JUVE Comment

This German patents group mainly comes recommended for its litigation work related to pharmaceuticals patents, and litigates for traditional drugs manufacturers like Bayer and Boehringer as well as Samsung Bioepis, which is entering the market with biosimilars. The integration of the German team with other European offices is impressive. Mobile communications suits, the equally strong pillar of the other European S&S practices, are traditionally underdeveloped in the German team. But with IP/IT lawyer Michael Knospe, who came from Norton Rose to strengthen the patents team on the interface with IT and antitrust, the team now has close ties to HTC, one of the Amsterdam team’s key clients. The German team is gaining a foothold among strong German Mittelstand companies in the technological sectors, e.g. work for Guenther Bionics involving prosthesis parts. This is the right strategy to ensure equal visibility before the national courts and the UPC.

Strengths

Litigation related to pharmaceuticals. Strong European litigation team.

European strategy

The firm is placing emphasis on the UPC and is heavily involved in preparations for the UPC with its British senior partner Kevin Mooney. Based on the strong visibility of the patents teams in London, Amsterdam and Milan, and its growing presence in Germany, S&S sounded the charge on the European market leaders Bird & Bird and Hogan Lovells years ago. But ambitions suffered a setback when a large London team went to Allen & Overy. In response, S&S brought in a well-known London partner from Olswang. Raising the associate headcount is a task for the German team, esp. for complex mobile communications cases.

Recommended individuals

Dr. Peter Meyer (“highly recommendable in patents and antitrust”, client), Dr. Thomas Adam, Dr. Ina vom Feld.

Team

3 salary partners, 1 counsel, 4 associates

Practice

Clear focus on advice and litigation. Focus on the pharmaceuticals, electronics, medical products and telecoms sectors.

Clients

Boehringer Ingelheim regarding Vetmedica; Mack Rides regarding virtual reality glasses; Fontem Ventures concerning e-cigarettes; Reemtsma concerning cigarette packaging; MStar Semiconductors regarding microprocessors; Guenther Bionics concerning prosthesis parts; antitrust and patents activity for HTC against IPCom regarding mobile communications; Samsung Bioepis regarding biosimilars; frequent activity for Airbus Defence, Bayer Group, litigation for Tarkett.