and cancellation proceedings. I conduct availability and risk analyses, contractual matters, and IP strategy planning. Every IP-workday is fascinating! My previous work experience is from the Supreme Administrative Court, the Finnish Patent Office, and from a patent agency. I am authorized to represent clients at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) and Finnish courts. I have worked at Boco since 2011.

Elina Koskinen

I assist the representatives of the mechanical team in all administrative and formal matters related to the processing of patents, such as the submission of applications and responses and the monitor of deadlines. I also handle the validation of EP patents, the coordination of translations, the transfer of patents, communication with foreign agents and customer service. I previously worked for copyright organizations, and I have been in the patent industry since 2007. Employed by Boco since 2016.

Elsa Peltola

I'm Elsa and I work as an IP Specialist at Boco IP. Currently, I am in the mechanics team and together with the patent attorneys I manage matters related to the patenting process, such as communication with the patent offices and our clients. I have already a few years worth of experience in the field.

Essi Karppanen

I have worked in the patent field since 2019. My special expertise is in synthetic organic chemistry and especially in medicinal chemistry. I have work experience both in the pharmaceutical industry as a researcher and as an official at the EU level, where I worked in the executive roles of biocide legislation. In my work, I do IPR assignments in the field of chemistry, for example biotechnology and materials are my area of expertise. I find the work of a patent expert really inspiring, because I can be involved in new inventions before they become public. Because of this, every work assignment causes me special enthusiasm.

Hanna Hausalo

I work as a part-time Office Assistant while studying at university. My responsibilities include a variety of organizational and administrative tasks. I have been working at Boco IP since 2020.

Heidi Lautjärvi

Greetings from communications and marketing! I am happy to help with any communication or marketing issue. If you have any questions about these topics, we will surely find a solution to even the most difficult questions. I am the person who sends Boco IP's monthly newsletters and invitations to our webinars, for example. I am also guided through questions related to marketing and communication with Innovation Home. However, I don’t do communication and marketing alone, as we have an efficient team to sparring with and exchange ideas about, anytime, anywhere. If you are moving towards Kamppi I am happy to chat around cup of coffee.

Helena Hattinen

I assist patent attorneys in patent prosecution matters in the field of mechanics and manage external communications with clients and authorities. Previously, I have also worked in marketing and brand building positions in an international company. I also have experience in managing a company’s trademark portfolio. I have been employed by Boco IP since 2013.

Jaana Hämäläinen

I handle the patenting of inventions related to biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and chemistry nationally and internationally. My technology expertise includes e.g. therapeutic and diagnostic methods, drugs and food. I also manage the protection of plant-related inventions and the application for plant variety rights. I am a European Patent Attorney and a Registered Patent Attorney in Finland. In addition to the prosecution of patent applications I conduct freedom-to-operate analyses, novelty searches, provide statements, and, if necessary, act as a technical expert in patent litigations and act as a lecturer.

My clients include start-ups, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies.

After my master’s degree in biotechnology, I completed my PhD at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. I also did postgraduate studies at Cornell University in the USA and the University of Helsinki. My background in working as a researcher in different universities and research environments has helped me understand the different stages of research and development.

I have enjoyed being at Boco IP since 2000.

Jenni Aho

I work in the IT, mechanics and electrical group. I assist patent attorneys in all matters related to patent processing and handle external communications with clients and authorities. In addition, I take care of all activities related to the validation of foreign customers’ European patents in Finland and in Sweden and I’m responsible thereof. I previously worked in the patent field in 2002–2008. I have been by Boco IP since 2013.

Jerry Härkönen

I am an EU Trademark and Design Attorney, IP Advisor Jerry. I support both Boco IP's Sales and Marketing and IP Legal teams. I have experience from several IPR companies and I specialize in brand protection in a variety of ways. In addition, I have been an active IPR-trainer and lecturer and am able to present even difficult things in an understandable and simple way. My educational and work backgrounds are strongly internationally focused. I completed my university studies mainly abroad. I graduated as a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Derby in England and serve clients fluently in both English and Finnish

Jonna Sahlin

I am happy to advise and assist in various matters related to intellectual property rights and strategy, especially in the fields of chemistry, process technology, medicine, and diagnostics. I like problem solving and interaction with customers and colleagues, and I think the best results are usually achieved when the cooperation works smoothly. I handle patenting of inventions both in Finland and internationally, and in addition to prosecution of applications, I, among other things, also draft oppositions, freedom-to-operate analyses, and statements on the interpretation of patents.

