JUVE Comment

The Düsseldorf litigation team at this boutique is challenging the market leaders, being involved in key cases at German courts, e.g. for Nokia against Daimler in the groundbreaking case surrounding connected cars. The team also continues to play a key role in FRAND licensing issues: currently it represents Sisvel at the Federal Court of Justice in the precedent FRAND case against Haier. No less strong is the firm’s reputation in patent litigation for pharma and medical product companies, e.g. represents Sanofi as well as Hexal. These big cases show that, through a high level of teamwork, AR has been able to conduct an enormous number of major cases simultaneously level. There were departures at counsel and associate levels last year, but AR has now managed to rebuild and even expand these ranks. This is significant as the number of notable clients retaining the firm for major proceedings was once again impressive.

Strengths

Litigation concerning pharmaceuticals, medical technology and mobile communications patents. SEP suits.

European strategy

AR has no foreign offices of its own, but cooperates with a fixed network of firms at all major UPC locations. However, it shares these ties with German competitors. They are important to AR in two respects and should thus be nurtured carefully: they support the UPC strategy and they deliver high-profile clients from abroad, e.g. work for South Korean pharmaceuticals company Celltrion, which arose thanks to Bristows.

Recommended individuals

Bernhard Arnold (“creative”, competitor), Cordula Schumacher, Arno Riße

Team

3 partners, 1 counsel, 9 associates, 1 of counsel

Specialties

Exclusive activity in IP with a strong focus on patent litigation and trademarks and unfair competition.

Clients

Litigation: Alcon against Hoya over insertion cartridge for contact lenses; Celltrion/Mundipharma against Roche over cancer drug; Hexal against AstraZeneca over breast cancer drug; Nokia against Daimler over mobile communications; Nokia/Alcatel-Lucent/Adtran on Intellectual Ventures vs. Deutsche Telekom over SEPs and Nokia against Blackberry over SEPs (settled); Physiol against VSY over implantable contact lenses; Sanofi against Mylan over insulin pen and against Amgen over cholesterol-lowering drug; Sisvel against Haier over SEPs; Streck against Cenata/Roche over prenatal genetic tests; Wi-LAN against Nvidia over graphics memory; Zentiva against Eli Lilly over cancer drug.