Homburger covers the full range of intellectual property matters, including patent litigation, with ‘excellent legal knowledge and a practical approach‘. The practice is headed by Gregor Bühler, who specialises in transactional intellectual property matters, licensing and distribution agreements as well as arbitration, and Andri Hess, who is considered ‘one of the top patent litigators in Switzerland‘ and is adept at negotiating and drafting intellectual property contracts. The ‘highly motivated team‘ includes Georg Rauber, a specialist for patent, copyright and trade mark disputes. The unit has particular expertise in regulated sectors, such as the financial services, pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.
Intellectual property in Switzerland
Homburger
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Highly motivated team. Ready to accommodate individual needs of clients.’
‘Andri Hess: Highly dedicated & motivated. Very efficient in embracing the technical background of the case. Willing to dive deep into technical details that go way beyond legal work. Able to maintain a good/professional/efficient work atmosphere during stressful phases of the case. On top of legal stuff.’
‘Excellent legal knowledge and a practical approach in commercial dispute resolution.’
‘Homburger covers all fields of business law. Each lawyer is highly qualified and highly committed.’
‘The partner Andri Hess is one of the top patent litigators in Switzerland. He has not only the legal, but also the technical expertise. This allows him to propose technical options of which not even the client has thought of. He is always available and pleasant to work with.’
Key clients
Illumina
Hyundai
Sandoz
Sanofi Aventis
Edwards Lifesciences
Coram Tools
Illumina
Hyundai
Sandoz
Sanofi Aventis
Edwards Lifesciences
Coram Tools
Work highlights
- Advised Molecular Partners on IP-related matters in connection with a collaboration with Novartis to develop DARPin® therapies designed for potential use against COVID-19.
- Advised Clariant as international lead counsel on IP-related matters of its divestment of pigments business to a consortium of SK Capital Partners and Heubach Group.
- Represented Illumina in NIPT patent enforcement and accompanying proceedings before the Swiss Federal Patent Court and other courts.
Lenz & Staehelin
Lenz & Staehelin covers all aspects of intellectual property, with the team handling patents, trade marks, designs, copyright, geographical indications and know-how protection, acting on prosecution as well as in litigation. Thierry Calame, Jurg Simon and Daniel Tunik jointly head the practice. Calame specialises in patent matters and licensing related arbitration, in particular with a focus on the life sciences, and is considered to be ‘one of the top Swiss IP specialists‘. Simon has a focus on IT, media and appellations of origin, among others, and Tunik is the litigation head. The ‘extremely impressive‘ Peter Ling is experienced in trade mark and patent litigation. Lara Dorigo left the firm in January 2022.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Peter Ling and Thierry Calame stand out as IP experts. They are not simply lawyers, they are truly business-minded and think beyond the legal implications of the case.’
‘L&S have some of the brightest minds in IP litigation in Switzerland. Taken as a whole, L&S’s IP practice is simply unbeatable. Their experience and knowledge is outstanding; communication and management of expectation is excellent, and they are always looking for creative ways to approach things.’
‘Thierry Calame is exceptional to work with. He is not only extremely knowledgeable and experienced in legal matters; he is also very knowledgeable in technical matters, in particular in life sciences. Finally, his pleadings are just excellent. Peter Ling is extremely impressive. His communication skills are close to perfection in many languages, and his appearance and pleadings in court are remarkable. His natural sense for the technological aspects of a case make him an outstanding lawyer to work with in patent litigation.’
‘Peter Ling is extremely knowledgeable, quick to understand complex matters, and swiftly delivers reflected and well-structured advice. He is always ready to help, to bounce off ideas and offer strategic advise. If you are looking for a brilliant, frank sparring partner rather than a seller type, look no further.’
‘They are genuine experts in their fields, knowledgeable about the issues we are currently facing, and proactive in identifying potential new legal threats that may lie just around the corner. They are great at listening to us in order to manage our expectations, understand our needs and deliver value for us. We were further impressed with the firm’s sense of communication and urgency.’
‘Thierry Calame is a mastermind for patent litigation and legal strategy with excellent technical expertise in biosciences, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. His understanding of the international context and specifically the requirements of US clients is an additional asset in international litigation. He often comes up with creative solutions for seemingly complex problems.’
Key clients
Abbott
AbbVie Inc.
Actavis/Mepha
Apple Inc.
Champagne producers association
Consorzio Prosecco
Diageo
Dyson
Emmentaler Switzerland
Leap Partners AG
Mars
Merck & Co., Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Migros
MSC Cruises
Pernod Ricard
Prada
Pfizer Inc.
Sanofi, Genzyme
Swatch Group
Swiss Government, Armasuisse
Swiss Sustainable Yachts AG
Swiss Salt Works AG
Sky International AG
Tamedia
Teva Pharma AG
Verweij Fashion B.V.
Weetabix Ltd
Work highlights
- Successfully represented Abbott before the Federal Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark decision on standing to sue in trade mark invalidity proceedings under the Madrid System of trade marks.
- Successfully represented CIVC in an appeal at the Constitutional Court of the Canton de Vaud, thereby enforcing the bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the EU on geographical indications and appellations of origin.
- Successfully represented Abbott before the Federal Supreme Court, which upheld a preliminary injunction issued by Federal Patent Court against Edwards Lifesciences in complex patent infringement litigation regarding the manufacture and distribution of the PASCAL transcatheter heart valve repair system.
MLL Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Froriep Ltd
According to clients, MLL Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Froriep Ltd has the ‘best IP team in Switzerland‘, including ‘an excellent IP litigation team‘. The practice, which is jointly headed by the ‘hugely experienced‘ Michael Ritscher, Simon Holzer and Peter Schramm covers all intellectual property matters and is known for its strength in the protection of geographical indications, European patent matters, copyright matters and intellectual property matters in information and communication technology – an area of specialisation of the ‘excellent‘ Nicola Benz and Lukas Bühlmann. Further key contacts are Reinhard Oertli, ‘super knowledgable‘ Guillaume Fournier, the ‘very intelligent‘ Kilian Schärli, Nadine Von Büren-Maier and the ‘fantastic‘ Ulrike Ciesla.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Reinhard Oertli; Guillaume Fournier; Kilian Schärli; Nadine Von Büren-Maier; Ulrike Ciesla; Nicola Benz; Lukas Bühlmann
Testimonials
‘MLL has an excellent IP litigation team. The team has an excellent understanding of the Swiss pharma industry and associated regulatory procedures, as well as the interplay with IP law.’
