JUVE Comment

The IP team of this German full-service law firm handles a remarkably high number of UPC cases with only five lawyers, remaining far more involved than similar national outfits such as Gleiss Lutz. The lawyers continue to represent their long-standing SME client base, such as Phoenix Contact. For many of these clients, including Kunststoff KG Nehl or i-mop, the team also acts in parallel national proceedings, often in cooperation with external patent attorney firms.

The Munich team around Hannes Jacobsen has been heavily involved in UPC litigation for SMEs, earning widespread praise for its high-quality work and growing recognition among international clients. Advanced Bionics, for example, brought in the litigation team for a crucial hearing alongside Kather Augenstein, Thum IP and Kirkland & Ellis in the dispute over cochlear implants. The case has meanwhile settled. The team’s involvement alongside such prominent UPC and US firms was a quantum leap for CBH to more international work. But even before that, with clients such as Heraeus and Bioletec, it already had a very strong focus on medtech.

With its work for patent holders Papst Licensing and Broadcom, the team is now also becoming more active in innovative technologies such as robotics and optical transceivers. The relationship with Broadcom indicates that the team could soon recommend itself for semiconductor or mobile communications cases at the UPC, having already represented the company in national proceedings. Its small size could still be an obstacle to complex UPC cases. However, CBH is expected to grow moderately at associate level.

Strengths

Litigation across a broad technical spectrum, especially for SMEs.

Recommended individuals

Hannes Jacobsen (“has great legal instincts and knowledge, strong in court and a good communicator”, competitor)

Team

5 lawyers

Clients

Broadcom against Fraunhofer Gesellschaft over optical transceivers; Papst Licensing against Ecovacs and Roborock over robotics and household appliances; Kunststoff KG Nehl against Häfele over cabinet leveling device; Heraeus Electronics against Vibrantz over connections for building elements; Heraeus Quarzglas against J-Plasma over laser and optical fibres; Biolitec against Lightguide Optics over medical devices and laser; Knapp Smart Solutions against Becton Dickinson Rowa over automated dispensing systems; Phoenix Contact against ILME over conductor terminals (settled 2025); Advanced Bionics against MED-EL over cochlear implants (settled 2025, public knowledge).