PETOŠEVIĆ PEOPLE: Q&A with Ana Družinec

On her 12-year anniversary in the firm, we talked to Ana Družinec, Senior Patent and Trademark Paralegal, part of the PETOŠEVIĆ Croatia team. Having lived most of her life in France, Ana handles trademark and patent prosecution, as well as industrial design and domain name matters, primarily for clients from French-speaking countries. We asked Ana about her work, her favorite food, books, and much more.

1. How did you start your career in the IP field?

   I was born in France and lived there until 2004, when I moved to Croatia. I started working in the IP field in Paris, back in 2001. My work at the time involved posting job offers on a website, so I was among the first people to see these offers before posting them. One particularly attracted me – it was an ad for a patent paralegal post in a well-known IP office in Paris. I did not know what IP really was, but I thought the job looked very promising. By the end of the week I started working there, and never left the IP field since.

2. What is the most challenging aspect of your work?

   Probably handling several projects at once. The first thing I learned in IP is that deadlines come first, which sometimes means that you have to put aside what you are doing to handle an urgent instruction or query.

3. What do you most enjoy doing at work?

   Completing a project and getting the client’s feedback. There is nothing more satisfying than a client who says they appreciate our work.

4. What would you be working in, if you weren’t working in IP?

   I would either be working in law enforcement or as a pastry chef.

5. What was the first job you’ve ever had?

   I worked as a vendor at a local bakery. I was probably the clumsiest vendor they ever had.

6. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working?

   Spending time with my dogs Max and Dino. They cannot understand why we are not with them 24/7, but I do my best to spend as much time as I can with them. They have such a relaxing effect on me.

7. What book did you read last?

   “Wayward” by Blake Crouch. I am waiting for some downtime to start the third book in a trilogy. Curiously, since I left France, I don’t like reading in French, I only read books in English.

8. What is your favorite song/music at the moment?

   I am currently going through a “blast from the blast” phase, listening to 80’s and 90’s music I used to listen to in France. I have an eclectic taste in music, so singling something out would be quite difficult.

9. What is your favorite dish of all time?

   I was recently asked the same question and my response was: “I can’t tell”. I love food, plain and simple. However, if you ask me about my favorite desserts, in France it would be a chocolate religieuse, and in Croatia it would be a cake called “mačiji jezik” (cat’s tongue).

10. If you could meet anyone in the world, from the past or present, who would it be and why?

    Actor Jensen Ackles. I would thank him, but the “why” would remain between us.

11. What was your favorite subject in school and why?

    I had no favorite subject in school. Maybe I liked history a bit more than the others, because learning from the past helps you to better understand the present. I should have been asked which subjects I despised in school!

12. What did you want to be when growing up?

    A police detective.

13. Tell us three things most people don’t know about you.

    I am French. I moved to Croatia 16 years ago. I travelled alone to New York and Miami.

14. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

    I would love to learn how to make pastries like pastry chef Amaury Guichon.

15. What is your biggest frustration about the world around you?

    Politicians.

16. What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years?

    I’ve learned that I can’t help everyone.

17. What do you wish you could have told yourself at age 13?

    Live your life the way you want and not the way you are expected to, follow your dreams and don’t let anyone interfere.

18. What cities/countries have you lived in?

    Besides Croatia, where I live now, I’ve lived in Paris, France.
    

19. If you could live in another country of the 30+ countries where PETOŠEVIĆ operates, which would you pick and why?

    I would pick Estonia. It would be great to visit the country and learn about medieval architecture. From there I would also visit Northern Europe and Scandinavian countries.

20. If someone came to your city for 24 hours, where would you take them?

    I actually live in the countryside, 100 km away from Zagreb, and have still not taken the time to properly explore Zagreb. So I guess me and my guest would discover the city together!