JUVE Comment

The German IP practice of this international full-service firm is particularly established for advising and representing clients from the life sciences and electronics sector. In recent years, a focus has been on the latter, with the team around Julia Schönbohm and Bolko Ehlgen being active in comprehensive litigation for long-term client Seoul Semiconductors/Seoul Viosys over LEDs in national and UPC proceedings. The visibility this has generated has attracted new clients from various high-tech sectors, such as measurement instrumentation, optics, vacuum technology, and sensor technology. However, these clients – including, for example, TDK Micronas, Playtech Software, and ALD Vacuum Technologies – are increasingly relying on the team for UPC proceedings.

At the same time, litigation work for clients in the life sciences sector has recently gained momentum once again – a sector in which Linklaters’ European practice is traditionally well established. For instance, the firm is representing Aptar, a US manufacturer of drug delivery systems, against Nemera. In addition, a pharmaceutical and a chemical company have recently approached the team, which is currently preparing claims on their behalf before German courts. The proceedings often have a cross-border dimension, as in the case of Aptar, for which the Paris office is handling the parallel French proceedings.

The close collaboration between the lawyers in Germany, France, and the UK is particularly frequent at the UPC, where the firm is currently handling five separate sets of proceedings. For example, a German-French team is advising Janssen Pharmaceutica in a dispute over a cancer treatment. In addition, the German team is leading proceedings for ALD Vacuum concerning powder manufacturing processes.

Linklaters responded to the increased workload in litigation – especially at the UPC – with the appointment of a junior partner in the German practice, which has also been strengthened at associate level by the addition of a further new recruit.

Strengths

Litigation regarding electronics and pharmaceuticals.

Recommended individuals

Bolko Ehlgen (“notices technical subtleties that require a deep understanding of the invention”, competitor), Julia Schönbohm

Team

10 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: Aptar against Nemera over hygienic fluid dispensers; Seoul Semiconductor against Conrad and other distributors over LEDs; Bundesdruckerei against Credit Card Supplies and VTT over passports (ended 2025).