‘Michael Ritscher is a pleasure to work with, works well in the team environment and is hugely experienced. He appears to know everyone in Europe in the litigation scene – judges and attorneys alike. Kilian Schärli is an up-and-coming junior partner. Very easy to work with and a good appreciation (and enjoyment!) of IP law and practice in Switzerland. He is very bright and quickly grasps complex technical subject matter. Ulrike Ciesla adds real IP depth to the team. She is a superb patent attorney and excellent advocate. She is also a pleasure to work with.’
‘Best IP team in Switzerland.’
‘Guillaume Fornier is super knowledgeable about trade mark law and a very smart litigator who understands the Swiss court room. Great to work with and a real team player.’
‘Very client-oriented way of working (expeditious; uncomplicated; interest in a quick, pragmatic solution, which, among other things, reduces legal fees and strengthens the company’s reputation). Good exchange within the team, which enables us to draw on a great deal of know-how very quickly in the event of legal inquiries of various kinds.’
‘Nicola Benz: excellent in the field of trade mark prosecution handling complex matters and achieving positive outcomes.’
‘Michael Ritscher is clearly is one of the most renowned and experienced attorneys in Switzerland. Ulrike Ciesla is a fantastic European patent attorney, with a very strong background in chemistry and an extremely clear mind.’
‘Kilian Schärli: great to work with, very intelligent and ‘hands-on’. Simon Holzer and Michael Ritscher are very experienced in litigation and have a profound knowledge of the industry.’
Key clients
Adecco AG
AstraZeneca
Bayer Intellectual Property AG, Bayer Pharma AG, Bayer (Schweiz) AG
Becton Dicinson Company
Boehringer Ingelheim
Bill Foundation
Bioeq AG
Bobst
Calida
Cellprotect Holding AG
Chapter 4 “Supreme”
CHOCOSUISSE, Association of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers
Coop Gruppe Genossenschaft; Coop Genossenschaft
Deutsche Telekom AG
Emirates
EOS
FIFA
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
H. Lundbeck A/S (Denmark); Lundbeck Schweiz AG (Switzerland)
Haribo
Hilti
Implantec
Lindt & Sprüngli
Major League Baseball (MLB)
MaKe WeBo AG
MCM
Modum
Mundipharma Medical Company
Porsche
Provins
Sunshine
Swisscom (Schweiz) AG
Swiss Cosmetic Association (SKW)
ViiV Healthcare
Ty Inc.
Telegram Messenger
Bitcoin Suisse
Expedia Inc.
Meltwater News International Holdings GmbH
UBER Technologies Inc.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.
Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation
Etihad Airways
EIM Executive Interim Management
Canton of Zurich School Textbook Publishing House (Lehrmittelverlag Zürich)
Lizzo
Work highlights
- Avised Vitra on worldwide enforcement of copyright, TMs and designs, including anti-piracy matters.
- Successfully represented ImplanTec GmbH in Switzerland’s IP impact case of the year 2020/2021 (according to Managing Intellectual Property) before the Federal Patent Court and the Federal Supreme Court, securing a landmark decision that clarified the question of up to what point during patent infringement proceedings the patent owner can still limit a patent or up to what point the court can still take such limitation into account for its decision respectively.
- Represented Coop in a major trade mark, trade name and unfair competition case before the Court of Commerce of the canton of Aargau (and now, on appeal by the opponent, before the Swiss Supreme Court) regarding the protection of the brand LUMIMART for lighting products against a major German competitor using the brand LUMINARTE.
Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd
Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd‘s intellectual property practice focuses on IP litigation and arbitration as well as transactional matters. The latter primarily includes the development, licensing, trade and distribution of technology and branded products. Litigation and arbitration specialist Philipp Groz leads the team and has experience in unfair competition, licensing and distribution, with the life sciences, automotive and telecommunication sectors as particularly busy lines of work. Lorenza Ferrari Hofer has a focus on cross-border matters relating to product development, licensing, trade and distribution of technology, therapeutic, health and food products as well as on patent infringement and injunction proceedings.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Addlife AB
ITOCHU Corporation
Standard Chartered
Zimmer Biomet
UBS
Locarno Film Festival
Hetronic International
Porsche
BASF
Bayer AG
Philip Morris International
Samsung
Volkswagen
Santhera Pharmaceuticals
Molson Coors
SIX Group No
ams AG
Work highlights
- Defended Volkswagen in Swiss unfair competition/misleading advertising litigation related to Diesel issue, the largest mass claim litigation ever in Switzerland.
- Advised the Swiss subsidiary of a healthcare company on the enforcement of SPC rights on an original patented antipsychotic medicine (blockbuster), used as a maintenance treatment for the symptoms of schizophrenia in adult patients.
- Advised Sonova on internal measures to ensure adequate protection of confidential information and proprietary know-how based on numerous interviews with management and a due diligence of existing documentation and standard operating procedures.
Walder Wyss Ltd.
Walder Wyss Ltd. is well known for large transactions involving intellectual property issues as well as for its litigation strength, acting in trade mark, copyright, design and patent disputes. Roger Staub has ‘extraordinary capabilities‘, especially in international IP litigation and arbitration. Markus Frick specialises in trade mark, patent and unfair competition matters and is a ‘great litigator‘. The ‘competent, experienced and committed‘ unit has recently seen increased activity in the life sciences and pharmaceuticals sectors, in particular the biotech industry, where it assisted clients with licensing contracts and technology transfer from universities to industry partners.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘A very professional team, top in IP litigation.’
