JUVE Comment

Litigation for originators in pan-European patent disputes forms the basis for this international firm’s solid reputation. The well-positioned Paris IP team around Pauline Debré frequently represents such notable pharma companies as Sanofi or GSK and its joint venture ViiV in the French proceedings of international pharma disputes. Cooperation with the UK and German Linklaters teams is strong here. A counsel dual-qualified as a patent attorney and lawyer came to bolster the practice from Plasseraud at the beginning of 2020. She complements the team’s technical expertise in the life sciences sector.

Linklaters has also made inroads in the telecommunications sector. The team led by Debré litigated for Intel subsidiary Lantiq as co-defendant in the extensive patent dispute over connectivity chipsets between Intellectual Ventures and Orange. Linklaters also advised a French client on the hot topic of connected cars, already the subject of numerous German proceedings. This work is raising the visibility of the Paris IP practice among clients in the mobile communications sector.

Strengths

Pharma litigation, transactional work on IP.

European strategy

In the healthcare sector the Linklaters teams in London, Paris and Frankfurt consistently work together in high-profile cases for originators. But the firm has higher ambitions for cross-border disputes. For this it lacks more visible teams in Amsterdam and Düsseldorf. The Paris practice and the German team have made excellent progress in work for the mobile communications sector and electronics.

The London team will have to catch up if Linklaters wants to be as eminent in European cross-border mobile communications disputes as it is in pharma cases. Unlike many of its competitors for pan-European disputes like Herbert Smith Freehills or Hogan Lovells, Linklaters does not have a patent team in Italy.

Recommended individuals

Pauline Debré (“experienced and high quality,” competitor)

Team

1 partner, 1 counsel, 5 associates

Specialties

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

Clients

Litigation: Halozyme Therapeutics (claimant) against INPI over SEP application; ViiV/GSK (claimant) against Gilead over HIV inhibitor drug; Sanofi/Regeneron (defendants) against Amgen over cholesterol-lowering drug Repatha; Seoul Semiconductor (claimant) against a competitor regarding LEDs (all public knowledge); Lantiq/Intel (defendant) against Intellectual Ventures over ADSL essential patents and connectivity chips; Faiveley Transport (defendant) against Knorr Bremse over train brake components. Frequent advice to MSD.