Chairperson of the 5th Board of Appeal, EUIPO, ES

Virginia Melgar, a French and Uruguayan citizen, joined the OHIM in January 1995 where she hold different positions as a lawyer: in the legal service, in the general affairs and cooperation department and in the examination department. In 2006 she joined the EPO as principal director legal affairs until 31/12/2010 when she returned to the Ohim’s cancelation division. She was appointed member of the Boards of Appeal on 1/9/2015 and Chairperson of the 5th Board on 1/4/2020.

Virginia studied Law and Criminal sciences in the University of Paris (Paris 2). She joined the national judiciary school of France on 1/6/1982. After a period of training she was appointed Public Prosecutor at the Versailles Court of First Instance ( 1984-1986) and then Magistrate at the Ministry of Justice Criminal division (1986-1991). She joined as a seconded national expert the Legal Service of the European Commission in 1991 to work in the internal market team until the end of 1994 when she moved to Alicante.