‘Roger Staub is a great IP litigator with extraordinary capabilities of good ‘storytelling’.’
‘Walder Wyss consistently provides outstanding results and we trust them with difficult cases that require the utmost care.’
‘The attorneys are very responsive and personable which makes working with them a joy. They are very knowledgeable about IP in general which makes trusting them with difficult matters easy.’
‘Competent, experienced, committed.’
‘Markus Frick: A great litigator, tough and with great fighting spirit. Roger Staub: Excellent litigator, one of the best, with excellent connections and good ‘gut feeling’ for the right strategy.’
‘The team can provide an impressively wide range of IP services – it has an incredible depth of experience and can always put someone forward with the particular expertise you need for your case. Its lawyers are extremely collaborative, unflappable and a pleasure to work with.’
Key clients
ABB Ltd.
Actial Farmaceutica Srl
Alcon Inc.
Amazon
AT&T
Bystronic
Deutsche Börse/Qontigo
Easygroup, incl. EasyJet
Giorgio Armani SpA
Hitachi/ABB Power Grids
Inventio AG (IP management company of Schindler Group)
Lastminute.com Group
Merck KGaA
Microsoft
Migros
Nestlé
OTTO’S AG
Pret A Manger
Richemont (incl. Cartier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Chloé, Baume & Mercier, Montblanc, Van Cleef & Arpels, Panerai, A. Lange & Söhne)
Snap, Inc. (former Snapchat)
Storck
The Association of the Swiss Gas Industry
Bär & Karrer Ltd.
The intellectual property practice of Bär & Karrer Ltd. is particularly well known for its strength in M&A and capital market transactions involving intellectual property matters, including the setting up of post-closing cross-licensing structures, as well as intellectual property contracts such as licensing agreements. In contentious matters, the ‘very approachable, very responsive‘ and ‘simply outstanding‘ team is particularly active in patent and licensing disputes. Key clients of the unit are from the technology, software, life sciences, chemicals and consumer goods industries. Markus Wang heads the practice and is particularly experienced in the biotech, pharmaceutical and IT industries.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Tailor-made client advice, very hands-on, pragmatic approach.’
‘Great team of IP, tax and business specialists.’
‘Markus Wang is a very fast thinker and a great strategist at the same time. He provides in-depth know-how.’
‘B&K is one of the largest commercial law firms, with all the power and capabilities that comes along with this. Still, working with B&K’s IP practice feels like cooperating with a boutique law firm – in the best sense of it: Very approachable, very responsive, easy to work with. Simply outstanding.’
‘Working with Markus Wang has always been a pleasure. You can bounce arguments and strategies off him and really discuss things through to really develop the best approach. He is very engaged and responsive, knowledgeable and easy to work with.’
‘Markus Wang is very experienced, accurate and attentive. Good understanding of technical issues in patent litigation, highly experienced in trade mark matters and in IP transaction matters.’
Key clients
Switalis
Novartis, incl. Sandoz
Sage Software / Sage Group
Glenmark
Lindt & Sprüngli
Gedeon Richter
Diem Association (formerly Libra)
X-Bionic / X-Technology
Stellantis (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)
Archroma
Viseca
Bose
Lonza
Vir Biotechnology / Humabs BioMed SA
EnerSys
UEFA
Traton
Salt Mobile
Dacoco GmbH
Work highlights
- Successfully represented Glenmark in a patent litigation in Switzerland against Boehringer Ingelheim concerning the blockbuster product Spiriva before the Swiss Federal Patent Court and in appeal proceedings before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
- Advised CVC Capital Partners (CVC) as Swiss counsel in connection with its partnership with the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), the world governing body of the sport of volleyball, resulting in the formation of a joint-venture that will be responsible for the commercial operation and exploitation of all trade mark, marketing and other rights of key volleyball and beach volleyball events.
- Advised X-Bionic AG and its affiliate X-Technology Swiss GmbH, leading developers, manufacturers and distributor of high-end functional sport apparel, on the sale of its rights in the X-Bionic and X-Socks trade marks, patents and product for the territory of China, Hong-Kong and Macao to Beijing Sanfo Outdoor Products Co. Ltd., a publicly listed Chinese specialist of outdoor products.
Baker McKenzie
Baker McKenzie covers the full range of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property matters, including IP management from name creation and design clearance to prosecution and enforcement. Demonstrating ‘excellent legal expertise in all fields of IP‘, the team regularly advises on transactional IP matters and has a particular strength in copyright matters. ‘Fantastic strategic IP partner‘ Eva-Maria Strobel heads the practice and has an industry focus on consumer goods, in particular cosmetics and foods. Michael Treis advises clients on IP protection and enforcement and is an ‘effective specialist in intellectual property and trade marks‘.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent legal expertise in all fields of IP. Great business acumen.’
‘Eva Maria Strobel is a fantastic strategic IP partner to our business and gives great hands-on advice.’
‘Michael Treis is a very experienced, knowledgable, kind and effective specialist in intellectual property and trade marks.’
‘Michael Treis’ analyses and recommendations are always very clear and effective, even in the most complex cases. Moreover, it is a real pleasure to collaborate with him.’
‘The firm has a broad variety of experts in many legal areas, in and outside of Switzerland. For complex matters with different legal aspects the firm is in a position to provide tailor-made advice, even in cross-border transactions. Billing is very transparent and well organised.’
Key clients
Abbott
Alere Inc./Alere Switzerland GmbH
Apple
Asahi Group Holdings
Avery Dennison Corporation
Banque Lombard Odier
Belron/Carglass
BNI Global LLC
British American Tobacco
Camso Inc.
Center Parks Ardennen N.V.
Corn Products Development, Inc.
Cranium Inc.
CSL Behring
Curasept A.D.S. S.r.l.
Danone
Eclipse Inc.
Estee Lauder
General Electric
General Motors
Grupo Bimbo
Hasbro Inc.
