JUVE Comment

The foundation for the mixed patent team at this Munich IP boutique is Dieter Laufhütte’s very well-positioned prosecution practice. It files patents for a multitude of Mittelstand technology companies, such as Alois Pöttinger Maschinenbau, as well as well-known brand manufacturers like Ford and Liebherr. The patent attorneys litigate for these clients, too, in opposition and nullity suits. These cases are frequently part of infringement proceedings, which the firm also handles with its own lawyers. LSG appears in the courtrooms for regular clients such as Blizzard, Fibertex and Fresenius Medical Care, as well as for the German subsidiaries of international corporations like Ford or Mazda. Despite the high number of proceedings compared to others in the market, it is the patent attorneys who are the face of the litigation work at LSG. The lawyers, on the other hand, are mostly known for trademarks and unfair competition litigation. Their best-known patent litigation case is still Telefonica/O2 in a mobile communications class action by NPE Intellectual Ventures. They are not active in any other proceedings of a similar calibre. Despite the combination of experience in mobile communications proceedings and a strong client base in the auto industry, the hot topic of connected cars has so far passed LSG by.

Strengths

Patent prosecution with technical expertise in mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive. Litigation with mixed teams.

European strategy

Lorenz Seidler Gossel is first and foremost a national IP boutique, which looks after German Mittelstand companies. It is rarely active in large, cross-border cases. The firm did, however, prepare for the UPC launch years ago: it built up its mixed practice but also forged alliances with a French and a British firm two years ago, which it hopes to intensify as soon as the UPC is set to launch.

Recommended individuals

Dieter Laufhütte, Uwe Herrmann (“they are reliable and meticulous”, competitor; both patent attorneys)

Team

10 patent attorneys, 5 lawyers

Specialties

All-round IP activity with strong practice in trademarks and unfair competition. Patents activity centres on patent prosecution with a broad technical spectrum. Opposition and nullity suits and infringement proceedings.

Clients

Litigation: O2/Telefónica (defendant) against Intellectual Ventures and Munitech over mobile communications; Geox (claimant) over shoes; Liebherr (claimant) over refrigerators; KSB (claimant) on oppositions over pump technology; regularly for Alois Pöttinger, Blizzard, Fibertex, Ford, Fresenius Medical Care, Mazda and ProSiebenSat. 1 Media. Prosecution: filing and oppositions for Alois Pöttinger Maschinenbau, Blizzard Sport, Carl Zeiss, DSM Nutrition, Faun, Fibertex, Fresenius Medical Care, Ford, Liebherr, Mazda and ProSiebenSat. 1 Media.