History
Supporting innovation for over 150 years
Julio de Vizcarrondo
Founder of the Firm. Spain's first IP professional.
1st generation JULIO VIZCARRONDO (Puerto Rico 1829-Madrid 1889): “Politician, journalist and philanthropist Julio Vizcarrondo founded, together with his wife Henriette Brewster Cornell, the first professional industrial property law firm in Spain in 1865. The firm’s mostly foreign clientele included such names as Edison, Bell or Nestlé.”
Francisco de Elzaburu y Vizcarrondo
Member of the Executive Committee of the AIPPI for Spain from 1897, the year of its founding. Founder of the Spanish Group of the AIPPI in 1904. Founder of the Spanish Association of Industrial Property Agents (forerunner of today's Official Association of Spanish Industrial Property Attorneys) in 1907. Spain's correspondent for the International Bureau (BIRPI) in Geneva from 1895. The Firm’s Managing Director.
2nd generation FRANCISCO ELZABURU VIZCARRONDO(Madrid 1862-Madrid 1921): “Francisco Elzaburu Vizcarrondo took over the reins of his uncle’s firm with the aim of maintaining the firm’s professionalism and high level of clientele. His greatest legacy would become one of the hallmarks of the firm: its strong international outlook. Not only was he the Spanish correspondent of the BIRPI (now WIPO) but he was also involved in setting up the Spanish Group of the AIPPI and in consolidating the profession of IP agent in Spain.”
Alberto de Elzaburu Fernández
3rd generation ALBERTO ELZABURU FERNÁNDEZ(Madrid 1899-Madrid 1974): “Alberto Elzaburu Fernández led the firm, then called Vizacarela, through some of the most difficult times in 20th Century Spanish history. During the Civil War, the firm moved its offices to San Sebastian, returning to Madrid at the end of the war. Despite the conflicts that ravaged Europe during this period, the firm continued to operate without interruption and was able to celebrate its centenary in 1965.”
Alberto Elzaburu Márquez
President and Managing Partner of the firm from 1970. Former President (1975-78) and Honorary President of FICPI. Honorary Member of the Spanish Section of FICPI. Former President and Honorary Member of the Spanish Group of AIPPI and Honorary Member of ASIPI.
4th generation ALBERTO ELZABURU MÁRQUEZ(Madrid 1927-Madrid 2020): “During his 50 years as President of the Firm, Alberto Elzaburu Márquez continued to drive the further professionalization of the firm and established the firm’s great reputation and international presence. Throughout this period, ELZABURU was a constant presence in the most important professional forums and associations and participated in some of the major IP milestones in Europe and worldwide: the creation of the Community trademark and design, the establishment of Spanish as an official language of WIPO, etc.”
During his presidency he was accompanied by Alfonso Diez de Rivera Elzaburu as Vice President up to 2006 and from 2009 by Antonio Tavira as Managing Director.
Centenary of the Firm
Centenary of the Firm
The Firm moves office
The Firm moves its head office to calle Miguel Ángel, 21.
Spanish at AIPPI
Through the efforts of Alberto de Elzaburu and the Spanish Group of the AIPPI, Spanish is designated one of the Association’s official languages.
FICPI World Congress
FICPI World Congress organized by Alberto de Elzaburu and held in Santiago de Compostela.
WIPO
WIPO names Alberto de Elzaburu as a lecturer for various training courses for officials of the Chinese Patent Office.
Committee in Support of the Designation of Spain as the Seat of the Community Trade Mark Office
Committee in Support of the Designation of Spain as the Seat of the Community Trade Mark Office founded with Alberto de Elzaburu as spokesman.
First community trademark
Litigation Department
First Ibero-American Forum on Innovation
First international mark in Spanish
Spanish joins French and English as official WIPO languages and ELZABURU files the first international mark in Spanish. ELZABURU files the first Spanish industrial design application under the new Industrial Design Act of 20 with Spain's PTO.
