Patent litigation: patent lawyers in Germany

Bardehle Pagenberg

Mixed patent and law firm Bardehle Pagenberg is experienced in contentious proceedings and routinely appears in patent infringement actions, nullity actions and opposition proceedings before the EPO. Within its broad professional expertise, the group's focus is placed on the automotive, telecommunications, software and electronics sectors, which results in a similarly broad client base consisting of large international corporations and medium-sized companies. Johannes Lang handles matters related to computer and electrical engineering and, due to his additional French qualification in patent law, is a key representative in French disputes. Other core members of the practice include Christof Karl (hardware, software, telecommunications), Joachim Mader (mechanical engineering, electrical and process engineering), Tobias Kaufmann (electrical engineering, computer science, medical technology) and Georg Anetsberger (including laser and medical technology, electronics).

Practice head(s):

Johannes Lang; Christof Karl; Joachim Mader; Tobias Kaufmann; Georg Anetsberger


Other key lawyers:

Johannes Heselberger; Axel Berger; Patrick Heckeler; Stefan Lieck; Patrick Daum; Martin Hohgardt; Christian Haupt


Testimonials

‘Bardehle is a very strong law firm that we have been working with for a long time, including in Germany and recently also in the UPC. They are innovators and thought leaders when it comes to patent litigation in Europe.’

‘A strong team – strategic, thoughtful and capable of handling complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions and complicated technology.’

‘Excellent understanding of technology and business, very professional way of working, excellent lawyers with a high level of competence.’

‘Georg Anetsberger: Outstanding patent attorney with outstanding expertise in the areas of physics/mechanics/electrical engineering/software/algorithms.’

‘Great technical expertise combined with a lot of experience, excellent teamwork.’

‘Johannes Heselberger is not only technically excellent, but also has a lot of experience and competence and is a great strategist.’

‘Joachim Mader leads patent disputes with the necessary competence and strategic foresight.’

The Bardehle team offers a high quality service. The legal expertise and patent analysis skills of the team’s lawyers were exceptional and helped us greatly in our case.

Key clients

10x Genomisch Inc.


Apple Inc.


AusBio Laboratories


BMW


BTL Medical


Cisco Systems Inc.


Daiichi Sankyo


Dolby


Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc.


ETRI


General Electric


Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.


Henniges Automotive Sealing Systems


IP Bridge


Microsoft


Nintendo


Philips


R2 Semiconductor Inc.


Ranpak


Robert Bosch


Schöck Bauteile GmbH


TomTom


Work highlights


  • Representation of Cisco as defendant in patent litigation against Centripetal Networks before the Düsseldorf Regional Court concerning five patents and one utility model in the field of computer technology as well as representation in parallel nullity proceedings and cancellation proceedings.

  • Representation of BMW as annulment plaintiff against London Optical Car Systems Ltd. in nullity proceedings before the Federal Patent Court regarding a German patent for a device for optical traffic area monitoring in a motor vehicle.

  • Representation of 10X Genomics as a defendant against Bio-Rad Laboratories before the Munich I Regional Court for alleged infringement of a German utility model and patent before the Munich Higher Regional Court, both of which concern the formation of emulsions by a biotechnical analysis device.

BRAUN-DULLAEUS PANNEN EMMERLING

With a clear focus on contentious proceedings, BRAUN-DULLAEUS PANNEN EMMERLING continues to be considered one of the top addresses for patent litigation. The practice also scores points with its thematic focal areas, such as standard-essential patents in connection with mobile communications, power electronics and connected cars, and further complements this with expertise in related trade mark and competition law issues. Such advice is sought by a client base consisting largely of global corporations and offered from both its Düsseldorf and Munich locations. Karl-Ulrich Braun-Dullaeus regularly advises companies in the telecommunications sector and jointly heads the practice with Friedrich Emmerling; both have many years of experience in patent disputes, including opposition and nullity proceedings.

Practice head(s):

Karl-Ulrich Braun-Dullaeus; Friedrich Emmerling


Other key lawyers:

Franck Klein; Jörg Kohlschmidt


Testimonials

‘Fluency in all three official languages ​​of the EPO with partners who are native speakers of French, which is an advantage for a German law firm when dealing with patent matters in French.’

‘Always willing to take the necessary time to discuss a matter.’

‘One of the outstanding strengths of BDPE is its responsiveness. Any concerns are addressed and processed promptly and competently. BDPE has extensive experience, particularly in patent infringement proceedings, which makes the team the ideal partner.’

‘Friedrich Emmerling: Outstanding wealth of experience; knows the judges and case law practice not only of the EPO and the BPatG, but especially of individual infringement courts.’

‘Jörg Kohlschmidt: Very profound knowledge, especially in the telecommunications sector. Very easy to get along and pleasant to work with.’

