Selda Arkan

She is the founder of ALFA PATENT in 1997.

She worked as a patent attorney trainee in a private practice firm first in Brussels from 1985 to 1992 and then in Istanbul in another firm. In 1997 she qualified as a European Patent Attorney as the first person before the accession of Turkey to the EPC and remained as the sole EPA from Turkey for 14 years. She is also a chartered Patent and Trade Mark agent before the Turkish IP authority (1996-…) and holds a certificate of Hatsumei Kyokai by the JPO, JIII and AOTS (1997).

She has a BSc. degree in chemistry from the Middle East Technical University (1981) in Ankara and post-graduation specializations on degradation of polymers with Prof. Geuskens (1981-1983) and on physical-chemistry with Prof. Hurwitz (1983-1985) at the ULB in Brussels-Belgium.

Her daily practice revolves around litigations, freedom-to-operate analyses and preparing legal and technical advices but also some drafting and prosecution work. She speaks many languages:

  • Excellent in Turkish, English, French, German and Spanish (registered sworn translator);
  • Good in Italian, Dutch and Portuguese, but excellent comprehension of technical texts;
  • Smattering in Japanese.

Her professional roles include:

  • Member of epi (1997-…)
  • Ongoing member of the EPO Disciplinary Board of Appeal (2019-2023);
  • Ongoing member of the epi Counsel (2000-…),
  • Former member of the epi Nomination Committee (2017-2019),
  • Former member of the epi Professional Conduct Committee (2014-2018),
  • Former member of the epi Professional Qualification Committee (2000-2008),
  • Former member of the epi board (2000-2017),
  • Former member of the epi Presidium (2008-2011) as Vice President,
  • Member of FICPI (1997-…),
  • Founding member of FICPI Turkey (2015-…),
  • Ongoing board member of FICPI Turkey (2017-)
  • Member of AIPPI (1997-…),
  • Founding member of AIPPI-Turkey (2008-…),
  • Ongoing member of the AIPPI-Turkey disciplinary board (2008-…),
  • Member of VPP (Vereinigung von Fachleuten des gewerblichen Rechtsschutzes),
  • Member of the Patent and Trademark Agents’ Sector Assembly of TOBB (Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey) since its foundation.

Her academic responsibilities include:

  • Coordinator in Istanbul-Turkey since 2008 for CEIPI -Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies at University Robert Schuman in Strasbourg-France.

Her notable cases:
The last ten years handling mainly litigations requiring complex technical understanding including not only chemicals and pharmaceuticals but also mechanical cases.