JUVE Comment

This small but excellent litigation boutique of patent attorneys is often called in as an additional firm by clients in their extensive and complex UPC litigation series. Clients particularly appreciate the technical expertise of the patent attorneys in medtech, as well as in related technologies such as vaping, which Thum & Partner combines with its many years of experience in complex EPO oppositions. The notable clients thus make targeted use of the IP boutique to supplement their counsel for individual patents in litigation series coordinated and conducted by larger law firms. These clients include the vaping manufacturers JUUL International and VMR Products. For both clients, Thum & Partner is part of the coordinating team around Tobias Wuttke and Tilman Müller from Bardehle Pagenberg.

Another example is the equally extensive dispute between Edwards and Meril over prosthetic heart valves. Edwards also retained the services of the patent attorneys around name partner Bernhard Thum in addition to the team from Bird & Bird and the coordinating firm Powell Gilbert. Both sets of proceedings have already passed through several stages at the UPC. Somewhat more recent is the case for Advanced Bionics regarding cochlear implants, in which the company is represented by the law firms Kirkland Ellis, Kather Augenstein, Dehns and Hogan Lovells.

The name partner Thum and is praised by clients as “outstanding in hearings”. In addition, Jonas Weickert has also built up a considerable reputation in UPC proceedings and is perceived by competitors as “strong in oral arguments”. He is also praised for his “excellent grasp of the legal and technical issues, commercially minded and practical, wealth of UPC experience”.

Just a few years after its foundation, Thum & Partner is one of the most sought-after law firms for med tech among patent attorney firms in Germany. It is thus starting out stronger in the UPC and in high-profile cases than many established competitors in larger outfits.

Strengths

Strong in UPC cases concerning med tech patents.

Recommended individuals

Bernhard Thum (“does a top job”, client)

Team

8 patent attorneys

Clients

Juul International against NJOY over vaping; CMR Products against NJOY over vaping; Edwards against Meril over prosthetic heart valves; Advances Bionics against MED-EL over cochlear implants.