‘Two aspects stand out: competence in patent infringement litigation and technical depth, e.g. B. Conducting extensive technical experiments to gain knowledge.’

‘In the area of ​​patent attorney litigation, the team delivers by far the most complete package of services in the areas of physics, technology and software, resulting in a high success rate in both defense and attack of patent infringement and nullity actions. There are few who work at a similar level.’

‘Friedrich Emmerling is a good team player and ensures that the actual technical context of both the patents under consideration and the (alleged) forms of infringement are fully understood by the patent attorney team and the lawyer leading the proceedings. Franck Klein and Jörg Kohlschmidt are experienced, brilliant analysts with a sense of what is essential.’

Key clients

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.


Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.


Deutsche Telekom AG


Continental Automotive GmbH


Adidas AG


Leonardo MW LTD


Thales DIS France SA


Shenzhen Goodix


Philip Morris


Guangzhou OED Technology Co., Ltd.


Work highlights


  • Representing Telefónica in infringement proceedings concerning a patent relating to the 4G telecommunications standard.

  • Representation of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. as part of a patent lawsuit brought by Intellectual Ventures against Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica.

  • Patent legal (technical) support to Philip Morris in German infringement proceedings against British American Tobacco.

Cohausz & Florack

IP boutique offering Cohausz & Florack impresses with its focus on infringement and nullity proceedings in connection with licensing programs for standard-essential patents. The practice regularly works with leading law firms and serves a broad client portfolio that includes German corporations as well as US and Chinese companies. Chemistry, life sciences and pharmaceuticals represent particular areas of expertise, for which Arwed Burrichter and Natalie Kirchhofer are key contacts. Clients from the IT and mobile communications sectors regularly turn to Matthias Waters seeking advice on defense and enforcement of SEPs, while Christoph Walke has expertise in communications and medical technology as well as audio and video processing.

Other key lawyers:

Arwed Burrichter; Natalie Kirchhofer; Christoph Walke; Gottfried Schüll; Jochen Kapfenberger; Matthias Waters


Testimonials

‘Extremely experienced, perfect service, quick response, excellent patent attorneys involved in patent infringement proceedings.’

‘Extensive expertise in providing sound advice and the ability to render business relevant assistance.’

‘Jochen Kapfenberger is characterized by a high level of commitment, an understanding of nuances and the willingness to delve deeply into topics and ensure clarity. He is open to questions, suggests alternative scenarios and gives thoughtful advice.’

‘Christoph Walke: Client-oriented, service-oriented, excellent quality of work, fast and efficient. Perfect technical understanding.’

“They are by far the smartest and most effective law firm I have ever worked with throughout my career.”

‘Clever, practical, to the point and successful every time.’

Key clients

Alison Hi-Tec Co. Ltd.


Bayer AG


IP Bridge


NEC


Ocado Innovation Limited (UK)


PUMA SE


Sanofi


Sino-Ressource


Vitasweet Co. Ltd.


Dörries Frank-Molnia & Pohlman

At Dörries Frank-Molnia & Pohlman, contentious proceedings often pertain to the pharmaceutical and mobile communications sectors. Simultaneously, the practice's forensic expertise is combined with an active prosecution practice, therefore enabling clients to receive holistic patent advice from one single source; here, objection and complaint proceedings are just as much part of the service portfolio as nullity and infringement proceedings. Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals matters are primarily handled by Hans Ulrich Dörries, Sandra Pohlman and Annette Hilgendorf, who made partner in February 2023, while David Molnia specialises in telecommunications and medical technology and Dominik Ho covers instructions in the physics, software and communications engineering industries. Other key figures in the team include Elisabeth Greiner (chemistry), Philipp Nordmeyer (applied physics, semiconductor technology, mechanical engineering among others), Oliver Schulz (lighting technology, medical technology, optics, telecommunications), René Okoampah (mechanical engineering, medical and mobile communications technology) and Michael Eder (chemistry and molecular biology).

Practice head(s):

David Molnia; Hans Ulrich Dörries; Dominik Ho; Sandra Pohlman; Elisabeth Greiner; Philipp Nordmeyer; Oliver Schulz; René Okoampah; Michael Eder; Annette Hilgendorf


Testimonials

‘Powerful team that works at the highest level. The team not only understands the technology, but is extremely experienced in litigation and has perfected the interaction between nullity and infringement proceedings.’

‘David Molnia: Outstanding. Extremely experienced. Always the right feel for really crucial points.’

‘df-mp’s patent attorneys are highly qualified and experienced. They know the tricks and pitfalls of patent infringement proceedings and participate at a high level.’

