JUVE Comment

This mixed Munich IP firm remains visible across Germany with a technically broad prosecution practice and a strong name for disputes. The firm displayed its long-standing roots in the auto industry – it has close ties to both suppliers and OEMs – in litigation for VW on the patent attorney side in a dispute over infotainment modules, which is now settled. In other connected cars suits, the firm is active in the background, e.g. for BMW. In its activities involving traditional auto industry issues, name partner Wallinger is and will remain a strong drawing card. One client praised how the firm has worked flat out to build up expertise in connectivity issues and SEPs. The firm is busy filing connectivity patents, for example, for BMW, and increasingly for medical product manufacturer Fresenius Medical Care. But the firm is far from realising its full potential in connectivity litigation – especially on the lawyer side. The litigation team is small with just one lawyer and is rarely seen in the large series of proceedings. Instead it tends to work within a broad technical spectrum, e.g. for Verbio concerning biodiesel or Zimmer regarding medical technology. Other mixed firms like Meissner Bolte or Vossius have invested substantially in their litigation teams recently, so reinforcements would be a good idea for Wallinger. Two sectors dominate prosecution work: besides the auto industry, the firm is active for pharma and biotech companies. The patent attorney team also handles many disputes for regular prosecution clients like Boehringer Ingelheim or Eppendorf, mostly EPO oppositions or nullity suits.

Strengths

Pharmaceuticals patents and litigation predominantly for the auto sector.

Recommended individuals

Mathias Ricker, Michael Wallinger (both patent attorneys)

Team

18 patent attorneys, 1 lawyer

Specialities

All-round IP activity. Much litigation, licences, IP transactions and IP management. Midsized filing practice with broad technical expertise.

Clients

Litigation: for AVL List, BMW, C&E Fein/Robert Bosch, Eppendorf, Fresenius Medical Care, Kuka, Ulthera and Zimmer Medizinsysteme; VW (defendant) against Innovative Foundry Technologies over infotainment modules. Prosecution: filing and oppositions for Archroma, BMW, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eastman, Kuka, LuK, Merck KGaA, Merz, Mölnlycke, MTU, Senvion and ZTE; filing for AVL List, C&E Fein/Robert Bosch, Eppendorf, Fresenius Medical Care, Vertex and a German pharma manufacturer; oppositions for Borregaard, Schaeffler and US tyre manufacturer.