This patent practice has long been a market leader. It stands out from competitors with its mixed team of lawyers and patent attorneys advising clients comprehensively on a large technology spectrum. Furthermore, B&B represents its clients across all European jurisdictions when it comes to major proceedings, putting it one step ahead of competitors such as Freshfields. The team around Jüngst and Wolters-Höhne boasts an excellent position in pharma cases. One example is its work for core client Ratiopharm resulting in a highly regarded rulin...
A leading patent litigation team which continued its impressive development. HL was once again present in all the important cases before German courts. In mobile communications HL represented Vodafone, Google, LG and ZTE in the dispute with Intellectual Ventures. LG has retained the Munich team in two suits from NPEs, while Google frequently turns to the team for mobile phone cases. In the pharma sector, HL was highly active for originator companies against generics manufacturers over biosimilars and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs)...
Full AnalysisThis European IP boutique is a leader in patent litigation in Germany and has further consolidated its position. The team is regularly involved in groundbreaking mobile communications cases, most recently for Apple. A team around Haft defended the iPhone manufacturer for the first time together with Freshfields against a series of suits from Qualcomm, right up until they were settled. The good ties to Intel, whose chips were subject to the dispute, opened the door to the instruction. The firm frequently attracts attention in major pharma cases ...
Full AnalysisAfter another hugely successful year, it is clear that this mixed IP firm remains a market leader in both patent litigation and filing. Compared to many other German IP firms, BaPa has a clear international focus when it comes to litigation. And here it is probably only Hoyng ROKH Monegier that can be said to have the edge over Bardehle. The former is regarded as working more consistently between its international offices, whereas Bardehle’s German lawyers work less frequently with their counterparts in Paris or Verona, for example. Nevertheles...
This Düsseldorf IP firm is one of the most active litigation outfits in the German market, which is down to the sheer number of proceedings referred to it by patent attorneys or prominent midsized companies. The firm covers a plethora of technologies. Over the past year it was more present in proceedings related to life sciences, especially pharmaceutical products. KM litigated intensively for Fresenius Kabi and another originator manufacturer over biosimilars. Medical product manufacturers retained the firm for some major cases. As always, Ver...
Full AnalysisOnce again the German team of this US firm confirmed its status as a leading outfit in litigation. A large team around Grosch conducted the European part of the global patent battle over semiconductors for Qualcomm against Apple, which ended in a settlement in early 2019. In the current dispute over connected cars patents, the firm represents Daimler against suits from Broadcom, Nokia and Sharp. In order to handle two such prestigious cases the team had to double its size and appoint a counsel in Munich with experience in mobile phone suits to ...
Full AnalysisThis Düsseldorf law firm is part of the wider group of market leaders in patent litigation. It conducts infringement and nullity suits primarily for clients in the pharma, biotech and mobile communications sectors. Defence against NPE suits for clients such as Samsung and LG have given rise to a considerable work flow. ROP managed to transfer this experience to connected cars for the first time in its work for Alpine as co-litigator of BMW. Traditionally, the firm is in the premier league in pharma and biotech, thanks to partners Thomas Musmann...
Full AnalysisThe IP firm is still one of the most active litigation outfits in Düsseldorf, in part due to its unusual breadth. Wildanger conducts equal amounts of litigation in pharma, mobile communications and mechanics. Other Düsseldorf boutiques have yet to achieve the same breadth. Most prominent of these fields is mobile communications, namely cases over standard-relevant patents. Some partners have been advising NPEs for years, e.g. Saint Lawrence Communications in SEP and FRAND proceedings. Now ocompanies have also been trusting the firm’s experience...
Full AnalysisThe 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...
Full AnalysisThe patent litigation team at this magic circle firm resides at the top of the German market and at the forefront of pharma and mobile communication cases. It was recently e.g. involved in the major battle for core client Apple. The team around the renowned Hufnagel and the young but established Prinz zu Waldeck und Pyrmont were also successful for for Nikon. And thanks to the long-standing relationship to Continental, the patent team represented the auto supplier in the new cases over connected cars. The practice finally also stepped up its li...