Digital transformation at ELZABURU
ELZABURU launched its “Digital Case File” project in 2010. Over the next five years, all case files were digitized and physical files were eliminated. ELZABURU was a pioneer in its digital transformation to a paperless firm.
ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications
ELZABURU becomes certified ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 compliant. Elzaburu presents its website in Chinese. ELZABURU joins the Foro de Marcas Renombradas Españolas (Leading Brand Owners' Association of Spain).
A delegation from the Intellectual Property Office of the city of Beijing visits ELZABURU
A delegation of members of the Beijing Intellectual Property Office, led by the Deputy Director, Mr. Li Zhong, visits the Firm.
ELZABURU opens office in Beijing
ELZABURU opens office in Beijing (officially opened in 2014).
ELZABURU culminates its programme of further professionalization
The firm is converted into a limited liability professional partnership. The professional partners become shareholders and join the Management Board. The firm diversifies, its practice areas now extending to business law, media and entertainment, and anticounterfeiting. ELZABURU breaks new ground with offices in Beijing, Munich, Valencia, and Alicante.
ELZABURU celebrates its 150th anniversary
A history of industrial and intellectual property in three different centuries.
ELZABURU organizes social event at INTA in Barcelona.
ELZABURU completely renews its corporate image, reflecting its commitment to adapt to the new demands of a marketplace that is subject to constant technological and social change.
New senior management and 5th generation #ExcitingRevolution
Alfonso Diez de Rivera Elzaburu, President, Mabel Klimt, Managing Partner, and Ignacio Diez de Rivera Elzaburu, Partner and Director of Operations.
#ExcitingRevolution
5st generation ALFONSO DIEZ DE RIVERA ELZABURU AND IGNACIO DIEZ DE RIVERA ELZABURU. Both are partners of the firm and have been specialist IP attorneys for more than 30 years, having held different positions over the course of their professional careers. They now form part of the firm’s current senior management, together with Managing Partner Mabel Klimt.
ELZABURU changes its headquarters and moves to the Crystal Tower
The firm’s 150 professionals are working at the new head office, using new collaborative IP management models and taking advantage of our advanced technological tools.
Julio de Vizcarrondo
Founder of the Firm. Spain's first IP professional.
1st generation JULIO VIZCARRONDO (Puerto Rico 1829-Madrid 1889): “Politician, journalist and philanthropist Julio Vizcarrondo founded, together with his wife Henriette Brewster Cornell, the first professional industrial property law firm in Spain in 1865. The firm’s mostly foreign clientele included such names as Edison, Bell or Nestlé.”
Francisco de Elzaburu y Vizcarrondo
Director of the Firm.
Spanish correspondent of «La Propriété Industrielle» BIRPI (Geneva) since 1895. Francisco de Elzaburu was one of the founders of the Spanish Association of the AIPPI in 1904.
Francisco de Elzaburu y Vizcarrondo
Member of the Executive Committee of the AIPPI for Spain from 1897, the year of its founding. Founder of the Spanish Group of the AIPPI in 1904. Founder of the Spanish Association of Industrial Property Agents (forerunner of today's Official Association of Spanish Industrial Property Attorneys) in 1907. Spain's correspondent for the International Bureau (BIRPI) in Geneva from 1895. The Firm’s Managing Director.
2nd generation FRANCISCO ELZABURU VIZCARRONDO(Madrid 1862-Madrid 1921): “Francisco Elzaburu Vizcarrondo took over the reins of his uncle’s firm with the aim of maintaining the firm’s professionalism and high level of clientele. His greatest legacy would become one of the hallmarks of the firm: its strong international outlook. Not only was he the Spanish correspondent of the BIRPI (now WIPO) but he was also involved in setting up the Spanish Group of the AIPPI and in consolidating the profession of IP agent in Spain.”
