JUVE Comment

With a large prosecution practice and a litigation team that is gaining momentum, Maiwald is striving for the top of the market. Its mixed approach works smoothly, a result of the new management structure. Maiwald enhanced its lawyer branch two years ago to attract more litigation work. With Stief, the lawyers have since been prominently represented in the partnership and management. His huge rise in visibility was also key here. Maiwald was thus able to absorb the loss of partner Mayer. Both professional groups are now extremely visible in pharmaceuticals proceedings. So it is almost like old times, when the firm was seen as a pharmaceuticals boutique. But the initial impression is deceptive, because the prosecution practice has long had great technical breadth. Prosecution clients like Huawei and Intel could act as door openers to mobile communications cases. Raising the lawyer headcount in Düsseldorf would be a logical next step in the enhancement of the litigation team and in view of the UPC.

Strengths

Patent prosecution and litigation with technical expertise in biotech, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Licensing contracts. Excellent US contacts.

European strategy

The efficient mixed approach and international profile for US clients are good starting points for playing a central role at the UPC. But compared to other large mixed practices like Bardehle or Grünecker, Maiwald still lacks international visibility through its own foreign offices. Given its strong pharmaceuticals focus, a London office could make sense, even after Brexit.

Recommended individuals

Marco Stief (“a whiz for SPCs; very skilled in licences”, competitor); patent attorneys: Dr. Regina Neuefeind, Dr. Eva Ehlich, Dr. Dirk Bühler (“very good litigation know-how for biotech patents”, client).

Team

54 patent attorneys, 9 lawyers

Partner moves

Thomas Mayer (to Gowling WLG).

Practice

IP activity with a clear focus on patent prosecution. Broad technical spectrum with a large pharmaceuticals and chemicals practice. Opposition and nullity suits. Infringement proceedings with mixed teams. Licensing and R&D contracts.

Clients

Litigation: frequent activity for Fresenius Kabi, Eli Lilly and Roche; Betapharm and Mylan Dura regarding Truvada; Royalty Pharma concerning sitagliptin; Mundipharma regarding Targin; Purdue in constitutional complaint against EPO. Prosecution: filing and opposition suits for Bausch & Lomb, Robert Bosch, Borealis, Huawei, Intel, LTS Lohmann, Purdue and Takeda.