Full AnalysisThe Düsseldorf patent litigation firm is heavily involved in mobile communications disputes. The team represented its long-standing clients Audi and VW in the first major suit over connected cars. The case was extensive and involved the entire firm. This example illustrates how well this litigation boutique can manage major cases. The firm is well positioned in medical product cases and represents Coloplast, for example, in an international suit over urinary catheters. Furthermore, the practice is instructed by international companies and Germa...
Full AnalysisThe litigation practice at this international full-service firm has always delivered impressive work in pharma patents. In recent years, it has diversified its client circle to include other sectors such as telecoms and technology. The patent lawyers played a background role for an auto supplier in the high-profile Broadcom vs. Audi case over connected cars. Despite core clients such as Asus and ZTE, the firm has not yet achieved the same profile in mobile communications as it has in pharma cases. TW is broadening its technical range, advising ...
Full AnalysisThis patent litigation team is well positioned and clients from the automotive and chip industries have helped by entrusting the practice for years with patent prosecution work. Its successful litigation for Broadcom in the first suit over connected cars patents against the VW Group paid off handsomely: a further suit against BMW and Daimler followed in 2019. The litigation team is thus currently at the centre of the disputes over connectivity in the auto industry and the fact that the firm’s lawyers and patent attorneys work together on the ca...
This mixed IP firm is a market leader. It operates one of the biggest European prosecution practices and boasts a very strong position among Japanese companies. The litigation team has an excellent reputation for pharma suits. One client praised the team as “first class, especially in pharma proceedings” and competitors say it is “absolutely top in chemistry and biotech”. The lawyers were recently involved in some prominent cases, e.g. for AstraZeneca and Sanofi. However, the litigators have so far struggled to convince clients from other secto...
This small, partner-heavy IP boutique is present in patent infringement cases, especially the major mobile communication cases. The team litigated for Broadcom/Avago against VW/Audi in one of the first suits over connected cars. In addition, the boutique represented Wiko against Sisvel and 3G Licensing over mobile communications patents. A new client was the TCL subsidiary TCT, which instructed the practice in the second instance for an SEP case. In other technical fields, both midsized companies and corporates retain the four-strong team. One ...
Full AnalysisStrong development in the mobile communications sector underlined the status of this mixed firm as a market leader. Not only did the prosecution practice expand its work for heavyweights such as LG and a German mobile phone company, but also the litigation team experienced an upswing. VP’s mixed team is now firmly in the saddle at ZTE, while the three-strong litigation team around Kramer fought for Wiko against both Philips and members of the MPEG-LA pool concerning audio coding patents. This team joined VJP’s Düsseldorf office in early 2018 an...
This mixed firm is a market leader in patent filing. B&B advises its clients on a broad technical spectrum and is deeply rooted in computer technologies, mobile telecommunications, chips, software, pharma and biotech. Filing work has strongly increased over the past year, mainly as a result of core clients successfully stepping up their activities or transferring a greater part of their patent portfolio to the firm. B&B expanded its team of patent attorneys accordingly and continues to chart a path for growth. The patent attorneys are also rega...
The litigation practice of this full-service firm (biggest in Germany) is shaped by its extensive activity for German midsized technology companies, which give rise to a good flow of work. In addition the firm has strengthened its clients base amongst start-ups in the medical technology sector. Up to now, CMS has been underrepresented in mobile communications but the practice recently showed more presence with a new client defended in a suit from NPE concerning SEPs. The large team is not present in major European patent litigation, however. CM...
Full AnalysisThe patent litigation practice has stable ties to its core clients from various sectors, especially pharma, telecoms, electronics and consumer goods. Of Counsel Bopp, enjoys an excellent reputation. In connected cars cases the firm advised in the background and brought its antitrust expertise into play. However, it has not recently played a role in those cases which have as yet been public. The relatively small team size compares with rivals means opportunities for further development are limited.
Full AnalysisThe patent litigation team around Kellenter advises a healthy mix of companies and NPEs. The team has been able to maintain this balance for years because the companies it advises mainly stem from industries that have not yet been attacked by NPEs over connectivity. AstraZeneca and Saint-Gobain are long-term litigation clients. The team’s work for GE subsidiary Concept Laser against Bego and its customers is becoming increasingly comprehensive. Recently, the team litigated for core client Kennametal over cutting blades. In mobile telecommunicat...