Alberto de Elzaburu Fernández
3rd generation ALBERTO ELZABURU FERNÁNDEZ(Madrid 1899-Madrid 1974): “Alberto Elzaburu Fernández led the firm, then called Vizacarela, through some of the most difficult times in 20th Century Spanish history. During the Civil War, the firm moved its offices to San Sebastian, returning to Madrid at the end of the war. Despite the conflicts that ravaged Europe during this period, the firm continued to operate without interruption and was able to celebrate its centenary in 1965.”
Alberto Elzaburu Márquez
President and Managing Partner of the firm from 1970. Former President (1975-78) and Honorary President of FICPI. Honorary Member of the Spanish Section of FICPI. Former President and Honorary Member of the Spanish Group of AIPPI and Honorary Member of ASIPI.
4th generation ALBERTO ELZABURU MÁRQUEZ(Madrid 1927-Madrid 2020): “During his 50 years as President of the Firm, Alberto Elzaburu Márquez continued to drive the further professionalization of the firm and established the firm’s great reputation and international presence. Throughout this period, ELZABURU was a constant presence in the most important professional forums and associations and participated in some of the major IP milestones in Europe and worldwide: the creation of the Community trademark and design, the establishment of Spanish as an official language of WIPO, etc.”
Centenary of the Firm
Centenary of the Firm
The Firm moves office
The Firm moves its head office to calle Miguel Ángel, 21.
Alberto de Elzaburu
Through the efforts of Alberto de Elzaburu and the Spanish Group of the AIPPI, Spanish is designated one of the Association’s official languages.
FICPI World Congress
FICPI World Congress organized by Alberto de Elzaburu in Santiago de Compostela.
WIPO
WIPO names Alberto de Elzaburu as a lecturer for various training courses for officials of the Chinese Patent Office.
Committee in Support of the Designation of Spain as the Seat of the Community Trade Mark Office
The Support Committee for the Establishment in Spain of the
Headquarters of the CC.EE. Trademark Office, Alberto de Elzaburu acting as spokesperson.
Antonio Tavira Montes-Jovellar
CEO since 2009.
AIPPI
Litigation Department
First Ibero-American Forum on Innovation
Honorary Member of ASIPI
First international mark in Spanish
Spanish joins French and English as official WIPO languages and ELZABURU files the first international mark in Spanish. ELZABURU files the first Spanish industrial design application under the new Industrial Design Act of 20 with Spain's PTO.
Tribute book to Alberto de Elzaburu
The Spanish Group of the AIPPI publishes a book tribute to Alberto de Elzaburu in recognition of his important contribution to Industrial and Intellectual Property.
ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications
ELZABURU becomes certified ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 compliant. Elzaburu presents its website in Chinese. ELZABURU joins the Foro de Marcas Renombradas Españolas (Leading Brand Owners' Association of Spain).
A delegation from the Intellectual Property Office of the city of Beijing visits ELZABURU
A delegation of members of the Beijing Intellectual Property Office, led by the Deputy Director, Mr. Li Zhong, visits the Firm.
ELZABURU opens its office in Beijing
ELZABURU opens its office in Beijing (officially inaugurated in 2014)
ELZABURU culminates its programme of further professionalization
The firm is converted into a limited liability professional partnership. The professional partners become shareholders and join the Management Board. The firm diversifies, its practice areas now extending to business law, media and entertainment, and anticounterfeiting. ELZABURU breaks new ground with offices in Beijing, Munich, Valencia, and Alicante.
ELZABURU celebrates its 150th anniversary
A history of industrial and intellectual property in three different centuries.
ELZABURU organizes social event at INTA in Barcelona.
ELZABURU completely renews its corporate image, reflecting its commitment to adapt to the new demands of a marketplace that is subject to constant technological and social change.
#ExcitingRevolution
Mabel Klimt, managing partner, Alfonso Diez de Rivera Elzaburu, president and Ignacio Diez de Rivera Elzaburu, partner and director of operations.
#ExcitingRevolution
ELZABURU moves its head office to the Torre de Cristal building
The firm’s 150 professionals are working at the new head office, using new collaborative IP management models and taking advantage of our advanced technological tools.