Intellectual property is often a company's most valuable asset: technology, brand, software, creative product. The scope of protection of this asset is defined exactly by the words written in the patent claims, the trademark application or the licence agreement. One inexact term in the translation can narrow the scope of patent protection, cause a refusal of trademark registration or give the licensee more rights than the licensor intended. Our service is intended for technology and pharmaceutical companies, patent attorneys, law firms, brand owners, software developers, publishers and media companies that need a technically and legally exact translation of intellectual property documents. This page is part of our legal translation practice.
The documents we translate
Patents and inventions
- patent applications and descriptions of inventions
- patent claims, abstracts and explanations of drawings
- international applications under the PCT procedure and for the validation of a European patent
- utility model and industrial design applications
- examination opinions, patent office remarks and responses to them
- prior search reports and prior art materials
Trademarks and brand
- trademark registration applications with Sakpatenti and foreign offices
- international registration documents under the Madrid system
- lists of goods and services according to the Nice Classification
- trademark registration certificates and register extracts
- oppositions, cancellation requests and dispute materials
- trademark assignment and licensing agreements
Copyright
- copyright assignment agreements
- publishing, authors' and performers' agreements
- software development and rights transfer agreements
- copyright registration documents and deposit certificates
Licence agreements
- patent, know-how and technology licence agreements
- trademark and franchising licence agreements
- software licences: EULAs, SaaS agreements, open source licence terms
- distribution and media content licences
- joint development and research agreements with IP provisions
Why IP translation is doubly difficult
In an intellectual property document technical precision is intertwined with legal precision. The translator must understand both at once: the technical substance of the invention and the logic of the legal instrument by which that substance is protected.
- The patent claims are the legal boundary of the scope of protection. "Comprising" and "consisting of" mean different scopes in patent language: the first is an open list, the second a closed one. This difference must be preserved in the translation without fail
- Terminological consistency in a patent is absolute: the same element must be called literally the same in the description, the claims and the explanation of the drawings. Using a synonym, which is a mark of style in another text, is an error here
- The Nice Classification terms in a trademark application must match the official Georgian or foreign version, and a free translation becomes a reason for the application being returned
- The licence terms "exclusive", "sole" and "non-exclusive" are three different legal regimes, and translating a "sole license" as "exclusive" deprives the licensor of the right to its own use
- Copyright concepts differ between systems: the English-language "work made for hire" does not exist directly in Georgian law, while "moral rights" in the continental system are a broader and inalienable right
A professional IP translator knows these differences and chooses in the translation the term that Sakpatenti, the EPO, WIPO or the relevant foreign office recognises.
Patent translation: where the risk hides
The consequences of an error in patent translation are especially serious, because in many jurisdictions it is the translated text that defines the scope of protection. If the translation is narrower than the original, the company loses part of the protection; if it is broader, the patent may be declared invalid altogether. That is why we work on patents under a special procedure:
- the translation is done by a translator with knowledge of the relevant technical field (chemistry, pharmaceuticals, mechanics, electronics, IT)
- the patent claims are translated with absolute preservation of the original's structure, including the single-sentence principle
- a terminology base is created separately for every patent and used in all subsequent documents of the patent family
- editing is done by a second specialist who checks the terminological identity of the claims and the description
Trademark registration in Georgia and abroad
A foreign brand entering the Georgian market registers its trademark with Sakpatenti or requests an extension to Georgia under the Madrid system. In both cases a Georgian translation of the list of goods and services and the accompanying documents is needed, with the official terminology of the Nice Classification. A Georgian company protecting its brand abroad needs the same in the opposite direction. We translate applications, oppositions, dispute materials and assignment agreements, and provide notarization and an apostille where a foreign office requires them.
Licence agreements: everything rests on the terminology
A licence agreement is the instrument for commercialising intellectual property, and its economic substance lies in a few terms: the type of licence, territory, term, field of use, the right to sub-license, the royalty base and calculation method, quality control and the consequences of termination. Each of these concepts must read identically in both languages, otherwise the licensor and the licensee are signing different agreements.
We also work in a two-column format, with exact preservation of the original's numbering and definitions section, just as with other commercial contracts. In software licences we pay separate attention to the technical terminology: the number of users, the right of installation, access to the code, update and support terms, data processing.
Confidentiality in IP documents
Before publication a patent application is a company's most protected information: a leak means the loss of novelty and the loss of patentability. A know-how licence agreement describes the trade secret itself. That is why we work on IP documents under a maximum protection regime: a signed NDA with every contributor, a project-specific confidentiality agreement at the client's request, encrypted transfer, access only for the assigned team and deletion of files within the agreed period.
Frequently asked questions
Who translates a patent: a technical specialist or a legal translator?
Both. The translation is done by a translator with knowledge of the relevant technical field, and the editing by a specialist in patent terminology who checks the structure of the claims and the terminological identity.
How do you translate the list of goods and services in a trademark application?
With the official terminology of the Nice Classification, which Sakpatenti and foreign offices recognise. A free translation is one of the most frequent reasons for an application being returned.
What is the difference between an exclusive, a sole and a non-exclusive licence in translation?
These are three different legal regimes: an exclusive licence restricts use by the licensor itself, a sole licence does not. In the translation we preserve this difference exactly and, where needed, add a translator's note.
How long does the translation of a patent application take?
The translation of a medium-sized (20-30 page) patent application with editing takes 4-6 working days. The deadline depends on the technical complexity and the volume of the claims, and in the case of a priority deadline we speed up the process.
Does the translation of a licence agreement need notarization?
For internal use between the parties, no. For registration of the licence with Sakpatenti, or for submission to a court or the tax authority, a certified translation is usually required.
Do you keep the terminology base for subsequent documents of the patent family?
Yes. For every patent we create a separate terminology base, which is used in translating responses to examination remarks, amendments and validation documents, preserving terminological identity over the years.