The Legal 500

Kromann Reumert’s 30-lawyer team maintains its leading reputation for patent and trade mark litigation. Nicolai Lindgreen, ‘the best patent litigator in Denmark’, sits on the Danish Patent Office’s advisory boards and is Assistant Reporter General of AIPPI. Frank Bøggild wins praise for his ‘business sense, pragmatic approach and excellent theoretical skillset’. Supreme Court litigator Erling Borcher handles product imitation, design protection, marketing practices and trade mark cases. Pia Voldmester won a matter of principle before the Maritime and Commercial Court concerning Stokke’s famous Tripp Trapp highchair. ‘Well-respected, insightful’ copyright lawyer Martin Dahl Pedersen is representing the Danish Association of Newspapers (DDF) in a Supreme Court case against Infopaq. Dorte Wahl handles complex patent law matters.

Plesner’s seven-partner, 22-lawyer group is recommended for patent, copyright and trade mark litigation. Half of the partners focus on life sciences work, with group head Peter Ulrik-Plesner representing Eli Lilly, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Pfizer. Per Håkon Schmidt assists international and Danish clients, notably Danske Bank, in Community and Danish trade mark prosecutions. Schmidt and Michael Hopp are representing the Nordic Mechanical Rights Society in a test case instigated by DR and TV2, and advising Telenor in a landmark case regarding internet service providers’ responsibility for customers’ participation in a file sharing scheme.

Bech-Bruun’s four-partner, 15-lawyer team, led by ‘strong litigator’ Klaus Ewald Madsen, focuses on trade mark and design, patent and copyright law, handling more cases than any other Danish law firm before the Maritime and Commercial Court. Clients recommend trade mark and design specialist Claus Barrett Christiansen for his ‘excellent industry knowledge’. High-profile clients include Business Software Alliance (BSA), Lenovo, Mars, Ratiopharm and Microsoft. Lisbet Andersen, who heads the trade marks group, handles domain name disputes.

Gorrissen Federspiel’s new clients include Bang & Olufsen, Carlsberg and Disney. Janne Glæsel, who ‘focuses on winning cases, is thorough and has an excellent knowledge of trade mark matters’, successfully represented TeliaSonera against Deutsche Telekom’s attempt to claim exclusive rights to the colour magenta in a case that has been postponed pending an appeal. Together with group head Lasse Søndergaard Christensen, Glæsel represents Budejovický Meštanský Pivovar in its ongoing battle against Anheuser-Busch over rights to the beer names Budweis and Budweiser. Jacob Orndrup successfully represented BASF in patent injunction proceedings against Makhteshim-Agan. Christian Kragelund, who joined from IPR consultancy Chas Hude, leads the trade marks group. Life science lawyer Tom Bork Petersen moved to Norrbom Vinding.

Horten’s team of 18 ‘ready and alert professionals committed to the task at hand’ is led by Jens Jakob Bugge. The group’s expertise spans patents, trade marks, designs, utility models, and anti-counterfeiting, and is representing Orifarm against Merck in two Supreme Court trade mark cases. Patent litigators Anders Valentin and Ole Damsbo are recommended. Valentin is representing Teva and Sandoz in high-profile cases. Nina Henningsen is advising the Film and TV-workers’ association (FAF) in a principle dispute regarding TV directors’ rights. The ‘young, informal, persistent and powerful’ Susie Stærk Ekstrand, described as ‘the empress of food law in Denmark’, advises food and food supplement producers and distributors on regulatory and product liability matters. Clients include Haribo, La Cafetiere, Infomedia, Sandoz and Orifarm. Christina Johannesen joined from TDC, and life science specialist and patent litigator Martin Dræbye Gantzhorn was elected partner.

Johan Schlüter at Johan Schlüter Law Firm has an excellent reputation in trade mark and copyright law. The firm represents collecting societies and rights owners, and has particular expertise in anti-piracy matters. Lars Segato and handle trade mark cases.Jakob Plesner Matthiesen is another key figure in the IP practice.

Steen Lassen, Peter Lambert, Henrik Schütze and Terese Foged are the leading names at Lassen Ricard. Recent mandates include assisting the Irish government with copyright collective licensing schemes; assisting the Union of Broadcasting Organisations in Denmark with contracts with cable operators on the distribution of three new channels from Danish public service broadcaster DR and representing DR and TV2|DANMARK in performance rights and copyright litigation.

