JUVE Comment

Of all the firms in the French market, mixed practice Casalonga has undergone perhaps the most significant development over the past year, consistently driving forward its strategic transformation. The firm aims to join European market leaders in UPC litigation such as Bardehle Pagenberg. To this end, Casalonga has recently integrated lateral hires in Munich and Amsterdam and is fostering close inter-office collaboration across all offices. The firm’s culture has traditionally embraced close cooperation between lawyers and patent attorneys on equal footing. Several mixed practices, including Bardehle Pagenberg, have already achieved considerable success in UPC work. However, Casalonga still lacks the track record to catch up with these competitors.

Within litigation, the most visible recent successes came from work for long-standing client Biogaran, achieved by a team led by Marianne Gabriel. Meanwhile, the firm’s patent attorneys maintain a strong track record in EPO oppositions, both in chemistry for clients such as L’Oréal and in mechanics and electric engineering for clients including Safran.

Strengths

Litigation for manufacturers of generic pharmaceuticals. Patent prosecution regarding pharma, biotech, digital communication, computer technology and electronics.

Recommended individuals

Arnaud Casalonga, Marianne Gabriel; patent attorney: Ghislain de Trémiolles

Team

8 lawyers, 26 patent attorneys, 4 dual qualified

Clients

Litigation: Biogaran (defendant) against MSD over cholesterol-lowering drug ezetimibe/Inegy (public knowledge); Sagemcom as co-defendant of Orange and Bouygues against Intellectual Ventures over SEPs for DSL (public knowledge); EPO oppositions: Biogaran against Biogen over multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera (public knowledge); Rio Tinto Alcan against Trimet Aluminium over molten salt electrolysis system for producing aluminium. Filing and EPO oppositions for Biogaran, Cellectis, L’Oréal, Total Energies, Renault, Vallourec.