JUVE Comment

Few patent attorney firms manage to consistently shine at such a high level across all technical fields like Cohausz & Florack. In both prosecution and patent disputes, this IP specialist maintains a leading position in the market. The firm receives much praise, with competitors describing it as “very high quality” and “well versed”. Cohausz & Florack oversees complex litigation series concerning mobile communication standards and pharmaceuticals.

Recently, the team was involved in high-stakes proceedings, including EPO oppositions and nullity proceedings. It also advised on the technical issues in infringement actions for well-known clients such as Nokia, Bell Northern Research, Merck and Millennium Pharmaceuticals. The firm’s biggest success was for regular client Bayer; Cohausz & Florack successfully prevented the market entry of generic versions of Bayer’s blockbuster Xarelto. There are few competitors that are equally strong in both market segments while having as many renowned partners. Arwed Burrichter and Natalie Kirchhofer are among the best-known pharma experts in the market. In addition, Christoph Walke has earned an outstanding reputation for representing clients in mobile communications.

Cohausz & Florack also represents many industrial clients, including Miele, Schmitz Cargobull, and Sino Resource, in disputes over mechanical engineering and electronics patents. Thanks to the breadth of the prosecution practice, the team is well positioned to play a leading role in advising on future technologies, such as battery technology, robotics, and AI.

In recent years the firm has grown its team to an impressive size, allowing it to handle even large and comprehensive lawsuits. Two young patent attorneys from the biotechnology space have joined the team, which is logical in view of the extensive pharmaceutical proceedings, particularly the increasing number of biosimilar disputes. At the same time, however, the firm lost a patent attorney experienced in mechanical engineering to König Szynka Tilmann von Renesse.

European set-up

As one of the strongest patent attorney firms on the market with patent attorneys established in litigation spanning all technical fields, Cohausz & Florack is one of the most attractive representatives at the UPC. The team has numerous renowned partners with extensive experience in international cases, including in SEPs and complex pharmaceutical disputes, for example for Bayer and Nokia. The team is now also representing the latter against Hewlett Packard at the UPC, in cooperation with the lawyers at Arnold Ruess. In other UPC proceedings, clients such as Njoy also rely on the established cooperation with McDermott Will & Emery. In Toyota’s revocation action the patent attorneys defended client Neo Wireless alone. However, the appointment of Arwed Burrichter as a technical judge at the UPC does open the door to potential conflicts of interest.

Strengths

Litigation related to mobile communications for SEP holders and for originators concerning pharmaceuticals. Also litigation regarding software and electronics.

Recommended individuals

Arwed Burrichter (“expert and experienced litigator”, competitors), Natalie Kirchhofer (“very good in pharma”, “outstanding”, competitors) Peter Reckenthäler, Gottfried Schüll (“his advice, expertise and representation are rock solid, practical, thoughtful and second to none”, client), Christoph Walke (“our number one”, client; “the best patent attorney for electronics in the country”, competitor), Philipe Walter, Matthias Waters (all patent attorneys)

Team

33 patent attorneys

Clients

Litigation: Bell Northern Research against Xiaomi, Huawei and Samsung over mobile communications and SEP for wi-fi; Celerity against Asus, Motorola Innovative Sonic and Lenovo over mobile communications; Palmira against AVM, Samsung and Apple over SEPs for wi-fi; Nokia against Amazon over video compression; Nokia against Oppo over 4G and 5G patents; Sharp against Daimler over connectivity patents; Bayer against various generics companies over stroke medication Xarelto/rivaroxaban; Sanofi against Ratiopharm over Aubagio/teriflunomid; Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Takeda against generics companies over cancer drug Velcade/bortezomib. Opposition: Deutsche Post against IDNow over user identification.