JUVE Comment

This 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 and von Rospatt. In both fields, ROP is active for industry and originator companies. The firm litigates on a wide spectrum of technical fields and, like many of its competitors, increasingly conducts nullity suits and oppositions without external patent attorneys. In the major patent cases, observers have noticed that the ROP partners work as a team much more effectively than other boutiques. In cross-border cases this ability to deploy large teams has lent the firm a competitive advantage. Like other Düsseldorf litigation firms, ROP has continued to grow cautiously, most recently with an associate.

Strengths

Pharmaceuticals and mobile communications litigation, strong international contacts.

European strategy

The boutique is banking on its independence and close contacts in European litigation firms. Intensifying good connections to British firms Bristows and Powell Gilbert would be a good move, especially if the UPC should enter into force at one stage, as both are being wooed by other German firms.

Recommended individuals

Max von Rospatt, Thomas Musmann, Henrik Timmann, Hetti Hilge

Team

7 partners, 7 associates

Specialties

Predominantly IP on the interfaces with pharma advertising law and antitrust. Clear focus on patent infringement proceedings. Trademarks and unfair competition.

Clients

Litigation: Samsung and LG against Onebutton; Samsung against Sharp over telecom standard; Samsung against Fipa over G3 patent; LG against Onebutton and WiLan (all over mobile communications); Alpine as co-litigant of BMW against Broadcom over connected cars patent; Biogen against Fresenius Kabi over Humira; CSL Behring against Shire over active substance against auto-immune disease; Illumina over nucleic acid sequencing; Biogen against Forward Pharma on opposition over Tecfidera; Mundipharma against generics manufacturer over Targin; BP against Swedish Biofuels over E10 fuel; Rhodia over catalysts; Unilin over laminate; Innova against LTS over ski lifts. Advice: Mowhak on licencing projects; Siemens on portfolio syndication.