JUVE Comment

This IP boutique has a strong market image for patent litigation. The patent team is firmly anchored among clients in the mechanics sector but is seeing a steady stream of interesting work in a range of sectors, often thanks to good ties to patent attorney firms like Weickmann & Weickmann. Telecommunications proceedings are increasingly where the action is in terms of business development. The team demonstrated its extensive litigation experience with its successful representation of claimant Virtual Paper Licensing against Sony regarding laptops.

Klaka closed its Düsseldorf office in 2021. Although partner Olaf Giebe will continue to work primarily from Düsseldorf, the team is building on the digital operations that worked so well during the coronavirus pandemic and will not have an official address. With this brave step, Klaka is one of the first IP boutiques that is looking to cut costs without needing to. The example could set a precedent.

The partner-centric team is, however, still very small. It should take advantage of the opportunities for young lawyers to raise their visibility in the numerous mobile communications cases to build a squad of associates well known in the market. Competitors such as Preu Bohlig and Kather Augenstein have not neglected the development of young talent and come up trumps with larger teams.

Strengths

Litigation related to mechanics and mobile communications.

European strategy

Internationally Klaka nurtures close ties to patent attorneys and other lesser-known European litigation firms. The firm will have to grow and establish other stand-out litigators besides Olaf Giebe for a convincing UPC strategy.

Recommended individuals

Olaf Giebe (“very thorough”, competitor), Wolfgang Götz (“always able to develop a strategy safeguarding the interests of his clients”, competitor), Stefan Eck (“always excellent cooperation with very good results for his clients”, competitor), Constantin Kurtz (“great, especially in technology”, client)

Team

4 partners, 1 of counsel

Specialties

Strong focus on patent law, exclusively litigation and advice. Also highly regarded practice in trademarks and unfair competition.

Clients

Litigation: ZTE, NXT Netcare Services and Xiaomi (defendants) against Wsou over procedure for splitting uplink and downlink capacities (settled in 2020); Wiko (defendant) against Sisvel, 3G Licensing and LG over mobile telecommunications; TCT (defendant) against Fraunhofer over SEPs; AVM Computersysteme (defendant) against NPE over ISDN patents; Virtual Paper Licensing (claimant) against Sony over laptops; Bulthaup (claimant) against Rehau and Sachsenküchen over laser treatment of artificial material edges; Certoplast (defendant) against Tesa over special adhesive tape for harness; Pilous (defendant) against Nordpack Kartonverpackung over bumpers (setteled in 2020); Fischerwerke (defendant) against Celo Fijaciones on special fastenings for bathroom ceramics; Fränkische Industrial Pipes (defendant) against ABB over tube connectors; ongoing activity for AVM Computersysteme, 3M, Witron. Advice and portfolio management: Dürr, Leukocare; Wiko on SEPs.