Full AnalysisThis US firm has a large and experienced mixed team in Germany. Compared with some rivals, JD has a broader prosecution practice and a somewhat weaker litigation practice. Predominantly clients from the biotech and pharma sectors call on the firm for international patent cases in multiple jurisdictions, thus profiting from the global network. The practice represented the MSD subsidiary Idenix Pharmaceuticals against Gilead in a high-profile dispute over an expensive hepatitis C drug. Companies also turn to JD for mechanics and engineering paten...
The strength of this mixed IP firm is its breadth. It is anchored in numerous sectors and technical fields. The prosecution practice has a solid position among German midsized companies and has good ties to notable international clients such as Facebook and Johnson Controls. Only in pharma is the firm unable to compete with the presence of other Munich outfits such as Hoffmann Eitle. The agile litigation team around Wuttke has not only expanded its headcount, but also its technical breadth. E.g. the team’s work for Deutsche Telekom in mobile co...
This law firm boasts a renowned litigation practice with deep roots in German midsized companies. Its excellent reputation in the patent-attorney community is major factor here. The persistence of the young partners in rebuilding the firm following departures between 2016 and 2017 has paid off; for two years in a row, younger partners and senior associates have joined the outfit after hearing about PBP’s fresh impetus. PBP can also boast one of the few partner moves in the market; Meier joined from rival firm Hoyng ROKH Monegier. The newly acqu...
Full AnalysisThe German practice of this UK firm has been particularly prominent in pharma and biosimilars litigation. The team’s core client list features two heavyweights, Bayer and Boehringer and the strong European practice enjoys an outstanding reputation in life sciences. S&S represented Samsung Bioepis throughout Europe concerning bringing several biosimilars onto the market. The departure of a partner specialising in mechanics in June 2018 was a significant loss for the German team, however. An IP lawyer in Munich was appointed partner but he do...
Full AnalysisWith a practice focussed on high-end litigation with lawyers, the Magic Circle firm is particularly strong in litigation for mobile communication and pharmaceutical cases. In the latter Feldges is highly active for originator companies. The firm's most prominent cases at present include a series for Pfizer incl. one before the European Court of Justice. The German team was retained by a British pharmaceutical company for the first time – a core client of the London practice – and more significantly by Bayer. Work for large chemistry and pharma ...
Full AnalysisThis small IP boutique’s USP has been its flexibility as a patent litigation specialist, which means it has been well placed to represent NPEs in mobile communications suits, e.g. Unwired Planet. This positioning on the NPE side has remained strong, with the firm frequently representing these clients in new proceedings over the past year. Aside from such major cases, a growing number of innovative midsized German companies have been instructing the firm, especially for technically complex proceedings. The success of the firm over the past 8 yea...
Full AnalysisThe German patent team of this large international firm has a well known litigation specialist in Munich in Herr, who is also a qualified patent attorney. This has enabled the practice to litigate for clients such as Becton Dickinson regularly in infringement, opposition and nullity cases. With a second dual qualified lawyer, the firm is also well equipped for cases in the field of optics. Internationally active German companies such as Giesecke & Devrient also frequently retain the firm. The patent practice also advises companies which are...
Full AnalysisThe German team of the global firm focuses on patent litigation and following the arrival of Cepl two years ago, the practice now has a stable setup. His rapid integration into the team has increased its technical breadth and as such DLA is now in a better position to play a key role in the current connected cars disputes, especially with core clients Harman and Aptiv as first tier suppliers of communication modules. DLA represented them not only as co-litigants of VW, BMW and Daimler in the infringement suits from Broadcom, but also advises th...
Full AnalysisThe small Munich patent team is very active in infringement cases and clients increasingly call in the firm for licensing negotiations. The team’s advice to the auto industry on connected cars patents and potential disputes is developing positively. On the one hand this is not surprising, since Noerr has long standing good ties to German car makers. On the other hand, such work is remarkable given that the patent team’s experience of mobile communications has been gleaned mainly through litigation for NPEs. Noerr has attempted to walk this tigh...