Key clients

Sonos


InterDigital


Nokia


Datang


WSOU


IPCom


INVT


IPBridge


Imberatek


Unwired Planet


Work highlights


  • Advising and representing Interdigital in enforcing a patent portfolio against leading global electronics companies.

  • Advising and representing Nokia in the enforcement of a patent portfolio against leading global electronics companies.

  • Advising and representing IPBridge in enforcing a patent portfolio against leading global electronics companies.

Maikowski & Ninnemann

With a service portfolio that includes both prosecution and litigation, Maikowski & Ninnemann is a popular address for one-stop patent advice. The firm's forensic wing is particularly known for conducting cross-border litigation and regularly acts for clients in the technology sector, although overall it covers a wide range of technical areas, including medical technology, chemistry and telecommunications. Gunnar Baumgärtel is an expert in disputes concerning standard-essential patents, while process engineering and software-based inventions fall into Felix Gross' portfolio. Medical technology and electrical engineering form part of Christoph Schröder's expertise; he also regularly acts in an advisory capacity, as does Fabian Sokolowski who is experienced in life sciences and medical technology.

Other key lawyers:

Gunnar Baumgärtel; Andreas Tanner; Ralf Emig; Felix Gross; Christoph Schröder; Fabian Sokolowski; Frederick Kramer; Matthias Hoffmann


Testimonials

‘Excellent quality across the board, very service-oriented, always approachable, able to “break down” technically complex arguments so that they can be used directly in infringement proceedings for non-technically qualified judges. Very pleasant to work with – absolute team players.’

‘Gunnar Baumgärtel applies his experience and view when developing a strategy as well as in hearings.’

‘Andreas Tanner, Ralf Emig, Christoph Schröder: have cooperated across many proceedings, reliable and very good technical reasoning.’

‘Frederick Kramer: Young partner, but very technically adept, quick to react.’

‘World-class patent litigation team you can rely on to win cases.’

‘Gunnar Baumgärtel and Christoph Schröder are excellent lawyers for patent disputes.’

‘Competence and flexibility.’

‘Very great expertise and good phrasing.’

Key clients

ARRI (Arnold Richter)


Biomet


Biotronik


Borealis


Broadcom


Brose Fahrzeugteile


Commscope


Continental


Fenwal Inc.


Fitbit


Fraunhofer Gesellschaft


Fresenius Kabi


FU Berlin


Garmin


GE Healthcare


Google


Heidenhain


HTC


Infineon Technologies


Joyson Safety Systems


Kronotec


Lenovo


LG Electronics (LGE)


LR Health & Beauty


Magna International


MD Elektronik


MSA Auer


NTN


Oppo


Phoenix Contact


ProBiodrug AG


Rolls Royce


Solar Edge


Suzlon


TollCollect


TU Berlin


TU Dresden


Vestel


Viessmann


Vodafone


Xiaomi


Work highlights


  • Advising Broadcom, Continental, Lenovo and Xiaomi, among others, on nullity actions and litigation in connection with more than 60 patents.

  • Advising Fitbit, Garmin, HTC, Oppo, Solar Edge and Vodafone, among others, on nullity actions and litigation in connection with more than 60 patents.

  • Advising Biotronik, Brose, Fresenius, GE Healthcare, Google, LG Electronics, Phoenix Contact, Rolls Royce on new applications, opposition proceedings, nullity actions and litigation based on large patent portfolios, each with thousands of intellectual property rights.

Eisenführ Speiser

Eisenführ Speiser combines its traditional strength in the prosecution sphere with a respected forensic practice, with infringement proceedings being jointly handled with an internal team of lawyers, while nullity and objection proceedings also form part of the group's expertise. In addition to German medium-sized companies, the firm's broad clientele includes large international corporations in the medical technology and mechanical engineering industries, for which Lars Birken is considered an expert. The electrical engineering and information technology sectors are covered by Christoph Fehn and Jochen Ehlers, while Uwe Stilkenböhmer is well versed in chemistry and life sciences. In August 2023, the team was strengthened by the arrival of Florian Henke, who is experienced in construction, information and medical technology as well as mechanical engineering, from Meissner Bolte Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB. Katrin Winkelmann (mechanical engineering, medical technology, construction technology) took on a role as a UPC representative in September 2023.

Other key lawyers:

Lars Birken; Jochen Ehlers; Christoph Fehn; Fabian Fegers; Klaus Göken; Uwe Stilkenböhmer; Christine Cirl; Max von Vopelius


Key clients

BEGO Unternehmensgruppe


EIS


Enercon


Harting


Hoya Surgical Optics


Joyson Safety Systems Deutschland


Nordson


Philips


Poly-clip System


Sisvel International


Work highlights


  • Representation of Joyson Safety Systems Deutschland GmbH (patent holder) in infringement and nullity proceedings regarding automotive safety technology against Autoliv AB.