Hivemind AG
Honeywell International
HSBC
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc.
Knead Holding/Zaatar w Zeit
LVMH
Migros
Narathai Cuisine Co. Ltd.
Nerium International
Novaliq GmbH
Numab AG
OnlineDoctor AG
Pagani Pens
Perry Ellis International
Punta Fa (Mango)
Sulzer
Swarovski
Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH
The Nielsen Company
Udom Coconut Limited Partnership
Unilever
Welding Engineers Ltd.
Winery Exchange
Zespri Group Limited
Boost
Cellerys AG
Mövenpick Holding
Work highlights
- Acted for L’Oréal in appeal proceedings before the General Court of the EU regarding the right of L’Oréal to the trade mark ‘SO COUTURE’.
- Provided brand advisory and brand protection services to Boost Holding AG, Boost Collectibles AG and their affiliates, one of the largest European agencies focusing in particular on customer loyalty programs and shopper activation.
- Advised the Otto Group on trade mark and unfair competition litigation against Otto’s AG, Sursee, Switzerland.
BianchiSchwald LLC
BianchiSchwald LLC is particularly active in patent enforcement, trade mark prosecution as well as copyright, domain name and unfair competition matters. Practice head Christoph Gasser is considered ‘a luminary in the field of intellectual property law‘ and an ‘outstanding IP litigator‘, especially in regards to trade mark prosecution with further experience in copyright, patent and design cases. Clients are impressed by the ‘business-tailored approach and capability to see beyond the bounds of the legal background of the case‘ as well as the ‘very fast and uncomplicated communication‘ of the team.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘We consider Christoph Gasser a luminary in the field of intellectual property law. His always very quick advice and legal counsel always led to the goal in the most direct way – and in the shortest possible time.’
‘Christoph Gasser is an outstanding IP attorney. Highly experienced, highly responsive, a great litigator!’
‘BianchiSchwald LLC is well recognised firm in the Swiss legal market. Its professionalism, timeliness and the high quality of its advice make BianchiSchwald LLC a pleasure to work with. It provides comprehensive, detailed, creative legal and business advice.’
‘Christoph Gasser is skilled and open-minded lawyer who listens to clients’ expectations. He is easy to work with and solves problems effectively. He has a solid understanding of legal frameworks and raises relevant questions – all of which makes his recommendations reliable.’
‘We consider that their services are provided with the highest quality, giving complete opinions and always providing excellent results. We would like to note the exceptional dedication and commitment that the firm has to its clients in order achieve their goals. They always find the way to overcome any difficulties.’
‘Christoph Gasser is an outstanding IP attorney, one of the best in Switzerland. He is able to spot all legal issues with the ease of a highly talented legal mind. Proactive, extremely competent and reliable, he is our choice for IP matters in Switzerland.’
‘Christoph Gasser is a brilliant attorney with extremely broad and deep knowledge of Swiss IP law, which allows him to process client issues in much speedier a manner than many other IP lawyers could. His engagement for clients is full, which finds its expression in a very high degree of availability and in the fact that, for Christoph, going the extra mile is going the standard mile. His sharp mind allows him to always be to the point.’
‘What is particularly impressive is Christoph Gasser’s business-tailored approach and capability to see beyond the bounds of the legal background of the case. It is a real privilege to enjoy such confident, effective and encouraging service. I would also like to emphasise Christoph Gasser’s passionate enthusiasm for intellectual property.’
Key clients
Johnson Controls/Tyco
Hamilton Medical
Sensormatic Electronics
AVIA INTERNATIONAL
Jungfraubahnen
KTM
PIERER E-Bikes
Degroof Petercam
Canada Goose
Micro Mobility Systems
Chilli Pro Scooter
Microlino
Racing Unleashed (innovative e-sport company)
Association Hommage 2021
Medtronic / Covidien
General Mills
Stadler Rail
Pro Zürcher Berggebiet
Aweso
Unifil
Promat/Etex Building Performance
Crypto Valley
VAMED
Philipp Morris International
SVIT (Association of Swiss Real Estate Agents)
Saline Park
Dagda Consulting
Freshbox Switzerland
Work highlights
- Successfully represented Hamilton Medical AG, a leading producer of medical respirators, in patent litigation before the Swiss Federal Patent Court and Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
- Successfully represented the Belgium-based bank Degroof Petercam in a trade mark dispute against its US competitor Allianz Global Investors, securing a victory before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
- Advised the association ‘Hommage 2021’, an association is organising the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of women’s suffrage in Switzerland, on copyright issues.
IPrime
Intellectual property, technology and dispute resolution boutique IPrime focuses on legal and commercial advice in connection with the protection and commercialisation of intellectual property as well as any related enforcement and litigation. The ‘very enthusiastic and motivated team‘ provides advisory, prosecution and litigation services regarding patent, trade mark, copyright, trade secret, design and unfair competition matters. As a part-time judge at the Swiss Federal Patent Court, Rudolf Rentsch ‘has a great deal of experience in patent law‘ and is a ‘very good strategic thinker‘. Moritz Kälin is specialised in technology patent litigation.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘No-nonsense approach.’
‘Very enthusiastic and motivated team.’
‘Rudolf Rentsch is a very good strategic thinker with excellent technical skills.’
‘Rudolf Rentsch can respond very well to clients’ wishes and has a great deal of experience in patent law.’
Key clients
ALPA Capaul & Weber Ltd
imtmedical AG
alka global Ltd
Arpage AG
Work highlights
- Advised ALPA Capaul & Weber Ltd on trade mark, copyright and patent prosecution matters and represented the client in IP litigation and contractual matters on a regular basis.
- Advised imtmedical AG on a cross-border patent litigation and several patent lawsuits.
- Advised a consumer food production company on strategic matters as well as on patent, design, and confidentiality matters.
