Marval O'Farrell & Mairal is one of the largest general practice law firms in Argentina with an IP practice universally acknowledged by peers and clients as one of the most respected in the country. It represents famous brands including Avon, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Coca-Cola, adidas and Honda.
The firm was widely recognised by rivals as one of the "clear leaders in the market for the quality of the service and the amount of business that it manages". In particular, competitors spoke highly of partner Ivan Poli, who is also a postgraduate professor of industrial property at the Universidad de Buenos Aires and the Universidad Austral. "He gives extra, he's very sensitive to his clients' needs," said one peer. "He has all the good attributes of an attorney. I don't think you will find anyone who will ever speak badly of Ivan Poli."
The firm works closely with Argentine Customs and partner Miguel O'Farrell helped persuade border authorities to adopt the Alert System, which was implemented in 2007. This allows owners to register their trade marks and be informed by email when goods bearing their marks are imported, before the products are released by Customs.
In July 2010, the firm advised Syngenta in the first biotech patent infringement case, obtaining a preliminary injunction against a local seed company to prevent it from commercialising infringing products. The case was settled through negotiation and the seed company agreed to publicly acknowledge the patent infringement, pay damages and obtain a licence. Marval has also enjoyed a 100% successful settlement rate in infringement actions filed on behalf of Honda. As a result of these, the motor company has obtained seven apologies in major newspapers and over 10,000 motorcycles have been re-labeled.