I have been employed by Boco IP since 1998 and, after various tasks over the years,  I nowadays mostly work with patent matters. Since 2017, I have represented Finland as a council member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) and as a Finnish member of the epi's Professional Conduct Committee (PCC).

Jutta Schauman

I assist with trademark and design matters and provide support to our IP lawyers within the IP Legal team. In addition to my role as an IP Specialist, I am responsible for developing and maintaining Boco's docketing system. I have been working in the field of intellectual property since 2010 and have been a part of Boco since 2011.

Karri Leskinen

Welcome to my page! How can I help?

I work at Boco IP as both CEO and patent attorney. As CEO, I want to help my colleagues succeed in their jobs and create a corporate culture where it is great to work. In my role as a patent attorney, I’m active in designing and implementing of clients' IPR strategies. With regard to assignments, I have focused especially on the handling of opposition cases in Finland and at the European Patent Office. I’m easily enthusiastic about everything related to the IP and I am happy to share this enthusiasm by lecturing and training new people in the IP field. In addition, I act as an expert in patent litigations, draft opinions and advise on patent law matters. I started at Boco IP in 2005, but I have been in the patent attorney since 1999. Feel free to contact me and let's talk more.

Laura Dobric

I assist the patent attorneys of our physics and electricity team and handle external communication with customers, officials, and foreign attorneys. My tasks include monitoring deadlines, and I am also the safety representative. I have been employed at Boco IP since 2010.

Laura Roselius

Hi, I’m an IP attorney and partner.

I handle trademark applications in Finland, in Europe as well as internationally. I also advise my clients on design rights worldwide.

In my work I develop and participate in the implementation of clients’ trademark protection strategies and also advise on matters related to portfolio management. I also consult clients in cases concerning infringement and counterfeiting. In addition, I also handle oppositions and cancellation procedures in Finland and abroad.

I assist clients in all types of negotiations and draft trademark and other IP-related agreements, such as licensing agreements. I also advise on domain name registration and infringement issues.

I am a professional representative authorized to represent clients before the European Union Industrial Property Office (EUIPO), an authorized trademark attorney registered in the Finnish national register and a licensed legal counsel authorized to represent clients in court in Finland.

I have been employed by Boco IP since 2000.

Marja Liisa Autti

I mainly deal with patenting in the fields of information technology, electronics and radio technology. The invention of many of the patent applications I have handled has been implemented as a computer program or software, but I am also no stranger to mechanical devices. In many cases, the inventions are combinations of devices and their control or processing of signals obtained therefrom. My job includes drafting patent applications, preparing office action reports and office action responses, handling opposition matters as well as performing novelty searches and technology mappings. I work as an authorized patent attorney, authorized by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office PRH. Prior to my career as a patent attorney, I gained 15 years of experience in patenting, IPR strategy and patent portfolio management in telecommunications field, as well as previous experience in research and development in the telecommunications and electronics industry. I have been employed by Boco IP since 2014.

Marjukka Hausalo

I work at Boco as the Finance and HR Manager and am also a partner and a board member of Boco IP. I am responsible for the overall financial administration, including accounting, ledgers, payroll, payment transactions, and insurance. A significant part of my role also involves recruitment and handling HR matters, such as employee well-being and developing the work community. I have been part of Boco since 2006.

Merja Pynnönen

I work as an IP Specialist at Boco IP. I assist agents in all matters related to patenting process and handle communication with clients and authorities. I have been working in the patent industry since 1995 and been employed by Boco IP since 2015.

Mia Niemelä

I am Mia Niemelä, the newest IP Specialist (IPSU) at Boco IP. I have previously worked in the IPR field for 16 years. However, I spent the last seven years working elsewhere, so there is much to both learn and refresh my memory on. Fortunately, I still retain a good amount of knowledge from what I learned before.

It is a pleasure and an honor to return to a field where there is always something new to learn, and the opportunities for growth are limitless.