Niederer Kraft Frey AG
Niederer Kraft Frey AG assists clients with securing intellectual property and know-how and is particularly known for handling the IP aspects of transactions. Practice head Nicolas Birkhäuser has ‘very good specialist skills‘, especially with regard to commercial contracts concerning licensing, technology transfers, cooperations and manufacture distribution. Clara-Ann Gordon is a specialist for contracts at the intersection of TMT and IP and Janine Reudt-Demont ‘is an outstanding specialist of life sciences and healthcare law‘ with a focus on licensing of intellectual property rights, protection of know-how and business secrets.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘NKF was great: Fully committed, fully dedicated, always available and passionate about the job to be done. They are very knowledgeable, very precise and very responsive. A pleasure to work with.’
‘Nicolas Birkhäuser handled the matters exactly how we needed it. We achieved all our goals. Great job.’
‘Janine Reudt-Demont is an outstanding specialist of life sciences and healthcare law. She is still young, but she is very engaged, provides clear advice and is very active as a speaker and author.’
‘Nicolas Birkhäuser has very good specialist skills and always provides fast and professional answers.’
‘Nicolas Birkhauser made the otherwise painful legal process easy on us. The entire process is highly efficient.’
‘They have built a strong name and network for themselves.’
‘The team strives to understand the business needs of the client, not just the legal issues at hand.’
‘Nicolas Birkhauser understands our business and our risk tolerance and provides advice accordingly.’
Key clients
ASSA ABLOY AB
HANDELSVERBAND.swiss
CEDES AG
Flatfox AG
Navistar International Corporation
Partners Group
Procter & Gamble
The Body Shop
Thomson Reuters
Josef Binkert AG
Capvis AG
Healey Sports Cars Switzerland AG
Selecta
ASSA ABLOY AB
HANDELSVERBAND.swiss
CEDES AG
Flatfox AG
Navistar International Corporation
Partners Group
Procter & Gamble
The Body Shop
Thomson Reuters
Josef Binkert AG
Capvis AG
Healey Sports Cars Switzerland AG
Selecta
Pestalozzi
Pestalozzi advises on the IP aspects of cross-border M&A transactions as well as on the transfer and licensing of intellectual property rights, know-how and data. Further, the team demonstrates ‘excellent expertise on international matters‘ and is experienced in representing clients in protection and enforcement disputes concerning patents, trade marks, copyright, designs and domain names. The ‘very experienced and well-connected‘ Michèle Burnier and Thomas Legler jointly head the practice with Burnier covering geographical indications, advertising, e-commerce, IT and telecommunications, among others, and Legler the litigation and arbitration of patent, copyright and trade mark matters.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is very close to its clients and manages the relationship very well. They are pragmatic lawyers ready to help in any occasion.’
‘Good knowledge of the industry (IT) – excellent expertise on international matters.’
‘Pestalozzi is a reliable firm in the TMT IT field. Reliable technically and nice and flexible to work with.’
‘Michèle Burnier is a reliable person, taking good care of clients with a business approach. She works with associates in a quite autonomous way from their Geneva office.’
‘I like the involvement of Pestalozzi which will do everything necessary to ensure that your brand is well protected or defended if necessary. We can rely 100% on this company not to miss any renewals and to give us the best advice.’
‘I really appreciate Michèle Burnier putting her heart into defending and protecting our brand. Always available and very efficient, I know that my brand is well managed. There is a very personal and warm contact that I appreciate very much.’
‘Well-connected locally and internationally, holistic view on case and on top of current developments.’
‘Thomas Legler and Michèle Burnier are very experienced and well connected.’
Key clients
Advance Magazine
Coca-Cola
Johnson & Johnson
Leclanché
McDonald’s
ZimmerBiomet
Zoll Inc.
Rentsch Partner AG
Rentsch Partner AG is an intellectual property specialist firm that covers all areas of IP law and any related areas. The ‘extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable‘ team, headed by Gregor Wild, combines lawyers, patent attorneys and engineers and ‘seamlessly handles intellectual property work‘ covering areas such as mechanical engineering, materials science, electrical engineering, computer science, chemistry and biotechnology. The group shows particular strength in patent litigation. ‘Very experienced litigator‘ Christian Hilti, Magda Streuli-Youssef, Matthias Städeli, Louis Lagler, Dany Vogel and ‘very smart patent attorney‘ Alfred Köpf are further key contacts.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Magda Streuli-Youssef; Matthias Städeli; Christian Hilti; Louis Lagler; Alfred Köpf; Dany Vogel
Testimonials
‘They are extremely professional, very experienced, responsive, knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. It was a very good experience.’
‘Christian Hilti is a very experienced litigator. He is smart, calm, knowledgeable, has good intuition, and pleasant to work with. Demian Stauber is a very smart attorney with great analytical skills and great to work with. Maria Iskic is a very thorough attorney, leaves no stone unturned, and has good analytical skills. Alfred Köpf is a very smart patent attorney who has an excellent grasp of complicated technologies and is very experienced.’
‘The team seamlessly handles our intellectual property work. They are exceptional in helping us navigate the IP space – great listeners and teachers – very valid insight.’
‘The individuals we work with are amazing in understanding the software innovation space.’
TIMES Attorneys
TIMES Attorneys is a boutique law firm focusing on advice regarding litigation and arbitration of patent, trade mark and licensing disputes as well as trade mark prosecution. Andrea Mondini is a ‘a highly skilled IP attorney‘ who gives ‘absolutely first-rate‘ advice on litigation and arbitration of intellectual property matters as well as on IP-related contractual matters, such as licensing, technology transfers as well as research and development and distribution agreements. ‘Extremely knowledgeable IP lawyer‘ Markus Kaiser advises on trade mark, copyright, unfair competition as well as transactional IP matters.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Markus Kaiser is an extremely knowledgeable IP lawyer who is always straight to the point and pragmatic. He provides very good value for money and he is able to put complex matters into simple words.’
‘The fact that the firm is focused on IP is a plus. They have significant depth and breadth in this area of law.’