  • Representation of Hoya Surgical Optics GmbH in infringement and nullity proceedings regarding a patent in the field of medical technology against Alcon.

  • Defense of ZAP Surgical Systems against Elekta in an infringement action with a parallel nullity action regarding a patent on a device for brain radiation surgery.

Grünecker

With offices in Munich and Paris, Grünecker is geographically well positioned to advise on UPC disputes, although it also has a strong presence within Germany via additional locations in Berlin and Cologne and therefore regularly appears in opposition and appeal proceedings before the EPO. On a technical level, the firm covers a variety of industries, including telecommunications, medical technology and life sciences, and has additional expertise in the area of ​​standard essential patents (SEP). The practice is led by a trio consisting of telecommunications and life sciences specialist Bernd Allekotte, Ulrich Blumenröder, who is experienced in IT, medical devices, mechanical engineering and electronics, and Sebastian Ochs, who focuses on electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and medical technology.

Practice head(s):

Bernd Allekotte; Ulrich Blumenröder; Sebastian Ochs


Other key lawyers:

Udo Weigelt; Thomas Kronberger; Christian Meisinger; Moritz Höffe; Martin Dropmann; Jens Koch; Alexander Stumvoll; Felix Kahr; Thomas Schuster; Martin Dropmann; Markus Grammel


Testimonials

‘The team is always helpful and works together perfectly within the firm to develop the best possible solution for the client.’

‘Strong communication skills, highly competent, always ready to help.’

Key clients

Hytera Communications Corporation Limited


LONGi Solar Technologie GmbH


Rehau AG & Co


Ribbon


Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret A. S.


Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)


Work highlights


  • Represented Hytera Communications Corporation Limited in various infringement proceedings relating to radio communications solutions, including parallel proceedings in the US and Australia.

  • Representing LONGi Group in patent infringement proceedings conducted in multiple jurisdictions including China, Australia, the US, the Netherlands, France and Germany.

  • Defense of Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS against a series of lawsuits initiated by several SEP pool members of the Access Advance HEVC Pools, including the successful enforcement of the FRAND defense in parallel proceedings in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Hoffmann Eitle

In addition to German clients, Hoffmann Eitle regularly represents companies from the US, Japan and South Korea in contentious proceedings, who also benefit from the practice's prosecution skills. These are applied in opposition proceedings and include trade mark and design law. Key contacts for chemistry matters are Matthias Kindler, Peter Klusmann and Klemens Stratmann, while Leo Polz and Joseph Taormino are well versed in biotechnology. Other important team members include Christopher Furlong (mechanics) and Georg Siegert (electrical engineering).

Practice head(s):

Matthias Kindler; Peter Klusmann; Klemens Stratmann; Leo Polz; Joseph Taormino; Christopher Furlong; Georg Siegert


Other key lawyers:

James Ogle; Anne Schön; Volker Tillmann; Kei Enomoto; Thorsten Bausch; Martin Bachelin; Dominik Scheible; Thomas Becher; Stephan Klaus


Jones Day

Jones Day's patent attorney team distinguishes itself with expertise in multi-jurisdictional disputes involving parallel infringement, invalidity and opposition proceedings. In combination with the firm's global positioning, it is considered one of the first points of contact for large international corporations, although its client base also includes German companies. Olga Bezzubova heads the European patent attorney team in Munich, while Dorothée Weber-Bruls leads the physics practice group. The key contact for the engineering dispute resolution practice is Gerd Jaekel; and Christian Paul heads the forensic team for the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Practice head(s):

Olga Bezzubova; Dorothée Weber-Bruls; Gerd Jaekel; Christian Paul


Other key lawyers:

Andreas Holzwarth-Rochford; Ping Li


Key clients

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.


BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


CJ CheilJedang Corp.


Lufthansa Technik AG


Astronics


Panasonic


Puma Biotechnology, Inc.


Hope Medical Enterprises, Inc.


Innio


Tung Thih Electronic (TTE) Co. Ltd. / Valeo


Work highlights


  • Representation of CJ CheilJedang Corp. in a patent dispute over the genetically engineered amino acid tryptophan with parallel proceedings in the US and nullity proceedings before the Federal Court of Justice.

  • Represented Puma Biotechnology, Inc. in dismissal of opposition to a European patent covering the use of irreversible inhibitors for the treatment of gefitinib/erlotinib-resistant cancers and cancers harboring the T790M EGFR mutation.

  • Representing Lufthansa in an international patent infringement lawsuit against a US supplier of cabin electronics.

