JUVE Comment

This large, international firm has a strong profile in Germany with its integrated team of patent attorneys and lawyers. The patent attorneys operate a relatively broad prosecution practice and provide litigation support to the well-positioned German litigation team as well as teams in other European markets where Jones Day has no patent attorneys. The German team is especially renowned in the chemicals sector, for example providing extensive litigation for Celgene in EPO oppositions. The team often cooperates with the strong US practice and colleagues in the UK and France, for instance for Idenix Pharmaceuticals against Gilead over the economically important Hepatitis C drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni. The firm’s German team is also well established among auto suppliers and traditional engineering companies. With the arrival of a team of electrical engineers previously working in their own firm, JD was able to fill a gap with experienced patent attorneys – a shrewd move to take advantage of the growing prosecution business coming to Germany via the US practice. However, renowned patent attorney Martin Weber surprisingly left the firm long before reaching the age limit for Jones Day partners. He played a central role in building the German practice and was the face of the pharma practice.

Strengths

Patent prosecution with technical expertise in the pharmaceuticals, biotech and auto sectors. Pharma proceedings. Very strong US practice.

European strategy

The European patents practice is present at some of the key locations for patent disputes in Europe such as Munich, London and Paris. In particular in the French capital Jones Day is strongly positioned with Thomas Bouvet’s team. The second pillar of the European practice is the German team, which impresses with a well-coordinated team of lawyers and patent attorneys. Although the firm also has an office in Düsseldorf, Jones Day is not visible here with well-known partners. There is also room for development for the London team. The European team has an especially strong footprint in life sciences disputes. Internationally, close cooperation with the strong US teams is an asset, as is the integrated work with patent attorneys mainly located in the German offices.

Recommended individuals

Gerd Jaekel, Christian Paul; patent attorneys: Dorothée Weber-Bruls

Team

7 partners, 2 counsel, 10 associates, of whom 16 are patent attorneys or dual-qualified

Partner moves

Martin Weber (retirement)

Specialties

All-round IP activity with a focus on technical protection rights. Prosecution practice with broad technical expertise. Opposition and nullity suits and infringement proceedings. Licensing contracts, transactions and strategic advice.

Clients

Litigation: Akebia Therapeutics (claimant) against FibroGen over EPO drug; BioMarin Pharmaceutical (defendant) against Alfred E. Tiefenbacher, Dipharma., Teva, Generics over orphan drug Kuvan; Celgene (defendant) in opposition suit against various generics manufacturers over cancer drug; CJ Cheil Jedang (defendant) against Ajinomoto over method for production of amino acids; Idenix Pharmaceuticals (defendant) against Gilead over Hepatitis C drug Sovaldi and Harvoni; Innio (claimant) against various German manufacturers over motors; Lufthansa Technik (claimant) over aeroplane electronics; Tung Thih Electronic (TTE) Valeo (claimant) over distance warning for vehicles, ongoing litigation for Wonderland. Prosecution: (all public knowledge) patent filing and some oppositions for Akebia Therapeutics, Blickle Räder + Rollen, Convex, Ensyn Renewables, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Puma Biotechnology, Rational, Samvardhana Motherson Group (SMR) Automotive, Sunrise Medical.