JUVE Comment

The strong German team at this international law firm used its generational change to grow and this is attracting more extensive work. The tech team around Jan Ebersohl and young partner Denise Benz has developed its practice dynamically so as to handle more comprehensive series of proceedings, for example for Samsung.

The close relationship with Bayer is keeping the life sciences team around Stephan Neuhaus busy, especially the litigation in the extensive proceedings over the company’s most important blockbuster, Xarelto. However, the arrival of a second highly experienced partner now brings further potential.

The team continues to chart a course for growth in its push for the top of the market – a promising strategy for landing and conducting major cases of Xarelto’s calibre.

European set-up

A&O’s tech team has already filed a considerable number of lawsuits at the UPC. New clients such as DISH Media/Sling TV have entrusted the team with video streaming cases. Another example is the case for long-standing client Samsung against Headwater Research concerning data-saving mode for mobile phones, as well as an extensive case concerning semiconductors.

The life sciences team is not yet involved in UPC proceedings, but this may simply be because originators are not currently using the new court and the practice is not yet well connected with medical device manufacturers which are actively using the UPC. However, UPC work for its regular clients seems to be a matter of time – the fully integrated litigation team, which is well-practised in pan-European proceedings, is in the starting block.

The lawyers in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and the UK have a strength in representing notable pharma innovators and can point to numerous achievements in cross-border disputes, such as the work for Bayer, MGI, MSD and Eli Lilly.

Strengths

Litigation related to mobile communications patents, as well as biotech and pharmaceuticals on the originator side.

Recommended individuals

Denise Benz (“very good”, client), Jan Ebersohl, (“friendly, stalwart”, competitor), Stephan Neuhaus

Team

9 lawyers, 2 patent attorneys

Clients

Litigation: Bayer against Accord, Betapharm and others over treatment of thromboembolic disorders rivaroxaban/Xarelto; Mundipharma against Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in damages proceedings; DISH Media/Sling TV against Aylo over adaptive bit rate video streaming; Synaptics (co-defendant of Google) against Philips concerning mobile communications; frequent litigation for Google, Samsung, Giesecke+Devrient, Hoffmann-La Roche (public knowledge).