The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP is at the top of its game for patent litigation, notably in the pharmaceutical sector, where the firm represents leading laboratories in strategic cases against new manufacturers. Practice head Pierre Lenoir is a strong market figure, while the ‘very creative’ Laëtitia Bénard is praised for daring to ‘break new ground’. The 11-lawyer team delivers ‘very thorough and polished’ work and also handles trade mark and copyright work. The client base includes leading names from the pharmaceutical (Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline), consumer and media sectors.

Bird & Bird AARPI has a ‘strong patent litigation practice’ while the trade mark expertise is also of sound-knowledge, through Isabelle Leroux and Yves Bizollon. The 13-lawyer team has a busy litigation practice, winning a number of cases in 2010. The firm successfully represented the European Central Bank in a patent case against DSSI regarding the manufacturing of the Euro notes, and Coca-Cola in a trade mark and design infringement case versus Yoplait. The practice also acted for L’Oréal, Lancôme, Cacharel and Giorgio Armani in a high-profile trade mark infringement dispute against eBay.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.’s ‘superb team’ is ‘very responsive’, ‘practical’ and delivers very ‘focused advice’. The 20-lawyer practice is led by Emmanuel Larere, Arnaud Michel, who has strong trade mark and licensing experience, and Grégoire Triet, whose patent expertise is second to none. Representative clients include adidas, Johnson & Johnson and Levis Strauss. The team successfully acted for Sinequa in a case against Exalead regarding the alleged infringement of a European patent covering a web-search engine. The practice also represented Sara Lee in a patent infringement case launched by Nespresso regarding capsules on coffee machines.

Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP’ recent merger brought together a large and comprehensive 15-lawyer team. The four-partner practice includes the ‘excellent’ co-managing partner Marie-Aimée de Dampierre for trade mark matters, the ‘friendly and competent’ patent specialist Dominique Ménard, all-round IP expert Xavier Buffet Delmas and domain-name guru David Taylor. The team is handling strategic cases in the health sector where it is representing Laboratoires Servier in a landmark case regarding the use of the princeps’ name and layout, and Eli Lilly in a multi-jurisdictional dispute versus Sandoz over the patent manufacturing process for Gemcitabine and Raloxifene.

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés’ Frank Valentin, Julien Horn and ‘result-driven’ Louis de Gaulle run a strong trade mark and copyrights practice, while the firm’s patent litigation practice is also booming. The client base is made up of leading companies from various industries (Fox, Nexity, Christies, McDonald’s). The practice successfully represented Biotec in a patent infringement dispute against Novamont.

Herbert Smith LLP’s Alexandra Néri is acting for Google in the market’s most strategic court battles regarding trade mark rights on the internet, shaping the jurisprudence at French and European levels. In 2010, the firm won a groundbreaking ECJ decision which ruled that Google’s Adwords system was not in breach of Louis Vuitton trade mark rights as previously stated by the French courts. The practice, which is also defending the leading search engine in a case against French publishers including Le Seuil, lost before the Paris court and has now appealed the judgement. Of counsel Céline Bey is also acting for Hella in an important case in the car industry sector regarding copyright, trade mark and design rights of automotive spare parts. The seven-lawyer team is adept at handling innovative trade mark cases.

Linklaters LLP’s seven-lawyer practice, led by Marianne Schaffner, takes on a sustained level of stand-alone and litigation work. The team’s main focus is on patents in the pharmaceutical, chemistry and technology sectors. It is involved in several pan-European patent cases and counts Tate & Lyle, Johnson & Johnson and LG Philips as clients. Trade marks and copyrights are also dealt with.

Salans’ seven-lawyer team focuses on trade marks, advising leading clients from various industries including from the luxury and food sectors, and handling community trade mark disputes across European jurisdictions. The practice also deals with patent work. David Masson who heads the global IP, technology and communications practice, is recommended along with Gérard Delile.

Baker & McKenzie SCP has strong trade mark and copyrights expertise in practice head Jean-François Bretonnière and Virginie Ulmann. The 13-lawyer team advises French and international clients (Swatch, Auchan, Esprit), winning numerous cases in 2010. It successfully represented Metabolic Explorer before the courts against Holditech Heurisko regarding disparaging patent activities. It also acted for several of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s heirs regarding trade mark and copyrights issues.

Led by Jean-Frédéric Gaultier, Clifford Chance’s practice deals with transactional matters while also taking on a fair amount of stand-alone work. The five-lawyer team, which also includes of counsel Christian Lachèze, handles trade mark, patent and copyrights matters. The practice assisted Technicolor on the IP aspects regarding the sale of Grass Valley Broadcast.

DLA Piper’s practice impressed in 2010 after the firm hired trade mark attorney Laurence Julien-Raes from Santarelli and patent specialist Jean-Christophe Tristant from Latham & Watkins. The firm is now able to offer a whole array of expertise with strong cross-border capabilities. This completes the firm’s recognised practice in media law and copyright, led by Patrick Boiron and data privacy expert Carole Umhoefer. Hotel Georges V, Reed Midem and Sony Pictures Entertainment all use the firm.

DS Avocats’ six-lawyer team, led by Jean-Marc Leonelli and Bertrand Potot, manages trade mark portfolios and handles litigation, achieving good results in 2010. The practice represented Pages Jaunes in a case regarding the protection of its trade mark, and won a victory for Tanneur in a dispute against the city of Megève over the trade mark Megève.

Deprez Dian Guignot has a leading light in the luxury sector in Vincent Fauchoux who handles trade mark, design and copyrights issues, acting for jewellery, haute-couture and watch houses. Richemont is one of the firm’s clients. Pierre Deprez advises a strong client base in the communication, advertising and distribution fields on trade marks and copyright. Jacques Beaumont heads the trade mark management division, handling cases abroad.

Foucaud Tchekhoff Pochet & Associés’ practice is led by copyright specialist Philippe Pochet, Fabrice Lorvo, who focuses on marketing and communication law, and the ‘highly competent’ Antoine Gautier-Sauvagnac, who is an expert on trade marks and patents. The firm manages trade mark portfolios and picture rights with an influential client base in the fashion industry.

Emmanuel Baud has developed Jones Day’s practice since he joined the firm in January 2010. The six-lawyer team has a solid portfolio (Corbis, Paule Ka) and benefits from the firm’s IP capabilities in the US, Europe and Asia. The practice is recommended for trade mark and copyrights matters, while patents are also dealt with. The firm won the first case ever brought to court regarding the status of zinc plates for Idem against the Giacometti Foundation. It also represented Europcar in a dispute against Ville de Paris, and Lyon Parc Auto regarding its trade mark Auto Liberté.

In 2009, Winston & Strawn hired a pool of lawyers from Latham & Watkins to further enhance its practice previously led by Nathalie Hadjadj-Cazier. She has combined forces with new practice head Patrick Dunaud, and Emmanuel Drai and Vanessa Benichou. The team, which has one of the market’s most exclusive portfolios in the luxury sector, focuses on trade mark, design and advertising law. The practice also assists major companies (France Telecom Orange) and high-street brands (Fast Retailing). It represented Kookai in a counterfeiting case against Miss Coquine.