In my free time, I spend a lot of time in nature, on sports fields, and at the gym. I am also a passionate traveler, having visited over 50 countries.

The best part of this field is the people who make our work community a pleasant place to grow and develop into an even stronger professional in the industry. My tasks at Boco include all customer correspondence, reporting, handling assignments, preparing and delivering documents to various parties, maintaining contact with foreign partners and patent offices, as well as monitoring deadlines and managing billing activities.

Nina Virolainen

I assist and provide guidance in protecting inventions in the fields of chemistry, biotechnology, and biochemistry, including molecular biology, diagnostics, microbiology, and process chemistry. My expertise also extends to processes and solutions related to food products and bioenergy. I handle supplementary protection certificate (SPC) applications for pharmaceuticals. I am a qualified European Patent Attorney and a registered Patent Attorney in Finland. In addition to protecting inventions, I support our clients with tasks such as evaluating employee inventions, competitor monitoring, freedom-to-operate analyses, and patentability assessments, as well as delivering lectures on intellectual property topics. I serve as Finland's alternate representative in the Council of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi).

I have been working in the field of IP since 2017 and joined Boco in 2021. Before transitioning to the patent profession, I accumulated several years of experience developing and implementing innovative bio- and environmental technology solutions, both as a university researcher and in a startup company. My interest in IP was initially sparked by my own involvement as an inventor in patent applications, giving me diverse experience in transforming research results into protected inventions that add value to businesses. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is gaining insights into groundbreaking research across a wide range of fields!

Patrick Hjelt

As IT Manager I am responsible for the ICT operations and security of the company. I am interested in anything technical, and I have been developing the IT systems on a long-term basis in Boco for over 20 years. Except for a few years spent in the Finnish Defence Forces (first at the National Defence College and then at the Uusimaa Brigade), I have been employed by Boco since 1997.

Paula Sarkki

I work as an IP Specialist at Boco IP. My duties include correspondence with clients, patent offices and foreign patent attorneys, monitoring deadlines and handling formalities during the patenting process. In addition, my responsibilities include developing and maintaining our docketing system especially the functions related to the patenting process. I have been working at Boco IP since 2002.

Peter Åkerlund

I have a legal background and authorized to represent clients at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the Finnish Patent Office, and at Finnish courts. I help clients to create strategies for the protection of brands, designs and other intangible assets. I conduct risk analysis' related to the use and registration of trademarks, and handle trademark registration and design protection worldwide. I also advise on contractual matters related to Intellectual Property and act as clients' representative in negotiations, and deal with trademark and design infringements, prosecute trademark oppositions and trademark and design cancellation procedures, and handle disputes related to domains. I have worked at Boco IP since 1999.

Petri Nieminen

How can I help you! My job at Boco includes managing our consulting and training services. In my role as an expert, I do strategy consulting as an accredited Design IP Strategy expert, I also do market and competitor surveys, as well as training and workshop events. My special expertise is in valuing patents. I have previous work experience in consulting and management at Accenture and BEA Systems (now part of Oracle). In addition, as an entrepreneur and owner, I was involved in creating a new kind of commercialization service at Iprbox Oy, the business of which was acquired by Boco in 2008. Employed by Boco IP since then!

Sanna Härkönen

I work as an IP Specialist in the Chemistry and Bio team. I provide extensive assistance to patent attorneys in all matters related to patent processing. I handle external communications with customers, foreign partners and authorities. I have previously worked as a sales and export assistant, and have worked in the patent industry since 2008. I have been employed by Boco IP since 2012.

Saoussen Merdes

I have over 15 years of experience in research and education. Prior to joining Boco IP, I carried out research in the fields of solar energy and nanotechnology at Tokyo University of Science, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the Freie Universität Berlin. I recently also worked as a Senior Scientist in a Finnish nanotechnology company. I joined the Physics & Electricity team of Boco IP in 2021. I advise our clients on matters related to patenting nano and semiconductor technologies.

Sari Laine

I help with trademark and design matters and also assist our IP lawyers in the IP Legal team. I have been employed by Boco IP since 1995.

