JUVE Comment

The IP practice of this large international firm is especially well positioned for patent litigation in pharma, where Pauline Debré’s team is frequently active in the French proceedings of pan-European patent disputes on the side of originator manufacturers. Linklaters also advises and litigates for a host of notable national and international clients from other sectors, including transport and consumer goods, the industrial sector and computers. This work is less well known in the market, however. In addition to Seoul Semiconductors, which Linklaters litigated for in a Europe-wide dispute over LED technology also from its London and Frankfurt offices, the practice advises further notable tech companies. Among these are the Intel subsidiary Lantiq, who the team represented as co-defendant in the cross-border patent dispute between Intellectual Ventures and telecoms companies like Orange concerning connectivity chipsets. Linklaters also advised a French client on the hot topic of connected cars, the subject of a number of proceedings in Germany already.

Strengths

Pharma litigation, transactional work on IP.

European strategy

In the healthcare sector the patent teams in London, Frankfurt and Paris consistently work together. But the firm has higher ambitions for cross-border disputes. For this it lacks more visible teams in Amsterdam and Düsseldorf. A stronger presence in mobile communications suits is also important, since manufacturers and network operators are among Linklaters’ typical clients.

Recommended individuals

Pauline Debré (“very good lawyer with excellent strategic skills”, competitor)

Team

1 partner, 1 counsel, 4 associates

Specialties

Cross-border patent litigation, historically with a strong focus on life sciences. Representation of originator drugs manufacturers in pharmaceutical cases.

Clients

Litigation: Seoul Semiconductors (claimant) against a competitor regarding LEDs; Sanofi/Regeneron regarding French litigation over cholesterol-lowering drug Repatha (all public knowledge); Lantiq (defendant) against Intellectual Ventures over ADSL essential patents and connectivity chips; Merck Sharpe & Dohme (defendant) against Ethypharm regarding patent covering a nanoparticle composition of an anti-emetic drug.