JUVE Comment

The litigation work of the German patents group in pharmaceuticals and, increasingly, biosimilar patents is impressive. Bayer and Boehringer are two heavy hitters on the regular client list. S&S is also branching vehemently into litigation involving biosimilars on the side of Samsung Bioepis, where integration between the German team and the other European offices is impressive. Work for the life science sector has been emerging since June 2018 with the departure of Dr. Thomas Adam, who specialised in mechanics patent litigation and was the only partner in Munich active entirely in patents. His move is also a blow for the practice’s European ambitions, as he gave S&S a face at the important Munich office. The patents team will not be able to avoid growing with a notable lateral – even more so if it wants to build on its initial success in mobile communications litigation. Here, the firm is finally visible again in a mobile communications suit for Axdia as co-litigant for Google against Philips.

Strengths

Litigation related to pharmaceuticals. Strong European litigation team.

European strategy

The firm believes in the UPC and Kevin Mooney is busy preparing for it. The loss of a prominent name in Munich, Adam, is a setback. But in Paris S&S welcomed Marina Cousté and team from Reed Smith. S&S is thus still sounding the charge on European market leaders Bird & Bird and Hogan Lovells. The basis for this is the good visibility of the patents teams in Düsseldorf, London, Amsterdam, Milan and now Paris again.

Recommended individuals

Dr. Peter Meyer, Dr. Ina vom Feld.

Team

3 salary partners, 4 associates

Partner moves

Dr. Thomas Adam (to Peterreins Schley).

Practice

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

Clients

Litigation: frequent activity for Bayer; Axdia against Philips concerning mobile communications; Boehringer Ingelheim regarding Vetmedica; Mack Rides regarding VR glasses; Fontem Ventures concerning e-cigarette; Reemtsma concerning cigarette packaging; Brahms regarding PCT tests; Guenther Bionics concerning prosthesis parts; Samsung Bioepis regarding biosimilar. Advice: Tarkett on licences and FTO analyses.