JUVE Comment

The Paris patent team of this international full-service law firm has established itself well on the Paris market with litigation for notable clients from the electronics sector and for national research institutes. This is chiefly thanks to young partner Loïc Lemercier, who came on board from Clifford Chance in early 2021 and has since propelled Dentons’ patent practice development and raised its visibility.

Lemercier won a case for Apple against Ferid Allani in a dispute over mobile operating systems. The firm has a long-standing connection to the US electronics corporation. The team recently added a whole host of new clients to its portfolio, for example advising the National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (INRIA) on an invention regarding AI. Alongside increasingly visible work in patent litigation, the practice frequently advises on employee invention law and commercial litigation related to patents.

Strengths

Patent litigation regarding mobile communications.

European set-up

Dentons has one of the world’s largest law firm networks, including a strong patent practice in the US. In Europe, however, the international full-service firm only has patent teams in a few countries. In addition to its French office, Dentons has IP teams in Italy, Germany and the UK – including patent attorneys in Munich and London – but these are chiefly active in prosecution. None of the offices enjoy anywhere near the visibility in their respective markets of other international outfits like Bird & Bird, Allen & Overy and Hogan Lovells.

The Paris patent practice is therefore seldom seen in pan-European cases. The French office occasionally works in cross-border litigation with teams from other international firms that lack their own Paris patent practices. This type of cooperation might work well in the French parts of pan-European litigation, but it remains to be seen how stable such alliances will prove to be before the UPC. At the same time, the comparatively small French team lacks the clout required by the UPC’s short deadline regime. To become a long-term fixture at the new court, Dentons should therefore also invest in strong patent litigation practices in other offices, especially in Germany.

Recommended individuals

Loïc Lemercier (“good understanding in technical matters”, competitor)

Team

6 lawyers

Specialties

Patent litigation for a broad spectrum of industries, especially medical devices and electronics.

Clients

Litigation: Apple (defendant) against Ferid Allani over mobile operating systems (public knowledge); Septodont (defendant) against investor over dental technology; MyRobotics (claimant) against SL Process over know-how on medical devices; Al.Chi.Mia and Ophta France (defendants) against Arcadophta over ophthalmic gas injection sets; CNRS (defendant) against former employee over lithium batteries; Goliath France/Zuru (defendant) against Robotswim over swimming toys; Plasticos (claimant) against competitor over plastic packaging for cosmetic products. Advice to CNRS, INRIA.