JUVE Comment

Strong 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 and was quickly integrated, partly thanks to the work for Wiko. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of the UPC, the firm continues to build up its mixed litigation team. In terms of quality and breadth of top instructions, however, the litigation practice lags behind the market leaders in infringement cases. When it comes to biotech patents, on the other hand, VP is at the head of the European pack. The patent attorneys around Jaenichen, for example, represent CRISPR Therapeutics against the Broad Institute in the dispute over CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology. In medical products the firm has a strong position with numerous cases for Smith & Nephew, ResMed and Boston Scientific.

Strengths

Patent prosecution and litigation related to pharmaceuticals, biotech, chemicals mechanics, medical technology and mobile communications patents.

European strategy

Brexit could still make a London office attractive to VP in the long term, as it could offer US clients an alternative to British firms. But VP is also getting set for more cross-border work as well as for a UPC system with the UK by expanding its litigation team and forging alliances with renowned European firms, as its international setup is somewhat weaker than that of Hoffmann Eitle or Grünecker.

Recommended individuals

Thure Schubert, Kai Rüting (“excellent expertise, highly professional”, competitor), Georg Rauh, Andreas Kramer; patent attorneys: Hans-Rainer Jaenichen (“absolutely top in biotech”, competitor), Alexa von Uexküll, Elard Frhr. von Schenck zu Schweinsberg

Team

57 patent attorneys, 14 lawyers

Specialties

All-round IP activity.Strong patent prosecution department with three technical practices: chemicals, life science and technology (incl. mobile communications). Litigation in integrated teams. Trademarks and unfair competition.

Clients

Litigation: Archos against Philips over video coding; Wiko against Ericsson and Philips over mobile communications; ZTE against MPEG-LA pool over audio compression; Resmed against Fisher & Paykel over medical breathing masks; 3M against competitor over abrasive material; Atnahs Pharma against Aliud over ibandronate; Boston Scientific against Nevo over pain management through neuromodulation; Heineken against Anheuser-Busch over novel beer tap system. Prosecution: CRISPR Therapeutics on opposition against basic patent; Smith & Nephew against KCI on opposition against over bandages; filings and oppositions for Boston Scientific, 3M, IMC Group, Iscar, LG, Max-Planck Society, NEC, ResMed, Roche, Sumitomo.