JUVE Comment

The two patent attorneys Markus Gangl and Florian Robl at this pure patent law firm in Innsbruck are attracting attention with their representation of SME core clients at the UPC. They work in all their proceedings as a duo without lawyers. Before the UPC launched, the fact that patent attorneys could represent medium-sized clients at the court without the involvement of lawyers was a source of misgiving for many law firms, calling their business models into question. This is precisely what makes Torggler & Hofmann so successful. In addition, the patent attorneys represent their clients in Vienna, Düsseldorf and Milan without the involvement of local counsel. This approach sets them apart from other patent attorney firms. This also enables the firm’s emancipation from its domestic courts so it can achieve possible advantages for clients at other UPC locations, while at the same time keeping costs down for their small team of SME clients.

Torggler & Hofmann, with its lead in current litigation series, is not only a surprise among patent attorneys at the UPC, but also stands out among its Austrian rivals. Clients praise Gangl and Robl for their “impressive litigation skills that one would not necessarily expect from patent attorneys”.

In the first hearing before the local division Vienna, they prevented a PI injunction by competitor CUP&CINO concerning a milk frother for client Alpina. The dispute is now pending in Düsseldorf with three main actions. The case demonstrates the practice’s ability to represent clients across multiple jurisdictions, as does the main action at the local division Milan after a successful evidence-preservation procedure for client Progress Maschinen and Automation.

Strengths

Comprehensive litigation for SMEs

Recommended individuals

Markus Gangl, Florian Robl

Team

2 patent attorneys

Clients

Alpina against CUP&CINO over milk frothers; Progress Maschinen and Automation against AWM/Schnell over manufacturing method for mesh-type support; Tiroler Rohre against SSAB over pile driving tips used on construction sites with certain subsoils; Steindl Krantechnik against BEHA Bau- und Forstgreiftechnik over forestry technology (all public knowledge).