‘Andrea Mondini is a highly skilled IP attorney. He is very thoughtful in the way that he approaches matters and has the IP background to be very effective.’
‘A true patent litigation boutique in Switzerland. Slick, efficient and responsive.’
‘Andrea Mondini’s vast experience allows him to advise decisively.’
‘The team was very knowledgeable and easy to work with.’
‘Andrea Mondini is a joy to work with. His work was absolutely first-rate.’
‘Markus Kaiser is of great help, not only with regard to the legal advice provided (understands the industry very well), but also his understanding of business’ needs (e.g. pragmatic, able to communicate in layman’s terms and to the point). He is super flexible.’
Key clients
Verizon
Google Inc.
Teva Pharmaceuticals
Mepha Pharma AG
Maus Frères Int. Services
Aloys Dallmayr
MHCS
Giorgio Armani SpA
Zentiva
UEFA
Work highlights
- Acted as Swiss law expert before a US District Court in a high-profile patent litigation between Verizon and Huawei regarding the licensing of standardessential patents on FRAND terms.
- Regular representation of TEVA and its subsidiary Mepha Pharma in patent infringement and revocation cases before the Swiss Federal Patent Court.
- Successfully represented Swiss Re (a leading multinational reinsurance and insurance company) in a trade mark case against the Swiss IP Office before the Federal Administrative Court.
VISCHER
VISCHER acts in litigation and arbitration cases regarding, in particular, trade marks and patents, and also covers regulatory issues as well as transactional matters, such as licensing, cooperations, joint ventures and franchising. Practice head Stefan Kohler is a ‘very valuable patent litigator‘ with a focus on arbitration in pharmaceutical and biotech matters. Rolf Auf Der Maur is ‘best in class in IP topics in the media and telecommunications sector‘ and Christian Wyss has a focus on the IP aspects of M&A transactions. IP litigator Lorenz Ehrler is the key contact in the Geneva office.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Rolf Auf der Maur is best in class in intellectual property topics in the media/telco sector in Switzerland.’
‘Great combination of technical know-how and legal knowledge. Knows our company very well.’
‘Stefan Kohler’s double major in natural sciences and law make him a very valuable patent litigator.’
Key clients
Netflix
CH Media TV AG
Swisscom
myTV AG
V-ZUG
BMG Avocats
The ‘very skilled and experienced‘ Sylvie Gurry-Veit and ‘outstanding‘ Anne-Virginie La Spada head the intellectual property practice at BMG Avocats which advises clients on the acquisition, exploitation and enforcement of IP. The team provides all services related to the protection and enforcement of trade marks, designs, copyrights and trade secrets, frequently in a cross-border context, and is ‘especially strong in relation to luxury brands and enforcement‘. Clients commend the ‘excellent awareness of client’s needs and expectations‘.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Exceptional legal skills and experience in IP, excellent awareness of client’s needs and expectations.’
‘Anne-Virginie La Spada: outstanding judgement and experience in trade mark, design and unfair competition matters, full dedication to each singular case and top sense for pragmatic solutions meeting client’s needs; Sylvie Gurry-Veit: very skilled and experienced’
‘Anne-Virginie La Spada has great experience and expertise in trade mark matters. She is not only very good with legal analysis and advice, but she is also very results-oriented and found for us practical solutions, easy to put into practice. She is very responsive and gave us a quick return when needed.’
‘Top Swiss IP lawyers, especially strong in relation to luxury brands and enforcement.’
Work highlights
- Assisted a major player in food & beverage industry with two parallel arbitration proceedings regarding alleged breaches of trade mark license agreements, for a total value in dispute exceeding CHF200m.
- Advised a client on the validity of cross-border transfers of publishing agreements and about the scope of rights assigned under the publishing agreements at issue by a famous comic books author.
- Represented an international client in trade mark infringement litigation involving issues of internet use of a communication app and fraudulent trade mark filing.
CMS
CMS acts for Swiss, foreign and international corporations on such matters as trade mark protection and litigation, intellectual property development and transfer agreements as well as corporate transactions involving intellectual property. The team, headed by Dirk Spacekand Simone Brauchbar Birkhäuser, demonstrates particular strength in acting for clients from the software industry on matters regarding development, licensing, technology protection, contracts and enforcement as well as patent litigation in the pharmaceutical industry. Clients are impressed by the ‘excellent strategic management of cases‘.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The collaboration was excellent. Dirk Spacek essentially became a member of our team providing tactical and strategic guidance as well as legal opinion.’
‘Outstanding Quality, excellent strategic management of cases.’
Key clients
Aon Schweiz AG
Designwerk Technologies GmbH
Leading food manufacturer (name confidential)
Yongfeng
IMCD Group
Harald Quandt Industriebeteiligungen GmbH
DP World
Syncona Ltd.
Gaydoul Group
Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG
Work highlights
- Advised Aon Schweiz AG in a major software-licensing & copyright dispute and the contractual negotiation of a long-term settlement/licensing agreement with a major software provider. The advice included coordinating litigation efforts in the Netherlands.
- Advised mobile Health AG in all IP related matters regarding Consilium Care™, an electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePRO) SaaS system (in particular trademarks, online-branding and further related, TMC-matters).
- Advised Designwerk Technologies AG a fast growing provider of e-trucks, battery backs and charging devices in trademark and design protection matters as well as IP protection in the framework of commercial agreements.
HOUSE attorneys
The intellectual property practice of HOUSE attorneys focuses on advising clients on trade mark exploitation, enforcement and prosecution. The ‘great team‘ of ‘bright minds with creative ideas‘ is headed by Frédéric Serra, who specialises in all fields of IP litigation, including unfair competition, and has particular experience in the fashion and luxury goods sectors. Melina Haralabopoulos is experienced in litigation and arbitration of IP matters, in particular trade mark and unfair competition matters.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Cool, swift and reliable team.’
‘Frédéric Serra has outstanding expertise, understands the IP industry.’
‘Great team. Bright minds with creative ideas. One of the best choices for IP.’
