JUVE Comment

The patent litigation team at this German full-service firm put in a strong appearance for its regular clients of Mittelstand companies and the pharma sector, where it exploited its experience in biosimilars and SPCs. Thanks to strong ties to a patent attorney firm, the team also took on the litigation for Diazyme in a suit over biomarkers. But the practice has not appeared in the big-ticket pharma proceedings for some years now and was not hired for the recent major mobile communications cases either. The two younger partners are yet to match up to the renowned Bopp in terms of market visibility. He is still active in some cases as of counsel. The team is also too small by comparison to be attractive to clients for large-scale proceedings. As part of a national full-service firm, the practice is more limited when it comes to growth than IP boutiques. However, potential could lie in FRAND issues or connected cars suits due to the strong interface with the highly esteemed antitrust practice and the firm’s excellent connections to south German carmakers.

Strengths

Litigation for pharmaceuticals and telecoms patents.

European strategy

With its currently slim partner setup for UPC proceedings and the strategically restricted scope as part of a national, independent full-service firm, the patents team remains limited. In addition, it must rely on the international relations to other firms in the important UPC countries. With the exception of Gide in Paris, these do not have any established patent litigation know-how and Gide also works with other German patent firms. In London the firm has good ties to renowned firms, but these are not exclusive.

Recommended individuals

Matthias Sonntag (“can break up complex problems in an ordered way”, competitor), Herwig Lux

Team

2 partners, 3 counsel, 6 associates, 1 of counsel

Specialties

All-round advice on IP, especially in trademarks and unfair competition and patent litigation. Employee invention law, R&D cooperations, licences and M&A transactions. Advice on the interface with antitrust.

Clients

Litigation: Orlalab General Atomics/Diazyme/DiaSys/Orlalab (claimant) against Brahms over biomarker procalcitonin (PCT). Advice: ongoing to Bosch and Procter & Gamble, Maruho.