About
We strive to offer the best of our previous experience and continuously improve.
LVLaw&Mediation is a law and mediation office providing legal and mediation services for businesses since 2020. It was founded by Lyubka Vasileva - Karapanova - a lawyer and mediator with many years of experience and proven expertise in the practice areas. We also work in collaboration with colleagues with complementary expertise in order to provide our clients with legal care adequate to their needs.
Adv. Lyubka Vasileva - Karapanova is a lawyer with over 25 years of experience in the field of contract, commercial and corporate law, banking law, intellectual property, property law, litigation and alternative dispute resolution (arbitration and mediation). She has worked for leading Bulgarian banks and corporate clients (including public companies). Since 2020 she has been registered as an attorney-at-law with the SAC (Sofia Bar Association).
Lyubka is a Bulgarian and European industrial property attorney in the field of trademarks, geographical indications and industrial design. She is one of the few Bulgarians to have graduated with distinction from the EUIPO Trademark and Design Training Programme, Edition 2020-2021, and her written examination paper in this programme was honoured as an example of good practice.
She was awarded Top IP Leader at the 24th IPR Gorrilla Conference, February 2023.
Lyubka is also an IMI Qialified Mediator with over 17 years of experience, a mediation trainer, co-founder, and long-standing Vice-Chair (until 2020) of the Professional Association of Mediators in Bulgaria (PAMB). On the lists of mediators at the Mediation and Arbitration Center of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), and PAMB. Volunteer mediator at the Court Settlement Center at the Sofia District Court and Sofia City Court (from 2010 to 2023). She has mediated over 100 mediation sessions in commercial, family, property, and other types of disputes.
Certified by the International Mediation Institute (IMI) with the highest accreditation status – IMI Certified Mediator.
Certified by ADR Center Italy as a SOLVE Certified Mediator.
Certified as a court mediator by the SJC.
Mediator and Associated Mediator at the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) of the Unified Patent Court.
She is a member of the ECTA (European Communities Trademark Assossiation) Mediation Committee.
She has been nominated for Mediator of the Year at the 2021 National Justice Awards.
Arbitrator at the Arbitration Court of the CRIB since 2015.
Fluent in English and Spanish.
Education: Master of Law from the Faculty of Law of the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
Specializations:
In the field of intellectual property: trademarks, geographical indications and industrial design: EUIPO Trade Mark and Design Training Program, EUIPO, 2020 - 2021; Bulgarian Patent Office Training and Examination Program, 2005; Guide for Proof of Use, EUIPO Academy, 2021; European Union Trade Mark in a Nutshell, EUIPO Academy, 2020; Community Trademark and Design- Features, Registration, Effect. Decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Patent Office and Bulgarian IDLO Alumni Association, 2007; Mediation and Arbitration in Science and Development Disputes and Related Commercial Contracts, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center and the European Liaison Office of the German Research Organizations (KOWI), 2011
In the field of alternative dispute resolution:
- Mediation: certified mediator since 2006, additional specializations in mediation in the field of: intellectual property disputes /2011/, commercial mediation /2006/, family mediation /2012/, mediation of cross-border disputes /2012/, mediation of cross-border consumer disputes /2013/.
- Arbitration: The art of arbitration advocacy, ICC- Bulgaria, White & Case LLP, 2013; Mediation and Arbitration in Disputes on R&D and related Commercial Agreements, WIPO, KOWI, 2011;International Arbitration Seminar and Special Member Assessment, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, 2005.
She has been a speaker at a number of international conferences and events.
She is the author of a number of publications in the field of mediation and ADR: „International Commercial Arbitration Practice & Procedure - Enforcement of Foreign Awards”, Universal Law Publishing Co.Pvt. Ltd. - India /co-author/; "The variegated landscape of mediation regulation. Comparative study of mediation regulation in Europe and the World", Eleven International Publishing /co-author/; Comparative analysis of the implementation of Directive 2008/52 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters in the laws of several EU Member States /author/; "Handbook on Mediation", PAMB publication /co-author/; "Mediation in Construction Disputes", Labor and Law Publishing House; "Mediation in Trademark Disputes", Journal of Commercial and Obligation Law, issue no. 6 /2022, " Labor and Law" Publishing House, "Mediation in trade mark disputes. The benefits of mediation in the battels of thade marks", LexElectonica, volume 28, N 5, etc.
Our values
Trust and partnership. Еfficient communication with the client is key to building trust and achieving success in the case. We will work together with you to identify and resolve the specific problem and achieve your specific goal. We believe this synergy is where the best ideas and solutions emerge.
Flexibility and an individual approach. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to solving all problems - each problem is specific and requires an individual approach, and the most suitable solution depends on the objectives and the specifics of the case. We begin with an analysis of the client's situation and needs in order to propose a solution that works for them.
Honesty and responsibility. It's important for us to help you realistically assess your situation, get clarity on your options, and understand their implications so you can make an informed decision.
Attention to detail. We approach each case responsibly, carefully examining the particular details and analyzing the legal options to achieve the desired goal or resolve the problematic situation, searching for the most suitable solution in the context of the overall "picture."
We pursue continuous improvement. We strive to give the best of our previous experience and continuously upgrade with new knowledge and skills in order to respond to the dynamics with which the modern world and customer needs are changing.
Partnerships
We collaborate with colleagues with different expertise and from various jurisdictions to be able to provide our clients with legal care that is adequate to their needs. Among our partners are:
Memberships
