JUVE Comment

This mixed IP firm is among the market leaders in patents, largely as it operates a very internationally oriented prosecution practice with such notable clients as Facebook and Johnson Controls. MB also boasts an agile litigation team around Wuttke, which is positioning itself ever better for mobile communications proceedings from Munich; Deutsche Telekom is engaging MB for more and more cases. In line with the prosecution practice’s client structure, the lawyers are also active across a broad technical spectrum, ranging from litigation in mechanics patents for ITW to child seats for Cybex. The launch in Düsseldorf with Fitzner was important for the firm overall. He is dual-qualified as a lawyer and patent attorney, specializes in chemicals, biochemicals and chemical engineering and brings important connections to BASF. MBP also brought long-time Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) judge Prof. Klaus-Jürgen Melullis on board as of counsel.

Strengths

Patent prosecution with technical expertise in chemicals and engineering. Litigation mainly involving mobile communications patents.

European strategy

With its mixed approach and a presence in the UK, MB is well set to look after its Mittelstand and Asian clients independently when the UPC launches. The new office in Düsseldorf also points in the right direction, if the firm brings in experienced litigators here. Further growth will be unavoidable in the short term if the litigation team hopes to be considered for major mobile communications suits more often.

Recommended individuals

Dr. Tobias Wuttke (“shrewd mind, impressive”, competitor); patent attorneys: Dr. Eugen Popp, Kay Rupprecht.

Team

61 patent attorneys, 8 lawyers

Partner moves

Dr. Dr. Uwe Fitzner (from own firm).

Practice

All-round IP activity, around 50 percent of which is in trademarks and unfair competition, and the rest in patents with a clear focus on patent prosecution: filing with broad technical expertise. Nullity and opposition suits. Infringement proceedings, incl. rights to inspection, with mixed teams. Employee invention law.

Clients

Litigation: Deutsche Telekom concerning mobile communications; Cybex regarding child seats; Greif concerning industrial pallets; ITW regarding packaging machines. Prosecution: filing and opposition suits for Brita, Electrolux, Facebook, ITW, Johnson Controls, Mammut Sports, Pioneer, Thyssenkrupp, Villeroy & Boch.