Sini-Maaria Mikkilä

I am an experienced European Patent Attorney who has been helping clients protect and defend their inventions since 2008. My expertise lies particularly in industrial machinery and equipment, automation, hydraulics, measurement technology, and energy solutions. I assist clients in all IP matters – from patenting strategies to opposition and infringement cases, as well as employee invention matters. I especially enjoy analyzing technical solutions, assessing the scope of protection, conducting technology landscape studies, and preparing expert opinions. I am also passionate about increasing IP awareness and regularly organize IP trainings and workshops.

In addition to my work as a patent attorney, I serve as Chief Strategy Officer at Boco IP, where I focus on developing processes and practices to better meet client needs. I am also a board member and membership coordinator of the Finnish Association for Patent Attorneys (SPAY) since 2023, and I represent Finland as an alternate delegate in FICPI. Furthermore, I actively contribute to FICPI’s Practice Management Committee (PMC) and CET3 International Patent Matters Committee. Based in our Tampere office, I support clients across Finland and internationally in Finnish, English, and Swedish.

My work spans a wide range of industries, including industrial manufacturing, health technology, renewable energy, and logistics. However, I am happy to assist with any IP-related matters – feel free to reach out.

Suvi Haavisto

Hello! I am assisting clients in diverse legal issues relating to intellectual property rights. Trademarks and brand protection are close to my heart, and I am also happy to assist in matters relating to commercial agreements and contract negotiations.

Prior to joining Boco IP, I worked as a senior legal counsel in a technology company. Before that, I have worked as an attorney-at-law focusing especially on trademark, design and copyright related matters. I am a licensed legal counsel authorized to represent clients in courts in Finland.

In my freetime, I love to spend time with family and friends. You can see me at cafés, movie theatres, museums, or walking by the seaside in Helsinki.

I joined Boco IP in 2024.

Thomas Carlsson

I have drafted and prosecuted patent applications in fields such as micro- and nanotechnology, semiconductors, photonics, measurement technology, medical devices, energy production, electrochemistry and the Internet of Things. I also enjoy the challenge of patenting simple devices for everyday use and doing freedom-to-operate studies and novelty searches for our clients. My book Good Patent Applications (Boco IP, 2021) discusses the building blocks of a valuable application. I'm currently working on a second book called Problem-Solution Arguments at the European Patent Office. I’ve been employed by Boco IP since 2016.

Timo Kuosmanen

I have had a diverse and long career in the field of inventions. During my time as a patent attorney, I have been involved in numerous invention projects. In total, I have written nearly a thousand patent applications across various technologies. I am still easily excited by all kinds of new technical solutions, as well as by new customer contacts. One of the best aspects of my work is the client interaction and the continuous learning of new technologies. I am pleased to see that cooperation with inventors and clients often evolves into a partnership, where matters are handled through open and efficient collaboration.

I have always been fascinated by the opportunity to work with companies of various sizes and at different stages of development. This, along with the broad and diverse nature of technology, provides both a rich work experience and a great challenge for my growth as an expert.

I have gained extensive experience in various technologies, particularly in mobile work machines such as mining equipment, forestry machines, earth-moving equipment, lifting machines, and port vehicles. I also continue to focus on areas such as machine automation, hydraulics, process technology, conveyor systems, warehouse automation, construction materials, building technology, energy solutions, and all types of machines, devices, and mechanisms related to mechanical engineering and automation.

Patent law and the terminology used in the field can often be difficult to grasp. I believe I have the ability and the desire to use plain language, as well as a straightforward and practical approach when discussing matters with clients.

In addition to drafting patent applications and handling various procedural steps, I also conduct investigations and research, and provide strategic advice.

Feel free to reach out to me with any questions—let's go through the situation together and consider the most sensible way to proceed.

I am a European patent attorney and a registered patent attorney in Finland. I have been employed by Boco IP since 2024.

Tomi Salter

I have dealt extensively with the protection of various technical solutions, in particular I work with patent prosecution of various machines and equipment, as well as inventions related to control thereof. In addition, I provide reports related to patentability of inventions and freedom to operate, as well as infringement and invalidity. Personally, I find it imperative that the business aspects of inventions are also considered - I am also happy to help with creating and implementing IP strategies. I‘m a registered patent attorney in Finland and a qualified European patent attorney, and I’ve been working in the field of patents since 2010. I have been employed by Boco IP since 2015.