JUVE Comment

This small partner-centred IP boutique has built up a good reputation for infringement proceedings, particularly in telecommunications and often in connection with FRAND issues. Industry giants such as Oppo and Xiaomi are among its long-standing clients, and now Infineon is also relying on the Munich team in a dispute against its Chinese competitor Innoscience.

In other technical areas such as mechanics, large German SMEs such as Fischerwerke and Certoplast ensure a steady stream of litigation work.

Despite its low headcount, the team has proven in the past that it can handle even large-scale disputes, for example for AVM Computersysteme, which it represented in parallel proceedings against Huawei and an NPE. But given the fact that renowned senior partner Olaf Giebe is approaching retirement age, Klaka would benefit from further growth.

European set-up

The small Munich team is very experienced in litigation and maintains close contacts with various patent attorney firms. The work for Memodo also came via a recommendation from patent attorneys. Klaka is representing the distribution partner of solar module manufacturer Aiko in a UPC lawsuit against competitor Maxeon. Despite its good contacts to mobile phone companies and extensive experience in SEP disputes, the small team is likely to lack the clout for more extensive proceedings at the new court. Xiaomi and Oppo are relying on major international law firms such as Hogan Lovells, Freshfields or international cooperations such as Vossius-Brinkhof in the dispute against Panasonic. Other IP boutiques such as Arnold Ruess or Kather Augenstein, which are already highly active at the UPC, have significantly more clout for leading large cases. Furthermore, Klaka has not been seen as often in cross-border litigation in the past as these Düsseldorf boutique firms.

Strengths

Litigation related to mechanics and mobile communications.

Recommended individuals

Wolfgang Götz (“agreeable and highly competent, always ready to develop the optimum strategy to secure the client’s interests”, competitor), Stefan Eck (“first choice, excellent and thorough work”, competitor), Constantin Kurtz

Team

5 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: AVM Computersysteme against Huawei over wi-fi-compatible devices and against NPE over ISDN patents; Xiaomi against NPE over SEPs (all settled 2024); Infineon against Innoscience over gallium nitride semiconductors; Ball-b against FZV30 over pest-control traps; Certoplast against Tesa over special adhesive tape for harnesses; Fränkische Industrial Pipes against ABB over tube connectors; frequent litigation for Fischerwerke, Orope, Witron. Advice: Oppo concerning FRAND.