JUVE Comment

The German team of this European IP boutique is among the market leading pure-lawyer firms in Germany. The team frequently conducts patent litigation in several markets in cooperation with equally well-positioned colleagues in Amsterdam and Paris. What sets the team apart from its closest German competitors Bird & Bird and Hogan Lovells is that it is not part of an international large firm structure, yet is still highly visible for IP in the key markets across Europe – with the exception of the London patent courts. Although there are patent attorneys at the Amsterdam office, setting up a mixed practice is not on the German team’s agenda. It continues to bank on strong ties to national patent attorney firms. The firm enjoys an especially strong position in mobile communications cases and pharma proceedings, representing, for example, Gilead in the game-changing SPC proceedings. In the mobile communications sector, Apple and Huawei frequently bank on the firm for cases involving mobile communications standards and other technologies – albeit not exclusively. The team is now predominantly active on the side of SEP users and defendants. The close relationship with mobile communications chip manufacturer Intel plays an important role. Hoyng ROKH Monegier was active for SEP holders for a long time, as Nokia’s go-to advisor, but is not working for Nokia at present. This is a massive change for the firm’s mobile communications work. The firm has long represented another company frequently taken to court by SEP holders: Deutsche Telekom. Overall, the firm is anchored within a broad technical spectrum and has a large, visible team of partners, which it recently bolstered with an internal appointment.

Strengths

Cross-border litigation over pharma, electronics and telecom patents, including SEP and FRAND suits.

European strategy

This IP firm has gained a firm toehold at the top of the Dutch, German and French markets in recent years. It has established a broad geographical position in Europe through an intelligent merger strategy, and it did this earlier and to a greater extent than other IP boutiques. In addition, the firm has small offices in Brussels and Madrid. So far, it has shown no interest in London, an important location for pharmaceutical cases. In the current uncertain times for British firms, Hoyng ROKH Monegier’s lack of a London office is even an advantage – it will not be hindered by the turbulence and can operate as a strong cooperation partner to the two market-leading British boutiques. At the same time, the firm is driving cross-border cooperation among the individual offices and is increasingly using multinational teams. This makes it currently the only IP boutique that can hold a candle to the large international practices of Allen & Overy, Bird & Bird and Hogan Lovells when it comes to cross-border work.

Recommended individuals

Klaus Haft (“smart, competitive, very good patent litigator”, competitor), Martin Köhler, Kay Kasper, (“first-class case-coordination”, competitor), Tobias Hahn, Christine Kanz (“outstanding for pharma litigation”, competitor), Mirko Weinert, Stefan Richter

Team

10 equity partners, 2 counsel, 10 associates, 1 of counsel

Specialties

Pan-European IP boutique focusing on patent infringement proceedings and nullity suits. Also licences, R&D cooperations and transactions. Trademarks and unfair competition.

Clients

Litigation: Apple (defendant) against ParkerVision over mobile communications; Ceva (defendant) against Bayer over veterinary medicine; Essity (claimant) against Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti over toilet paper; Gilead (claimant) against Teva over SPC for HIV drug Truvada; Hanwha Q-Cells (claimant) against Longi, REC and Jinko over solar cell; Intel in employee-invention disputes; Texas Instruments (defendant) against Innovative Foundry Technologies over OMAP processors; ongoing activity for Aspen Aerogels, Deutsche Telekom, Huawei, Samsung (all public knowledge). Advice for Airbus.