Maiwald GmbH

Maiwald GmbH, with headquarters in Munich, is experienced in disputes, particularly in opposition proceedings before the EPO, but also has expertise in nullity and infringement proceedings. Pharma and chemistry are among the practice's central specialist areas, which are covered by Eva Ehlich and Derk Vos among others; both are often instructed by US and Japanese clients. Biotechnology, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering form additional practice pillars; Sophie Ertl and Alexander Schmitz are among the key contacts for the latter.

Other key lawyers:

Derk Vos; Dirk Bühler; Eva Dörner; Alexander Schmitz; Alexander Ortlieb; Marco Stief; Eva Ehlich; Sophie Ertl


Testimonials

‘Excellent understanding of technology and business, very professional way of working, excellent lawyers with a high level of competence.’

‘Marco Stief: Very good litigation and licensing lawyer.’

‘Alexander Schmitz: Outstanding patent attorney with outstanding expertise in the areas of physics/mechanics/electrical engineering/software/algorithms.’

‘The Maiwald team is very professional and highly qualified.’

‘The team is a partner at eye level. Patent law issues are always viewed against the background of our business and research development. We know that the advice we get from Maiwald does not come from an external consultant, but from someone who is inside our company.’

‘Derk Vos and Marco Stief are both extremely pleasant colleagues who know the market like the back of their hand and are very well connected. Derk Vos advises with an impressive mix of time efficiency and brilliance in terms of content.’

‘Maiwald impresses with its experience, unusually high communicative skills (which is particularly helpful in resolving disputes), efficiency and deep technical knowledge. The team is diverse, which is not common in this area, and contributes to fabulous results in many projects.

‘The firm is paperless, even before Corona. This shows a foresight that can also be observed over and over again elsewhere.’

Key clients

Acetate


Allnex


Bett1


Fraunhofer


BASF


Brainlab


Curevac


IMA


Knorr


Mann+Hummel


Pepsi


Powermat


Sandoz


Stada


Vega


Vossius & Partner

Vossius & Partner is one of the leading patent firms in Germany, which is not least due to its mixed team of patent attorneys and lawyers. The practice is therefore able to handle the entire range of forensic matters, ranging from nullity and objection proceedings to infringement lawsuits. The team has also proven itself in international disputes involving the US, Asia and Europe and offers expertise in the areas of chemistry and pharmaceuticals, biology and biotechnology as well as physics, engineering and IT. Key contacts include Arnold Asmussen and Raphael Salzer, who are both experienced in medical technology, the two chemistry experts Dirk Harmsen and Natalia Berryman, and Hans-Rainer Jaenichen, who is adept in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals spheres.

Other key lawyers:

Natalia Berryman; Raphael Salzer; Arnold Asmussen; Christoph Eisenmann; Christian Sandweg; Rainer Viktor; Thomas Schwarze; Elard Schenck zu Schweinsberg; Hans-Rainer Jaenichen; Jürgen Meier; Andreas Heiseke; Christian Schlörb; Dirk Harmsen; Peter Hoecherl; Ju Min Kim; Kai Rüting


Testimonials

‘A one-stop shop for all patent needs, including freedom-to-operate, patent prosecution and patent litigation services. This is a unique offer.’

‘Elard Schenck zu Schweinsberg is really impressive. He really understands the technology and is very quick to understand how law interacts with technology. He gets straight to the point and implements them very effectively in written and oral arguments.’

‘Kai Rüting is an aspiring patent litigator and will undoubtedly be one of the future stars of the German patent litigation arena.’

‘When working with them, I particularly appreciate their high level of professionalism and deep knowledge of IP matters, particularly in the area of ​​patents and patent disputes, as well as their ability to handle and coordinate international patent disputes.’

‘The Vossius team is highly qualified and various lawyers specialise in all possible areas, always taking a very thorough and practical approach to understand client’s needs and get straight to the point.’

‘Working with Vossius is always a very enriching experience as they are not just lawyers but global professionals who care about the client but are also very open to any kind of new business approach and collaboration on an international level.’

‘Highly qualified and provide not only in-depth legal knowledge but also a broader market sensitivity.’

Key clients

3M


Alcon Inc.


Bestway


Boston Scientific Corporation


British American Tobacco


CRISPR


Ethypharm SAS


GOK


ISCAR Ltd.


ResMed


TASKA Prosthetics


TCL Group


Umicore AG & Co. KG


Xiaomi


Work highlights


  • Representing and advising CRISPR Therapeutics AG in numerous objections regarding the gene editing technology CRISPR/Cas9.

  • Represented Boston Scientific Corporation (BSC) in global medical device litigation, claims and infringement proceedings.

  • Represented Umicore in a variety of objections in the field of automotive catalytic converters as well as advising on appeal and nullity proceedings.

