JUVE Comment

In patents, CMS comes recommended for litigation and continued to make strides. The firm is increasingly litigating in proceedings with a cross-border dimension thanks to better integration with other patents teams from the CMS network, e.g. in a major dispute for Leifheit. The firm is thus taking the right path in terms of the UPC launch. The German practice continues to center on numerous proceedings for innovative German Mittelstand companies and companies from the pharmacy and medical products sector.

Strengths

Litigation with a broad technical spectrum.

European strategy

The international CMS network has patent expertise at all key UPC locations, but these offices rarely operate in the same class as the local market leaders. In London, CMS Cameron McKenna brought in lawyers experienced in patents from Olswang and Nabarro. A patent attorney team in Munich from Olswang, which performs a sizeable amount of prosecution work for Microsoft, is linked to the CMS network, although legally independent, and all CMS patents teams can thus now draw on its technical expertise. The Microsoft connection could help the German CMS practice raise its share of the major mobile communications suits and thus its share of the pan-European suits.

Recommended individuals

Dr. Matthias Eck.

Team

8 partners, 23 associates

Practice

Large IP group focusing on trademarks and unfair competition. In technical protection rights, esp. litigation and advice on R&D cooperation and licenses. Strong focus on the biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical products and mechanics sectors. Advice on the interface with antitrust.

Clients

Syngenta Participations regarding pesticides; Kienle & Spiess concerning wind turbines; Hofmeister regarding LEDs; Cooper Standart on global patent strategy and litigation; frequent litigation for Acon Laboratories, Erbe, Elmos Semiconductors, Fein, Leifheit, Roche Diagnostics, Stanley Black & Decker, Trumpf.