In one file, a cancellation was filed to clear the way for a new application. The existing power of attorney had been used to cancel several other trademarks, without any objection, so it was expected to be sufficient.
This time the legal adviser at the Iraqi Trademark Office rejected the cancellation application. The reasoning: the POA did not explicitly authorise the cancellation of the applicant's filed trademarks; it referred to "withdrawing" filed applications, not their cancellation.
The explanation we gave at the time: when personnel change, so do interpretations. An official letter on the point was submitted, and the cancellation, which the new filing depended on, waited for the response.
The lesson is about scope wording, not dates or signatures. Wording that had been accepted before was read more narrowly by a new adviser.
For any POA used in Iraq:
- Name each action explicitly: file, withdraw, cancel, assign, record
- Do not rely on a related word that was accepted before
- Review older POAs before using them for a new type of action
Not sure your power of attorney covers what you need in Iraq? Send us the wording and our team will check it before anything is filed.