JUVE Comment

The team led by Woller is well-positioned for patent litigation. It provides comprehensive litigation for clients across a wide range of technical fields, including the life sciences sector.

At the UPC, the team gained initial experience in PI proceedings against Valentis Baltic on behalf of Fapa Vital, concerning a combination product for improving sperm quality. Although the proceedings were swiftly settled, they demonstrate clients’ confidence in the firm’s ability to represent them in UPC proceedings beyond Vienna.

A young lawyer with extensive technical expertise now supports Woller in litigation, strategic advice and numerous IP-related transactions.

In soft IP, the practice remains at the top of the market. One competitor notes that the team has “new, competent leadership” under Michael Woller, highlighting Dominik Hofmarcher for his expertise in unfair competition law and Christian Schumacher for his proficiency in trademark law. Their work for ride-sharing service Uber, which frequently faces legal challenges from taxi company 40100, exemplifies this expertise, as does their successful representation of Serbian plant manufacturer Tehnoexport in cancellation proceedings before the EUIPO.

The firm has recently provided regular IT law advice at the interface with public law, for example in tenders for IT projects or solutions. Regulatory advice on AI, DORA and NIS2 has also been in high demand. Günther Leissler is a leading figure in data protection law, representing Österreichische Post in numerous proceedings. In copyright law, Hofmarcher secured a ruling for Sony, for example, establishing that the game console manufacturer is not obliged to pay storage media remuneration to the NPE.

Strengths

Outstanding expertise in trademarks, unfair competition and copyrights, academic expertise. Data protection law.

Recommended individuals

Dominik Hofmarcher (“extremely competent advice”, client), Michael Woller

Team

4 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: pharma company against competitor in infringement and nullity proceedings concerning chromatographic separation of plasma proteins; financial services provider against IT company over TAN authentication system; German desk manufacturer against competitor over patent infringement.