‘Down-to-earth. Accessible. Responsive. Always a pleasure working with them.’
‘I hold Frédéric Serra in high esteem for his expertise in dealing with complex IP mandates, with cross-border implications. He always has a valuable strategic approach and outstanding track record.’
Key clients
Bentley Motors Ltd
id est avocats sàrl
id est avocats sàrl‘s intellectual property practice advises in particular on trade mark protection strategies in a variety of industries, including banking, fintech, watch making, luxury goods as well as medtech and biotech. The team is particularly adept at advising at the intersection of IP and digital and is well versed in assisting with IP-related employment matters. The team of ‘exceptional lawyers‘ is headed by Juliette Ancelle and Michel Jaccard and provides ‘highly efficient‘ IP advice.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘id est is a unique law firm specializing in IP. The lawyers working there are exceptional. They are highly skilled, experienced, detail-oriented (critical in this industry), and dynamic in their service-providing methods.’
‘Each lawyer at the firm stands out for their fundamental specialised knowledge. Their expertise makes the service experience very gratifying. The expertise of their lawyers truly makes your experience worthwhile. The stand-out individuals Michel Jaccard and Juliette Ancelle.’
‘Expertise linked with practical abilities. Team players.’
‘Juliette Ancelle is a great lawyer.’
Kellerhals Carrard
The intellectual property practice of Kellerhals Carrard is headed by Daniel Alder, Daniel Emch, Nicolas Mosimann and Stefano Perucchi, and provides advice regarding all types of IP, including patents, copyright, trade marks, designs, know-how and trade secrets. The unit is lauded for its ‘competence, reactivity and fairness‘ in contract negotiations which often regard distribution strategies, including license and franchise agreements. The team regularly appears before all types of courts to enforce IP rights and defend against infringement claims.
Practice head(s):
Daniel Alder; Daniel Emch; Nicolas Mosimann; Stefano Perucchi
Testimonials
‘Smart approach to the profession.’
‘Competence, responsiveness and fairness of Stefano Perucchi.’
Key clients
Magnolia International AG
Work highlights
- Assisted Ferrari SpA for many years with all its legal matters with respect to its activities regarding the Ferrari Formula One team as well as the Ferrari department managing the racing activities in the GT championships, including with the drafting and negotiation of all commercial and sporting agreement for sponsorship agreements, licensing agreements, brand promotion agreements and new media agreements.
- Advised Magnolia International AG on various IP matters, such as: (i) structuring of all IP; IP strategy; protection of IP, (ii) draft of all software licensing agreements, software development agreements, partnership agreements (for joint development of software), (iii) advice with regard to new SaaS solution: cloud set up, draft of all agreements (including customer agreement), hosting/cloud agreements, (iv) compliance with regard to third party licenses (in particular when using open source software), (v) negotiation of software license and service agreements with a variety of international companies.
LALIVE
LALIVE acts for a broad scope of clients ranging from NGOs and corporate clients to individuals on all types of intellectual property law matters, including trade marks, designs, domain names, copyright, patents as well as unfair competition. Practice head Thomas Widmer has ‘outstanding experience‘ in all aspects of IP and is considered to be an ‘excellent litigator with a great focus on details and strategy‘.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team are very good technically and are able to apply the law in a pragmatic, commercial fashion.’
‘Thomas Widner: great lawyer – very friendly, pragmatic and technically solid. Able to apply the law to complex matters even when there is little precedent.’
‘Thomas Widmer: excellent litigator with a great focus on details and strategy. The teaming works seamless with a clear understanding of what is needed from the client’s perspective.’
‘Working with Thomas Widmer and team is an outstanding experience. The case and the client’s interest are front and center to them and each one of them invests themselves fully into the case. You can not be in better hands.’
Work highlights
- Acted as counsel to a global supplier of integrated gambling and gaming systems in a €25m ICC arbitration against an operator in the gaming industry concerning the alleged breach of a limited license for the use of IT products.
- Represented a multinational computer, technology and IT consulting corporation in civil proceedings against a Swiss bank which is inter alia claiming access to the source code of various software interfaces developed by the client in a frame of a global IT service agreement.
- Advised a non-profit organisation funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on drafting and negotiating several contractual agreements in relation to intellectual property issues and the mitigation of the consequences of the various event cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nater Dallafior Rechtsanwälte AG
Nater Dallafior Rechtsanwälte AG‘s intellectual property practice focuses on protecting and enforcing clients’ patents, trade marks, designs and copyrights. The team is ‘particularly strong in trade mark prosecution and license agreements, including their negotiation and related disputes in court or arbitration settings. Unfair competition matters are also handled. Practice head Mathis Berger is an ‘IP lawyer of exceptional knowledge‘ with a focus on litigation and arbitration.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Nater Dallafior are among the top litigation and arbitration firms in Switzerland with an outstanding performance.’
‘Mathis Berger is the rare combination of a fantastic litigator and arbitrator with an in-depth expertise in IP, in particular copyright. For any IP-, entertainment- or sport-related dispute, he is the attorney one would like to have (and would fear as the adverse representative).’
‘Nater Dallafior’s IP team is very skilled and experienced, not only in hardcore IP matters, but in all aspects of information, internet and competition law.’
‘Mathis Berger is an IP author and IP lawyer of exceptional knowledge and experience in Switzerland in this field.’
‘The team is particularly strong in trade mark prosecution and drafting licence agreements.’
‘Mathis Berger is an experienced lawyer with a excellent knowledge of trade mark law. It is a real pleasure to work with him.’
Sigma Legal
The intellectual property team of Sigma Legal is ‘extremely capable and dynamic in all aspects of IP, including litigation and contract drafting and review‘. The practice has particular expertise relating to medical institutions, the luxury and fashion industries, media companies and individuals from the media field as well as public entities and international organisations. Stéphanie Chuffart-Finsterwald and Alain Alberini head the practice and clients are struck ‘by their commitment which markedly distinguishes them from competitors‘.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is extremely capable and dynamic when it comes to all aspect of IP/IT, M&A and NGO legal questions, including litigation and contract drafting/review. When compared to other firms, Sigma Legal is more responsive, offers a more tailored approach for businesses and is extremely easy to work with.’