MAQS Law Firm’s IP team was strengthened by the arrival of Rasmus Lund and the entire life sciences team from NORDIA Law Firm. The group works closely with the firm’s Swedish and Baltic offices, handling counterfeiting and illegal parallel importing cases, CTM prosecutions and oppositions. Jeppe Brogaard Clausen successfully represented Reisenthel in a trade dress action for the famous Carry bag, Carry Laundry and Carry Cruiser, and is currently representing Hermès in a Supreme Court case related to the famous Birkin bag. Hanne Weywardt successfully represented sports company New Balance in a case concerning a Europe-wide infringement. New clients include Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik.

At IP boutique Sandel, Løje & Wallberg, Knud Wallberg represents Bang & Olufsen in all global IP matters. Johan Løje has particular expertise in handling trade mark portfolios, representing the Danish Design Association, Nokia and furniture manufacturer Knoll International. Trade mark specialists Tanya Meedom and Susie Arnesen are also recommended.

Accura Advokatpartnerselskab hired ‘vastly experienced’ practice head Jeppe Brinck-Jensen, trademark and marketing lawyer Marie Balle-Christiansen and copyright specialist Stine Brandenhof from Rønne & Lundgren. The team handles patent, trade mark and design cases, contractual and licensing matters and IP due diligence. Clients appreciate lawyers’ ‘thorough understanding of technical/scientific issues’. The ‘excellent, knowledgeable, businesslike’ René Thornfeldt handles contract work for pharmaceutical clients including Merck & Co, while Brinck-Jensen represents Sandoz and Oticon. Christina Type Jardorf handles trade mark and design cases and Dan Ermose specialises in life sciences.

Kasper Heine at Bender von Haller Dragsted advises on digital rights related to new business models, licensing contracts, Web 2.0, open source and digital databases. Heine recently assisted the Association of Danish Pharmacies with licensing issues related to IT outsourcing. The Municipality of Copenhagen is a longstanding client. Hanne Bender, who ‘understands clients’ specific needs’, advises Reelight on trade marks and IP conflicts.

Clients appreciate Delacour Dania’s ‘focus, dedication and fast responses’, while ‘extremely knowledgeable’ lateral hire Thomas Munk Rasmussen from Kromann Reumert has a loyal following. The team, led by Asger Heine Jensen and Johnny Peterson, who successfully represented Scan-Vibro in the Supreme Court, handles patent, trade mark and copyright matters. Clients include Deutsche Telekom, Nomeco and Infopaq.

IT boutique Elvang & Partnere hired European trade mark and design specialist Ida Dinesen to head its IP department. Robert Jonsson advises on intellectual property rights and marketing.

Lett Law Firm’s 17-lawyer group handles trade marks, domain names, copyright, designs, patent agreements, licensing and franchising for high-profile clients including eBay, Hugo Boss and Volvo. Carsten Lorentzen successfully represented LOTTO 24 in the Supreme Courtand Pharma Medico International in a trade mark dispute. Susanne Mark won a trade mark case for Novartis. Claes Wildfang is also recommended.

Zacco Advokater has offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus and an association with Zacco, Europe’s largest firm patent and trade mark attorneys. It has particular strength in patent and trade mark litigation, representing Broadcom in enforcing its trade mark before the Danish Supreme Court, implementing an anti-counterfeit programme for Chanel and representing New Zealand company Icebreaker in trade mark proceedings.before the European Court of Justice. Martin Sick Nielsen is recommended.

Bruun & Hjejle focuses on trade mark, copyright and patent law. The ‘knowledgable, thorough’ Poul Heidmann advises The Danish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Lif) on regulatory and trade mark matters. Robin Philip acts for clothing company Diesel. Erik Kjær-Hansen also handles IP matters.

Claus Abildstrøm heads Danders & More’s practice where, the ‘professional, efficient’ Sarah Lindasdatter Troelsen successfully represented Le Klint, Heiko Stumbeck and Humac and handled domain name and trade mark infringement matters for Capacent. Clients describe Dan Terkildsen as ‘always dependable, fast and efficent’. David Frølich represents The Continuity Company.

Lind Cadovius’ Martin Lavesen assists technology companies, notably Exiqon, with IP matters and licensing agreements. Lavesen is permanent legal adviser to the Faculty of Life Science at the University of Copenhagen and advises the University Hospital and other institutions on technology transfer matters.

At Nielsen Nørager, Eigil Lego Andersen represents the collective rights organisation GRAMEX. Henrik Peytz represents Talpa Radio and also handles marketing law matters for international manufacturers.

Peer Petersen at Philip Law Firm handles copyright and passing-off cases. The firm also represents art and design clients, including the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Rungstedlundfonden, and is administrator for Danske Akademi.

Viltoft handles construction industry IP matters.