Zimmermann & Partner Patentanwälte mbB

Zimmermann & Partner Patentanwälte mbB is characterised by the representation of various large international companies, which, in addition to forensic patent matters, also seek advice on prosecution as well as on trade mark and design law. Here, the practice mainly focuses on chemistry, IT and engineering as well as medicine, physics and biology. Gerd Zimmermann is one of the key contacts for objection and nullity proceedings in the technical sector, while Joel Nägerl often appears in disputes relating to electrical engineering, telecommunications and semiconductor technology. Medical devices, materials science and energy technology form the core of Frank Steinbach's expertise.

Other key lawyers:

Joel Nägerl; Dominique Gobert; Benedikt Neuburger; Frank Steinbach; Marc Kraushaar; Urs Liedl; Thomas Leidescher; Christian Ginzel; Gerd Zimmermann


Testimonials

‘The team at Zimmermann & Partner is great when it comes to strategic portfolio management. The granting process is managed so skillfully that patents granted have great value for our company.’

‘A very strong team, professional, highly qualified, experienced and solution and business oriented. The firm is good at moving from detail to practical solution and is therefore a pleasure to work with.’

‘Very competent and experienced people and very trustworthy. Their core competencies in objection cases are outstanding.’

‘The firm has a number of experts in the field of telecommunications. The firm therefore has outstanding expertise in the preparation of briefs and pleadings in contentious proceedings, which is unusual for patent law firms.’

‘Joel Nägerl immediately grasps the problems of a case. Outstanding instinct for researching the state of the art. Can also communicate his technical knowledge excellently to non-technical readers and listeners. You can discuss cases with him at the highest level and in a very targeted manner.’

‘Due to his practical experience, Christian Ginzel has unparalleled technical knowledge in the field of network and computer technology. Thanks to his balanced and calm nature, he acts very convincingly before patent offices.’

Key clients

ABB


Accelleron


Bombardier Transportation GmbH


Continental Automotive GmbH


Fresenius


General Electric Company


GE Wind Energy


Medtronic


Motorola Mobility / Lenovo


Saint-Gobain


Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.


Antolin


Ansell Ltd.


Applied Materials


Arno Friedrichs Hartmetall GmbH & Co. KG


Asics Corporation


Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung


Burmester Audiosysteme


Auven Therapeutics


Coty Inc.


Hyperconnect Inc.


Integrated Circuit Testing


KPMG


Lauda Dr. Wobser GmbH & Co. KG


NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd.


Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metal Corp.


Parity Quantum Computing GmbH


Qiagen


Schindler Deutschland AG & Co. KG


Spectrum Brands


Techtronic Product Development Ltd.


TIER Mobility SE


Tug Pet Products LLC


Ursa Insulation S.A.


WITTENSTEIN SE


Wonderland Switzerland AG


Xilinx; Inc.


Boehmert & Boehmert

As a mixed law and patent law firm, Boehmert & Boehmert handles disputes seamlessly from a single source and often does so in the context of infringement and nullity proceedings, although opposition and appeal proceedings also form part of its expertise. Main contacts include Christian Appelt (physics, mechanical engineering, electronics, computer technology), Dennis Kretschmann (physics, electrical engineering, optics, IT) and Felix Hermann (communications technology, audio and video coding, software, digital payment systems). At the end of 2022, patent attorneys Nils Schmid, Jan Krauss, David Kuttenkeuler, Florian Malescha and Paul Schieler left to found IP boutique SKM-IP.

Other key lawyers:

Christian Appelt; Dennis Kretschmann; Felix Hermann


Key clients

Cersanit Group


Beauty Union Global Ltd.


Wonderland Nurserygoods Limited


Work highlights


  • Representation of Cersanit Group in patent infringement and nullity proceedings regarding the flow properties of toilet bowls.

  • Advising Beauty Union Global Ltd. on the enforcement of European patents against numerous suppliers and manufacturers in the field of cosmetic products, especially refillable perfume bottles, in Germany and other European countries.

  • Representing Wonderland Nurserygoods Ltd. in patent litigation against several competitors.

HGF Europe LLP

In addition to numerous European offices, IP boutique HGF Europe LLP also has an office in Munich, which is strategically important for its patent advice, and as a mixed patent and law firm further impresses with its holistic consulting approach. The practice's management team consists of Markus Zoller (life sciences, pharmaceuticals and genetic engineering), Jan Robert Naefe (materials science) and Bernhard Ganahl (physics and engineering).

Practice head(s):

Markus Zoller; Bernhard Ganahl; Jan Robert Naefe


Testimonials

‘Great and easy to get on with.’

‘Very competent and helpful, responsive and reliable.’

Key clients

Emporia Telecom GmbH & Co. KG.


voestalpine AG (und alle Tochtergesellschaften)


SIAG


Agraferm GmbH


Aalberts Advanced Mechatronics (AAM)


Syntrac GmbH


TPI Technologies Inc.


