JUVE Comment

Sebastian Heim’s patent team at this German full-service firm boasts a solid position in patent litigation for Mittelstand companies strong in the technological sectors and currently works for the firm’s regular clients including ZF Friedrichshafen, Ziehm Imaging and garage door manufacturer Hörmann in infringement proceedings and parallel nullity suits. The team increasingly conducts these, as well as opposition and nullity suits, without external patent attorneys. Clients regularly express high satisfaction with the service and work results. In litigation, specialties in the automotive, renewable energies and medical products sectors are emerging.

Strengths

Patent litigation for midsized companies.

European strategy

Like Noerr or Gleiss Lutz, Beiten Burkhardt is a nationally independent firm, which makes it difficult for the patent team as part of a full-service firm to form its own strategic alliances with other European IP firms. BB’s patents practice has an informal but non-exclusive network with IP firms around the world. As the team tends to litigate for Mittelstand companies in German proceedings, strengthening the IP network is not a high priority. BB increasingly litigates before the EPO courts without external patent attorneys.

Recommended individuals

Sebastian Heim (“delivers very good results in patent litigation”, client)

Team

2 equity partners, 4 salary partners, 2 associates

Specialties

Patent litigation with a focus on automotive, medical devices and green tech. Advice regarding inventor rights, transactions and FTO analysis.

Clients

Litigation: ZF Friedrichshafen (claimant) against Voith over transmission technology for rail vehicles (settled 2019); Wattkraft (defendant) against SolarEdge over solar technology; Hörmann (defendant) against Novoferm over garage doors; Ziehm Imaging (defendant) against SiemensHealthcare over X-ray technology; frequent litigation for Allgeier IT Solutions, Betten Duscher, Hilti, Rail Power Systems, Taco Italia.