Full AnalysisThis full-service firm is predominantly known for the outstanding reputation of its Cologne team in employee invention law. In addition since 2017 a new team around Gruber in Munich has stepped up its presence in infringement and nullity suits, as well as oppositions at the EPO. Although the two teams focus on different fields, the firms has increasingly been able to cross-sell from one practice to another. The Cologne team’s client list in employee invention law reads like a who’s who of the German economy, while the Munich team represents the...
Full AnalysisThis IP firm is one of the most active patent outfits outside Munich, due to its intensive patent-filing work on the one hand, and its strong litigation focus (both patent attorneys and lawyers) on the other. The patent attorneys traditionally litigate in oppositions and nullity cases for nationally and internationally renowned clients such as BASF, Enercon and Philips. That they increasingly work with the small team of lawyers on suits for Philips and various licence pools is a consistent development. Eisenführ is thus more active in the growi...
The mainly regionally (Hamburg) active patent practice frequently advises defendants in patent proceedings. It continues to develop this work with new clients, e.g. HU is advising a pharmaceuticals manufacturer in preparation for a lawsuit. Notable companies retain the small team, such as generics manufacturer Aliud Pharma in the high-profile proceedings against Gilead over the HIV drug Truvada. The EuGH ruled in favour of the generics manufacturer here in a precedent case. The practice is expanding its client base, e.g. in the packaging and co...
Full AnalysisThe litigation team at this full-service firm has a good position in Düsseldorf. The technical breadth of the team’s litigation work is a real advantage, as it is deeply rooted among midsized companies that are active in various sectors. Often these clients turn to HKLW for its cooperation with European firms in the WSG network. The team frequently litigates for midsized clients in highly specialised technological fields, e.g. for Sisgrass over modern surfaces for sports grounds, for Egger over digital printing for furniture parts and for Echon...
Full AnalysisIn this otherwise transaction-driven firm, the patent team around Schönbohm has acquired a clear profile for pharma litigation. It conducts international proceedings for Shire and Sanofi together with the offices in London and Paris, which is underlined by the European patent practice’s strong network. The instructions are mainly managed in London. The German team is continuously broadening its technical competence through more proceedings outside the pharma sector. One example is the cross-border litigation for Seoul Semiconductors over LEDs, ...
Full AnalysisWith its mixed approach, this Munich firm is geared towards disputes. This work is based on a strong prosecution business, which the practice recently beefed up with young patent attorneys, especially in engineering. Some three years ago Maiwald saw several departures, but these have now been compensated for, and is now close to re-establishing its former full-service approach with a number of technical practice areas which are equally strong. The firm is expanding its client base in digital communication and computer technologies but pharma an...
Hardly any other German practice has built up such a profile in connected cars disputes as the German patent team at this US firm. US core client Harman International and its German subsidiary Harman Becker played a key role in the German connected cars suits on the supplier side, which was a real coup for the Düsseldorf team around Holzapfel. The team not only advises Harman intensively on contract law and licences but is also involved in nullity and infringement cases. Indeed competitors claim that Holzapfel was already visible in the proceed...
Full AnalysisFollowing the arrival of Adam in mid-2018, this mixed boutique had the right team to bring several NPE suits before German courts in quick succession. One example is its work for Innovative Foundry Technologies concerning connected cars. The NPE is accusing VW and Ford of infringing its patents in their infotainment modules. While Adam is not regarded as a designated mobile communications expert, his litigation experience raised the team’s profile in the market, which was already on a good footing with Peterreins and Schley. Up to now PS has be...
Full AnalysisIn only two years, this international litigation firm made an impressive start. Since its launch, the spinoff of Paris and Munich lawyers from Olswang has acquired a solid position in the German market through its Munich team around Lynker. It has long defended core client ZTE against infringement suits from video pool MPEG LA. Taliens is also fighting on several fronts for TCL. The team has a clear focus on mobile communications and clients from this sector claim to be “very satisfied” with its work. The team has a broad technical range but is...
Full AnalysisThe selection of law firms in the above table reflects the research of the editorial staff at JUVE and is based on interviews with clients, lawyers and academics. It remains a subjective view and implies no disparagement of any firm not mentioned here but which is nevertheless active in this field. The firms are alphabetically listed within the groups. To find out more about our rankings and research criteria please click here and here.
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