JUVE Comment

Once again this Munich patent attorney firm confirmed it is one of the most active litigation outfits when it comes to mobile phone patents, esp. for industry. S&P boasts an established relationship with Apple; the iPhone manufacturer consistently called on S&P alongside other firms for technical issues when defending against a wave of lawsuits from Qualcomm. Wiko and Facebook also retain the patent attorneys for German mobile communication cases. In the first major connected cars battle, the Munich outfit was there from the start, advising Continental as co-litigant of VW, as well as Nokia (a core client of S&P) against Daimler. S&P advises such clients regularly, as a multitude of lawyers bring the firm into proceedings. While litigation firms such as Bird & Bird, Hogan Lovells and Hoyng ROKH Monegier are expanding their technical expertise, S&P has countered this with strong and direct contacts to clients. Furthermore, S&P is almost unrivalled among patent attorney firms in its number of partners experienced in litigation. Whereas its litigation is concentrated on mobile communications, the firm’s prosecution work covers a greater breadth of technical fields. These also give rise to litigation outside of mobile communications, such as the work for Vestas concerning wind energy plants and for a weapons manufacturer.

Strengths

Prosecution related to electronics, software, IT and mechanics. Litigation involving mobile communications.

Recommended individuals

Michael Turi, Wolfgang Lippich (“very good research and good research network”, client); Friedrich von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Tobias Stammberger, Alexander Münster-Horstkotte (“very high success rate in nullity suits”, client; all patent attorneys)

Team

20 patent attorneys

Specialties

Active exclusively in IP. Strong focus on technical protection rights. 50 percent patent filing with a broad technical spectrum, 50 percent disputes by patent attorneys: opposition and nullity suits and infringement proceedings, the latter exclusively with external lawyers.

Clients

Litigation: Apple and Intel against Qualcomm and ParkerVision; Deutsche Telekom and Nokia against Intellectual Ventures; Wiko against Ericsson; Motorola against Hytera; Facebook against Blackberry (all over mobile communications); Nokia against Daimler; Continental against Broadcom (both over connected cars patents); Vesta against GE over wind power plants. Prosecution: filings and oppositions for Amadeus, Heckler & Koch, Intel, Max&Co., Vestas (all public knowledge).