JUVE Comment

The well-positioned patent team of this European IP boutique owes its current visibility in the French market to the two SEP suits for NPEs Intellectual Ventures and IPCom. Frontman Julien Fréneaux has a good reputation for his experience in extensive telecoms cases. However, the series of proceedings for Intellectual Ventures, currently the largest in the telecoms sector, is tying up considerable capacities in the small French team, meaning that it is hardly appearing in other cases at all. There is no denying the firm’s dependency on these proceedings, which have so far been unsuccessful in the courts. Bardehle Pagenberg is determined to counter this perception so as not to be reduced to a few lawsuits for NPEs, as evidenced by its hiring of patent attorneys Lionel Vial and Margaux Esselin, who previously had their own firm. Bardehle Pagenberg thus underscored its ambitions of establishing a strong mixed team in France and branching into the life sciences sector – the specialty of the new arrivals. The recent growth in client contacts seen in the large, mixed German team offers some potential in this respect. In addition, the firm is readying itself for oppositions at the INPI, which are now getting underway, as well as for the arrival of the UPC.

Strengths

Experienced in pan-European patent litigation for NPEs.

European set-up

With its mixed team in Germany, Bardehle Pagenberg has long operated on a par with the market leaders. The new additions in Paris set the French practice on its way to becoming a strong partner. With the UPC about to launch, the firm could score points among clients for its experience in both extensive telecommunications suits (e.g. for Intellectual Ventures) and pharma proceedings.

The Spanish practice has recently gained ground. The firm is not present in Amsterdam or Milan, but these could be useful locations in terms of pharma litigation.

Recommended individuals

Julien Fréneaux

Team

3 lawyers, 2 patent attorneys, 1 dual qualified

Partner moves

Lionel Vial, Margaux Esselin (both from own firm)

Specialties

Mixed firm with a focus on telecommunications and technology.

Clients

Litigation: Intellectual Ventures (claimant) against Bouygues Telecom, SFR, Orange and suppliers such as Huawei over SEP for DSL; IPCom (claimant) against Lenovo and Motorola on anti-anti-suit injunction (Court of Appeal). Prosecution: patent filing for Biocodex. Advice for Innovatron on licensing.