JUVE Comment

This large and dynamic team of lawyers is a market leader in Germany. As part of the internationally integrated patent practice, it is involved in an impressive number of high-volume international patent disputes. Traditionally, Taylor Wessing has deep roots in the life sciences sector and regularly conducts economically significant proceedings for companies such as Abbott, Pfizer, Glenmark, Stada and Mylan/Viatris. Taylor Wessing now also wins over well-known companies such as Realme/Oppo in mobile communications proceedings, as well as companies from numerous other innovative sectors.

The development of the two young partners Anja Lunze and Jan Phillip Rektorschek alongside the renowned senior partners Gisbert Hohagen, Dietrich Kamlah and Christian Lederer has contributed to the practice’s rising visibility in recent years. The firm thus not only has a strong and broad base of partners nationally, but can also utilise this in its work in the UK and neighbouring countries.

European set-up

Taylor Wessing is one of the outfits that received a shot in the arm from the UPC. Clients such as Abbott, CEAD, Tandem Diabetes Care, Revolt Zycling and Hanshow trust the German team, which works closely with its counterparts in the UK, Benelux and Vienna. The lawyers consistently collaborate with external patent attorneys from small and medium-sized patent firms experienced in litigation. This traditional German approach works well in the complex parallel proceedings the firm is conducting at national courts and the UPC. Taylor Wessing can easily handle numerous intensive UPC cases with parallel national litigation. The firm only lacks a team at the UPC venue in Paris. Consequently, client Abbott also calls on the market-leading French outfit August Debouzy for certain proceedings.

In other cases, such as for Verifone against Nokia, Taylor Wessing is working alongside another leading law firm, Hoyng ROKH Monegier, and the patent attorneys from Wüsthoff & Wüsthoff at the client’s request.

The first phase of the new court has proved that Taylor Wessing’s line-up works. Now the practice must ensure that the workflow does not taper off, even when complex proceedings are settled or ended, because only a steady flow of major proceedings can ensure a good utilisation rate for the large team.

Strengths

Litigation related to pharmaceuticals on the generics side as well as concerning medical devices and telecoms. Good contacts in China and Japan.

Recommended individuals

Christoph de Coster, Gisbert Hohagen (“very experienced”, competitor), Dietrich Kamlah (“genuinely cares about the case and is a tireless worker, always delivers what we need”, client), Roland Küppers, Christian Lederer (“fabulous”, client), Anja Lunze (“truly good”, competitor), Jan Phillip Rektorschek (“competent, responsive, innovative”, competitor)

Team

24 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: Abbott against Dexcom over portable glucose-monitoring devices; Exertis against Huawei over wi-fi 6 standard; Realme/Oppo against Ox/Longhorn IP over 5G patents; Pfizer (co-defendant of BioNTech) against CureVac and Moderna over mRNA patents; Glenmark and Stada against Novartis over MS drug fingolimod; Mylan/Viatris against Bayer over cancer drug sorafenib; Mylan/Viatris against Teva over multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone; Mylan/Viatris against Biogen over multiple sclerosis drug dimethylfumarate; Allison against Cybex and HTS over children’s seats; Tesa (claimant) against Certoplast over special adhesive tape for harness.