JUVE Comment

The patent attorneys at Samson & Partner are undisputedly well positioned at the top of the market for litigation involving mobile communications. The Munich team uses its extensive experience for both SEP holders such as Nokia and implementers such as Apple – a balancing act that sets the firm apart from competitors such as Cohausz & Florack, which advises SEP holders, and Maikowski & Ninnemann, which represents implementers. Highlights include the representation of Meta against Voxer, Apple against Rembrandt and Motorola against Hytera. These are thanks to the large number of renowned patent attorneys, including Wolfgang Lippich, Alexander Münster and Tobias Stammberger.

The practice has built up a solid client base outside the mobile communications sector, as it frequently litigates in EPO oppositions. It represents Vestas, for example, whose competitors include GE, SiemensGamesa and Enercon, as well as representing Nilfisks, Intel and Hanwha Q-Cells.

Samson & Partner’s success is also based on a strategy of constantly promoting new talent. The firm has once again charted a course for growth and recently strengthened its team with three new associates. As a result, its size has recently overtaken that of competitor Maikowski & Ninnemann.

In addition, the team runs a small prosecution practice in which it advises smaller clients. This includes well-known companies such as Amadeus, Heckler & Koch and Intel.

European set-up

Numerous regular clients are still waiting to take a position on the UPC, so it is not surprising that the nationally independent German IP boutique is still mainly involved in high-volume proceedings before German courts and in EPO oppositions. Its business is changing less quickly in the direction of UPC litigation than at competitor Maikowski & Ninnemann.

The practice continues to position itself as a nationally independent pure patent attorney boutique and relies on the team’s excellent reputation. It also cooperates successfully in national cases with leading lawyers from different law firms, such as Arnold Ruess, Bird & Bird, Hoyng ROKH Monegier and Hogan Lovells.

Strengths

Litigation involving mobile communications and electronics for both patent holders as well as implementers.

Recommended individuals

Lucas Fischer, Georg Jacoby, Wolfgang Lippich, Alexander Münster, Oswald Niederkofler (“very good for SEPs”, competitor), Friedrich von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Tobias Stammberger, Michael Turi (“really good litigator”, competitor; all patent attorneys)

Team

25 patent attorneys

Clients

Meta against Voxer over video streaming and instant messaging (settled 2024); Apple against Rembrandt over messaging; Intel against Mahltig over remote IT management; Motorola against Hytera over synchronisation in mobile communications; Hanwha Q-Cells against Astronogy, Longi Solar, Solar Cells and Jinko Solar (settled) over solar technology; HMD against VoiceAge over speech coding for mobile devices; Nokia against Oppo over mobile communications (settled 2024); Nilfish against Kärcher and Festool over industrial cleaning devices (all public knowledge).