‘We appreciate to work especially with Alain and Adrien Alberini, but all of their partners are equally easy and fun to work with.’
‘Deep knowledge of the TMT sector.’
‘Extremely qualified.’
‘Extensive experience in and in-depth knowledge of intellectual property questions, including in particular patent issues. Capable of expertly handling international arrangements and drafting complex contracts, across multiple jurisdictions in multiple languages Extremely fast turn-around time by diverse group of lawyers with expertise in multiple areas. Extensive network of contacts.’
‘Stéphanie Chuffart, Adrien Alberini and Alain Alberini stood out in terms of professionalism, availability, commitment and turn-around time. Apart from their excellent legal expertise and high-quality legal advice, we were particularly struck by their commitment which markedly distinguishes them from competitors.’
Key clients
State of Geneva
World Health Organization
SpotMe Group
GliaPharm SA
ObsEva
Fondation Asile des aveugles (Hôpital Ophtalmique Jules-Gonin)
TWEAQ Ltd
HEIDI MEDIA SA
superhuit Sàrl
Saint-Augustin SA
Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)
Viva Frida Sàrl
Le Temps SA
HEMU – Conservatoire de Lausanne
Association Alice Rivaz
Non-violence Project Foundation/Non-Violence Licensing SA
Work highlights
- Assisted the State of Geneva (Department of Territory) in relation to its smart city strategy (“Smart Geneva”), including establishing a trade mark strategy, trade mark prosecution, representation in opposition proceedings and negotiation of a domain name transfer.
- Assisted Spotme with drafting the full contractual documentation, including sensitive IP issues and advice relating to the incorporation of third-party technologies, governing its engagement platform services.
- Assisted the Fondation Asile des aveugles, one of the leading clinics and research centers worldwide in the ophthalmic sector, with all legal matters, notably IP, including management of IP rights in the context of R&D contracts, IT development agreements and researcher labor contracts.
WEINMANN ZIMMERLI
Intellectual property boutique WEINMANN ZIMMERLI focuses on IP disputes and IP-related strategic advice concerning, for example, Swiss and international trade mark, patent, copyright, licence and design law, as well as unfair competition and antitrust law. Madeleine Schim Van Der Loeff and Conrad Weinmann head the practice and specialise in IP prosecution and litigation respectively. ‘Very good litigator‘ Alban Shabani, Adrian Zimmerli and ‘top notch trade mark attorney‘ Stefan Keehnen complement the team ‘of friendly and responsive lawyers‘.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Stefan Keehnen is highly responsive and very engaged in our representation. He has taken the effort to get to know our business well, which makes him an estimated sparring partner not only on purely legal IP questions, but also on more strategic questions. Stefan has a broad experience of global IP matters, he is highly responsive and able to produce on-spot results within short deadlines.’
‘We highly recommend them for its unique approach and a team of excellent legal practitioners, a well-balanced mix of experience, talent, creativity and innovativeness. We are glad to be associated with the firm.’
‘Madeleine Schim van der Loeff is an extremely dynamic professional. She is zealous about her work and profession, highly experience in her field and always a charm to work with! Her enthusiastic approach towards each and every project is highly appreciated. Her client facing skills are simply outstanding along with her ability to generate options and also manage client expectations through challenging work ethics. She is an organised and committed professional, with a deep understanding of trade mark law. Her energy, enthusiasm and die-hard attitude make her a winner and a great professional.’
‘We are very happy with the quality of the services rendered by WEINMANN ZIMMERLI and the dedication of Conrad Weinmann and Alban Shabani to protecting our legal interests.’
‘Weinmann Zimmerli has an extraordinary comprehensive knowledge in very specific sub-areas of intellectual property matters.’
‘Their lawyers are ready to go the extra mile.’
‘Alban Shabani is a very good litigator and lawyer that gives practical advice with a perfect understanding of our client’s business. Stefan Keehnen is a top notch trade mark attorney.’
Wenger Vieli Ltd
Wenger Vieli Ltd acts for a range of clients from start-ups to international corporations on a variety of intellectual property matters with a focus on trade mark matters, including strategy assessment, portfolio management, application, licensing as well as related IP litigation. Apart from being ‘knowledgeable about the areas of practice‘, the team is also well versed ‘in the practical application of the law to every day business needs and concerns‘. ‘Excellent trade mark expert‘ Claudia Keller and Michael Tschudin head the practice.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is not only well versed and knowledgeable about the areas of practise, but in the practical application of the law to everyday business needs and concerns. This makes the magic as it means we can readily apply the advice and translate it into business practice.’
‘Highly responsive, practical, pragmatic, fun and very easy to work with. Willing to think outside the box to find a solution.’
‘Very competent and service-minded team. Very good in trade mark prosecution and litigation. Known for good international network and mindset.’
‘Claudia Keller is an excellent trade mark expert. She provides reliable advice and delivers on her prediction of the outcome of a case.’
‘Claudia Keller is a very dedicated and competent lawyer. Due to her profound knowledge, she is able to quickly identify the needs of her clients and to offer them target-oriented solutions of the highest quality.’
Key clients
Beekeeper Ltd
Creata GmbH
digitalswitzerland
Magazine zum Globus AG
Fox Williams LLP
Work highlights
- Represented a client in the luxury hospitality business in connection with a trade mark transfer/cancellation claim concerning a trade mark that is essential for the client’s establishment.
- Advised a client with an innovative product presentation tool for the fashion industry with respect to intellectual property licensing for its standard product as well as specific customer developments for two renowned international fashion brands.
- Provided trade mark management services for a client that recently acquired a large trade mark portfolio in relation to a fashion business, advising on expanding and optimising the portfolio to re-establish the brands locally and internationally.