JUVE Comment

The patent attorneys at this Munich IP firm advise clients on prosecution across a broad range of technical fields and are particularly respected for their litigation in EPO oppositions and national nullity actions. The firm has an excellent reputation in mechanical and electrical engineering and has strong links with industry.

While prosecution work in the latter continues to rise, demand for the former is falling due to the economic challenges facing the firm’s SME client base and the decline of the combustion engine. However, some of these clients are shifting their innovations towards electrical engineering while continuing to rely on Prinz & Partner. In addition, the law firm continues to acquire new SME clients here, such as SUSS MicroTec for process engineering.

European set-up

With the team around renowned partners Jochen Sties and Thomas Kitzhofer, the law firm is well positioned to represent its core client base in UPC cases. It is clear from the prosecution work that these companies are increasingly interested and confident in the UPC, meaning that Prinz & Partner would be their first point of contact here. The firm has good relationships with external lawyers in international litigation teams, such as Taylor Wessing or Bird & Bird, resulting from ongoing national infringement proceedings. However, as a nationally independent IP firm, it also relies on its network with similarly positioned firms from other jurisdictions. For example, Prinz & Partner is a member of the AIPEX network, which also includes law firms from other countries such as France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK. Through this cooperation the firm is gaining its first insights into proceedings brought by other law firms before the UPC, but it has not yet appeared in such cases itself.

Strengths

Litigation regarding automotive and engineering patents.

Recommended individuals

Jochen Sties, Thomas Kitzhofer (“highly experienced in patent infringement cases”, competitor about both; both patent attorneys)

Team

16 patent attorneys

Clients

Litigation: Schischek against Petz Industries over explosion-proof actuators; PLF International Limited against Optima Consumer over machines for bottling powdered baby milk.