JUVE Comment

The IP practice at this German full-service firm has a staunch reputation for advising and representing SMEs of various industries before German courts. Automotive suppliers such as ZF Friedrichshafen as well as medical device manufacturers like Ziehm Imaging bank on GvW in infringement actions and nullity proceedings before the Federal Patent Court. Recently, the team sucessfully defended Chinese Huliang Bio-Tech in a dispute over dental prostheses.

Often, the Munich team under Sebastian Heim handles both national proceedings and EPO matters, for example for long-term client Hörmann regarding garage and industrial door technologies, and Taco Italia concerning pump systems. The practice’s profile centres largely on this team, which Heim has transformed into a hub for litigation work. He is also regularly involved in matters of employee invention law and trade secrets. Currently, he represents BayWa in a dispute over plant variety protection rights. While the Düsseldorf team also focuses on litigation, advisory work plays a more substantial role there and in Frankfurt.

GvW has recently strenghthened its Munich-based litigation team with the recruitment of a young lawyer from Hoffmann Eitle. He already has experience in UPC proceedings – an area where the practice has not been visible so far. An opportunity to become more active at the European court exists through the firm’s strong position among medical product manufacturers and automotive suppliers, as these industries increasingly use the UPC. With the opening of the PMAC, claimants now have another option for dispute resolution. GvW took immediate advantage of this new opportunity and initiated the first arbitration proceedings for a client at the PMAC. Building on this experience, the team could carve out a new focus on mediation and arbitration.

Strengths

Patent litigation for SMEs, especially regarding automotive and medical devices.

Recommended individuals

Sebastian Heim (“innovative and tenacious litigator”, competitor)

Team

11 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: ZF Friedrichshafen against Magna in revocation action over gear technology for cars; Ziehm Imaging against Siemens Healthcare over x-ray technology (ended 2025); Huliang Bio-Tech against Ivoclar over dental prosthesis; Hörmann against various competitors over technologies for garage and industrial doors; Taco Italia against Grundfos over pump systems; Eden Europe against Tegometall over shelving components for the retail sector; BayWa against STV Saatgut-Treuhandverwaltungs over plant variety rights. Frequent litigation for Allgeier IT Solutions, Cerafiltec, Crown Equipment, Hengst, Hilti, LimaCorporate, Rembe, Schlenk Metallic Pigments, SCM Group, Umarex, Vertex, Voestalpine.