JUVE Comment

The small German patent practice of this international full-service law firm continues to successfully broaden its technical scope beyond its traditional stronghold in life sciences. The arrival of partner Florian Schmidt-Bogatzky last year has visibly strengthened the tech practice, with the team now active in a number of disputes concerning mobile communications and electronics. For regular client Broadcom, the team is active in the extensive video coding patent dispute. The law firm also represents Sonos regarding SEPs. A new instruction from SprintRay for a global dispute concerning 3D printing, including lawsuits against Anycubic and Formlabs in Germany, further demonstrates the practice’s diversification.

In its well-known life sciences practice, the team led by partner Ina vom Feld continues to represent prominent originator Millennium Pharmaceuticals in its damages claims against various generics manufacturers over the cancer drug bortezomib. The team is also active for new clients such as ThreoTech in enforcing patents for its magnesium L-threonate products.

With the hire of Philipp Cepl, who joined from DLA as a third partner, HSF is continuing to drive forward the expansion of its team that recently also grew on associate level. This means the practice is well staffed to take on more litigation work – not least at the UPC, where the firm has gained a foothold. An international team from the German, UK, and French offices is representing RealTime, MT RealTime, and Games Global in an infringement suit at the Nordic-Baltic division and in a parallel revocation action at the Paris central division. This demonstrates the firm’s ability to field multinational teams for UPC cases, a strength it has long shown in national cross-border litigation. Collaboration between the firm’s European offices remains a key feature also in parallel national litigation, with the Düsseldorf lawyers frequently working with their counterparts in London and Paris, for example for Johnson Matthey.

Strengths

Litigation in the life sciences sector and regarding SEP and FRAND.

Recommended individuals

Ina vom Feld, Florian Schmidt-Bogatzky (“creative, dedicated, and hardworking, exceptional client management”, client)

Team

8 lawyers

Partner moves

Philipp Cepl (from DLA)

Clients

Litigation: Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Cilag against Zentiva/Synthon, Betapharm, Ratiopharm and Hikma over damages for sales of generic versions of Velcade/bortezomib; Avago/Broadcom against Netflix over video coding patents; SprintRay against Anycubic over 3D printing; SprintRay against Formlabs over 3D printing and unfair competition; Sonos against Palmira over SEP/FRAND; ThreoTech against various copycats over magnesium L-threonate products; frequent litigation and advice for Dyson and Johnson Matthey.