JUVE Comment

This medium-sized patent boutique from Germany’s Ruhr region has established a strong reputation for comprehensive prosecution and litigation support in mechanical engineering, especially with regards to the auto industry. The team is one of the best known in western Germany and provides extensive guidance to its established client base of German SMEs and some industrial corporates, including Hochtief and Kiekert, in EPO oppositions, nullity actions, and proceedings at the German Patent and Trademark Office. This is demonstrated by its work for clients such as GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklearservice, Wessel-Werk, and Nitto. The firm also maintains a broad prosecution practice, filing patents for KHS Group, Perma-Tec, and TI Automotive Technology Center.

Working alongside external litigation boutiques such as Preu Bohlig, the team regularly supports its core clients in infringement proceedings. While the firm’s focus remains on national proceedings and EPO oppositions, it is nevertheless building on its initial UPC experience with new instructions, for example by Kompernaß against Robert Bosch over drywall screwdrivers.

However, the firm still has a way to go when it comes to UPC cases. This could change if its tech-savvy SME clients were to make greater use of the court, or if the patent attorneys were to establish themselves more as litigation experts and, in collaboration with partner law firms, attract additional litigation business. Other patent attorney firms, such as rival Cohausz & Florak, focus much more intensively on litigation.

Strengths

Nullity and opposition proceedings with technical expertise in engineering, especially for the automotive industries.

Recommended individuals

Andreas von dem Borne (“excellent support in all patent matters for many years”, client), Bernd Lorenz, Jörg Nunnenkamp (“quick grasp, very good results in advice”, client; all patent attorneys)

Team

8 patent attorneys

Clients

Litigation: Roth Werke against Uponor over heating technology for houses; Solar Dynamics Solutions against Treesystems over anchoring systems. EPO oppositions: Wessel Werk against Electrolux and LG Electronics over vacuum cleaner nozzles; Nitto Advanced Film Gronau against RKW SE over elastic diapers; GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklearservice against Orano and Holtec over packaging for radioactive material. Frequent litigation and EPO oppositions for Certoplast, Franz Kaldewei, Kiekert, Kompernaß, Novoferm.