Kurtz GmbH


Work highlights


  • Ongoing advice to Voestalpine in patent applications and oppositions as well as legal disputes.

  • Advising SIAG in European opposition proceedings.

Hogan Lovells International LLP

Hogan Lovells International LLP's globally well-connected patent practice consists of patent attorneys and lawyers and thus handles disputes at German and international level. The group has particular expertise in matters concerning the telecommunications, biotechnology, consumer goods, automotive and technology sectors, where it is instructed by numerous large corporations. Lawyer and engineer Martin Fähndrich, Alexander Klicznik, who specialises in telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and chemistry, and Andreas Schmid, who primarily handles issues pertaining to technology, are the key contacts.

Other key lawyers:

Andreas Schmid; Alexander Klicznik; Martin Fähndrich


Key clients

Amazon


General Electric


Hanwha Q-Cells


Intex Recreation Corp.


Medit


Oppo


Meril GmbH


Oppo


Palo Alto Networks


Xiaomi


SolarEdge


Intex Marketing Ltd.


Sonion


Stryker


Work highlights


  • Representing Amazon in patent infringement proceedings initiated by Huawei on four patents allegedly essential for the WiFi standard before the regional courts in Munich, Mannheim and Düsseldorf as well as in parallel nullity proceedings.

  • Represented OPPO in patent litigation against Nokia on 14 patents.

  • Representation of Palo Alto Networks in several patent infringement proceedings against Centripetal before the Düsseldorf Regional Court.

Lorenz Seidler Gossel

Lorenz Seidler Gossel is a renowned IP boutique with a good track record in disputes, where it represents large national and international companies as well as start-ups. Key contacts include Wolfgang Behr, who regularly appears in opposition proceedings before the EPO, Dieter Laufhütte, who handles prosecution in addition to patent litigation, and Robert Frick, who frequently acts in chemical-related matters.

Other key lawyers:

Wolfgang Behr; Robert Frick; Dieter Laufhütte


Testimonials

‘Thanks to decades of collaboration, there is a very good mutual understanding of respective structures and business or matter processes, which makes the organisation of our collaboration much easier.’

‘Due to a small number of personnel changes and having the same contact for many years, the firm has developed a deep knowledge of our products and, as a result, we have a great deal of trust in its consulting services. The control effort is therefore also low.’

Key clients

Credit Card Supplies Corp.


Geox S.p.A.


Imes GmbH


Aquinos Group


Pöttinger Landtechnik GmbH


Ford


Work highlights


  • Advice from Aquinos (Pt). on a lawsuit concerning mattress foams.

  • Representation of Credit Card Supply Corporation in a dispute with Bundesdruckerei regarding patent infringement concerning production of security features of the German ID card and passport.

Prinz & Partner

Prinz & Partner's broad technical expertise is regularly called upon by global corporations in cross-border disputes. The practice thereby covers technical areas such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry and biotechnology and further houses competencies in trade mark and design law. Jochen Sties and Thomas Kitzhofer jointly lead the practice and include mechanics and materials science among their areas of expertise; both regularly appear in nullity and infringement proceedings as well as in opposition and appeal proceedings.

Practice head(s):

Jochen Sties; Thomas Kitzhofer


Other key lawyers:

Jürgen Strass; Tim Hülsheger


Key clients

Nike


Kennametal


ZF Group


Valeo


Rational


European Central Bank


Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies


Faurecia Interior Systems


Bürkert


BMW AG


Rohde & Schwarz


Inteva / Roof Systems Germany GmbH


Süss Microtec


GB Boucherie NV


Dehn SE


Delo Industrieklebstoffe GmbH & Co. KGaA


Langmatz GmbH


Ohrmann Montagetechnik


Schill + Seilacher


Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH


Jochen Schweizer


Metrona Union GmbH


easE-Link


Tintometer GmbH


Galata Chemicals


BCS Automotive Interface Solutions GmbH


ABB Schweiz AG


Schischek GmbH


Curiosity Diagnostics Sp. z o.o.


micro resist technology GmbH


Alfred E. Tiefenbacher (GmbH & Co. KG)


medac GmbH


Prüfer & Partner

Prüfer & Partner offers extensive expertise in contentious proceedings, particularly in opposition, nullity and infringement actions, in which it regularly appears before German and European authorities such as the EPO, DPMA and Federal Patent Court. The practice head trio consists of Dorothea Hofer (physics, medical technology, semiconductors), Jürgen Feldmeier (automotive, medical and precision engineering) and Andreas Oser (chemistry, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, biotechnology, optics).

