JUVE Comment

This European IP boutique is holding its ground as a market leader in Germany. Its large team of exceptionally renowned partners is visible in mobile communications and life sciences proceedings alike.

The firm sets itself apart from market-leading competitors Bird & Bird and Hogan Lovells with its approach as a pure IP boutique, despite an international setup with preeminent teams in Amsterdam, Paris and Germany. It is now clear that the merger of the formerly national boutiques has been a big success. Conflicts of interest between the offices have been resolved. The offices have acquired numerous new clients together, among them Lenovo.

In mobile communications, the German team was once the go-to advisor for Nokia, which holds many SEPs. Nowadays, the practice is primarily found on the side of implementors like Deutsche Telekom, Intel or Huawei. It litigated for the Chinese mobile communications manufacturer against Nokia as co-defendant of Daimler over connected cars patents, and in a series of actions against an NPE over patents for LTE. Apple is another client that frequently counts on the German team to defend it in mobile communication cases.

Hoyng ROKH Monegier’s visibility in high-profile mobile communications proceedings is matched in pharma and biotech cases. Such notable clients as Gilead entrust the IP firm with their central cases. The team led by Christine Kanz is one of the top players for both the hot topics and ongoing issues, such as SPCs, biosimilars and second medical use.

The firm is also active in high-stakes cases in a wide range of technical sectors. Litigation for Philip Morris over e-cigarettes and Heckler & Koch concerning guns stand out.

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. The Dutch office also provides additional technical expertise in international proceedings through its mixed setup. 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 (“exceptional expertise, world-class team leadership and coordination of complex patent disputes”, competitor), Martin Köhler (“proactive, highly service-oriented and creative”, client), Kay Kasper (“distinguished expertise in patent law”, competitor), Tobias Hahn (“efficient, reliable, knowledgeable”, competitor), Christine Kanz (“quick grasp; always calm and assured, even under pressure”, competitor), Mirko Weinert (“level-headed, structured, extensive knowledge”, competitor), Stefan Richter

Team

10 equity partners, 1 counsel, 12 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: Ceva (defendant) against Bayer over veterinary medicine (public knowledge); Gilead (claimant) against Teva over SPC for HIV drug Truvada; Essity (claimant) against Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti over toilet paper (public knowledge); Apple (defendant) against ParkerVision over mobile communications (public knowledge); Huawei (co-defendant of Daimler) against Nokia over connected cars and against IP Bridge over LTEs; Deutsche Telekom (defendant) against Intellectual Ventures over mobile communications; Lenovo (defendant) against Nokia over video coding patent (public knowledge); Sony (defendant) against Virtual Paper Licensing over digital books (public knowledge); Intel in employee invention disputes; Philip Morris (defendant) against British American Tobacco over e-cigarettes (public knowledge); Storopack Hans Reichenecker (defendant) against Ranpak over paper cushioning technology (public knowledge); Fujifilm (claimant) against Nazdar over digital inks; Hanwha Q-Cells (claimant) against Longi, REC and Jinko over solar cell; Heckler & Koch (claimant) against C.G. Haenel over weapons; ongoing activity for Aspen Aerogels, Huawei, Samsung, Elekta (all public knowledge). Advice: Airbus, Dr. Kurt Wolff/Dr. August Wolff, Open TV, Samsung.