JUVE Comment

This German full-service firm’s team of lawyers, who are well-positioned in patents, has impressed the market with a clear separation of responsibilities between the Cologne and Munich practices. In Cologne, the team led by Jens Kunzmann and Kurt Bartenbach boasts outstanding experience in employee invention law and entitlement actions. In Munich, Stephan Gruber is one of the best-known litigators for infringement and nullity suits by Mittelstand companies like Wacker Chemie. Clients of both teams are increasingly utilising the full-service capabilities of the firm: Heraeus, Magna, Siemens, Schaeffler and Phoenix Contact are now advised on both specialties. Thanks to its success, CBH has recently appointed a third partner in Munich after Hannes Jacobsen.

CBH is strongly anchored among companies from the automotive and chemicals industries overall. Despite strong relationships with auto suppliers, CBH, unlike Preu Bohlig, cannot be found in the connected cars suits. The Munich team was not visible in pharma proceedings for a long time, but recently took on the defence of a drugstore in a case involving a second medical use patent for an anti-aging component in sunscreen.

Nevertheless, the firm’s strong contacts to many German corporations like Bayer and VW, through its advice on employee invention law, would make a good starting point for young partners like Hannes Jacobsen to raise CBH’s visibility in the highly litigious pharma sector, as well as in connected cars issues. The Cologne team’s list of first-class clients even includes a chip and mobile communications manufacturer, which could open up further opportunities in mobile communications disputes.

Strengths

Employee invention law for companies, infringement litigation, especially for the auto and chemicals industries.

Recommended individuals

Kurt Bartenbach, Stephan Gruber (“brilliant mind, he can quote the right Supreme Court ruling for every problem”, competitor), Jens Kunzmann (“highly competent and good advice”, client), Martin Quodbach, Hannes Jacobsen (“really gives it his all, makes his mark”, competitor)

Team

6 partners, 3 associates, 1 of counsel

Specialties

In IP, advice and litigation on trademarks, unfair competition and technical protection rights to an equal degree. Strong focus on employee invention law, infringement and nullity proceedings. Also licences, R&D contracts and transactions.

Clients

Litigation: regularly for Heraeus, Magna, Siemens Healthcare, Voith Turbo, Wacker Chemie, retailer for consumer goods and a German electronics manufacturer; Phoenix Contact (claimant) against Harting over plug connectors; Schaeffler (both claimant and defendant) against BorgWarner over control valves; Avago (claimant) against Firecomms over opto coupling; VW (defendant) against Metatron over injection technology; Bayer, Siemens, Eberspächer, Thyssenkrupp and German transport company on patent and inventors’ law; Bosch Rexroth, Ford and VW on inventors’ law; drugstore (defendant) against Stada over second medical use claim concerning anti-aging component in sunscreen. Advice: Wacker Chemie on supply agreement concerning Covid19 vaccine with CureVac.