Practice head(s):

Dorothea Hofer; Jürgen Feldmeier; Andreas Oser


Testimonials

‘The Prufer team works hand in hand both internally and externally with colleagues in an exemplary manner. They perfectly pass the ball to each other.’

‘Internally, cross-disciplinary questions are discussed quickly and easily and feedback is given. Questions are recorded and answered, regardless of who you ask and whether the contact is an expert or not.’

‘The advice is given on what is best for the client and not on what the client wants to hear.’

‘High commitment and availability.’

Key clients

SK On, SK Innovation, SK Inc


Brother Industries, Ltd.


Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge


Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Nutzfahrzeuge


Hymmen GmbH Maschinen- und Anlagenbau


Multipond Wägetechnik GmbH


Nipro Corporation


B Braun Melsungen AG


Biedermann Technologies GmbH & Co. KG


EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems


ATOMA Gesellschaft für automatische Waagen GmbH


Cratoni


Wachtel GmbH


Wachtel ABT GmbH


Pleaser USA


Qubig GmbH


Heidolph GmbH & Co. KG


Pathy Medical LLC


Work highlights


  • Representation of Hymmen GmbH Maschinen- und Anlagenbau in several disputes against a Spanish and an Italian competitor before the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court and, parallel defense of these patents before the Federal Patent Court and before the EPO.

  • Advising Brother Industries on patent disputes, consisting of several patents and utility models from patent applications, before the Munich Regional Court and Higher Regional Court, the Düsseldorf Regional Court and Higher Regional Court, the Federal Patent Court and the European Patent Office (BPatG) as well as the European Patent Office (EPA) due to infringement of ink cartridge protection rights through compatible Pelikan cartridges.

Uexküll & Stolberg

US Fortune 500 companies, international and German start-ups, companies, research institutions and universities rely on Uexküll & Stolberg's expertise in patent dispute resolution. Clients are represented before domestic and European offices and courts, such as the DPMA and EPO, and frequently in opposition proceedings. Practice areas are divided according to discipline: Peter Franck signs responsible for chemistry, Bernd Janssen for technology and Albrecht von Menges heads the biotechnology group.

Practice head(s):

Peter Franck; Bernd Janssen; Albrecht von Menges


Key clients

Amgen Inc.


ExxonMobil


Monsanto/Bayer


Janssen Pharmaceutical


Johnson&Johnson


Ivoclar


Bristol-Myers-Squibb / Pfizer


KRKA


Medac


Sealed Air


W.R. Grace


Big Ben


Chinese University of Hong Kong


Chr. Hansen A/S


Boehringer Ingelheim


Ohly GmbH


Work highlights


  • Representation of the Bristol Myers-Squibb/Pfizer alliance in several opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office (EPO) against up to eleven opponents.

  • Representing Amgen as patent holder in four opposition proceedings before the EPO and in preliminary injunction proceedings in Düsseldorf and Munich against a number of generic drug manufacturers.

  • Representation of Ohly GmbH in opposition proceedings before the EPO against patent EP 3 222 156 of Japanese company TableMark Co., Ltd.

Weickmann & Weickmann

IP boutique Weickmann & Weickmann impresses with its expertise in the mechanics, electrical engineering, IT, chemistry and life sciences spheres. The mixed team of patent attorneys and lawyers acts across the entire range of patent disputes, such as invalidity and infringement proceedings as well as in opposition proceedings. Markus Herzog (technology) and Wolfgang Weiß (life sciences) jointly lead the practice and regularly oversee forensic matters before the Federal Patent Court and the EPO.

Practice head(s):

Markus Herzog; Wolfgang Weiß


Other key lawyers:

Christian Heubeck; Hans Weickmann; Manuel Millahn; Stephan Jellbauer; Brigitte Böhm


Testimonials

‘Strong client focus, respond to respective needs.’

‘Good advice. Experienced, competent lawyers.’

‘Wolfgang Weiß: High level of competence, great experience, extremely quick comprehension, calm and de-escalating demeanor and actions.’

Key clients

Bayer AG


Fischerwerke GmbH & Co. KG


Meggle Group GmbH


Fränkische Industrial Pipes


Novelis Inc.


Rampf


TCI Telecomunicazioni Italia S.r.L.


United Initiators GmbH


Work highlights


  • Advising and representing Fischerwerke GmbH & Co. KG in patent infringement proceedings; most recently, three patent infringement cases before the Munich Higher Regional Court as well as parallel nullity proceedings before the BPatG.

  • Representation of TCI Telecomunicazioni Italia SrL before the Federal Patent Court against Signify Holding BV, which spun off from the Philips Group and formerly trading as Philips Lightning Holding BV, in a nullity case.

  • Advising Novelis Inc. in opposition proceedings defending Novelis’ European patents or pursuing oppositions against European patents of Novelis’ competitors.