British Taylor Wessing to leave the Schweizer Verein association

While German management has not officially commented, conversations with several partners corroborate the information.

The UK arm is leaving the Schweizer Verein, the Swiss association through which the German, Austrian and other European sister firms are contractually linked. The date set for the separation is 30 April. However, the withdrawal is contingent upon a vote by the British partners, which, according to JUVE information, is scheduled for the end of January.

Editors at JUVE Verlag reported this on their website. JUVE Patent is part of the same publishing house.

The departure represents a loss of £287 million (approximately €329 million) for the association. This amounts to more than half of the €619 million generated globally in 2024/25, with €215 million from German operations and around €45 million from the Austrian practice.

Sources indicate that the German management, led by Oliver Bertram, has already informed employees in a town hall meeting.

“We want to sustainably expand the market opportunities available to us internationally as Taylor Wessing,” said Bertram. “With the new model we are planning for our collaboration, we will get the best of both worlds: on the one hand, we will ensure continued top-level collaboration with our English TW colleagues for our clients. At the same time, we are driving growth, agility, and innovation in our practices and are also working with other respected law firms in Europe and the US. So it’s an ambitious model — for Taylor Wessing, for our association, and for our clients.”

German practice seeks transformation

As has been reported for several weeks, the British side is in advanced talks with an unnamed US law firm. The continental European side has decided against the merger. It would have meant continuing with the traditional hourly rate and leverage model, which the continental European practice wants to move away from in some areas.

In late summer, in the magazine JUVE Rechtsmarkt Bertram announced the transformation of the firm into a company “in which technology is at the forefront of lawyer-provided services”.

A US merger would have demanded significant changes from both the German practice and other members of the association. Sources suggest many partners would have needed to leave. However, what form Taylor Wessing will take after the split remains completely unclear. Market observers believe that the event will have a significant impact. It is unclear whether the German practice will be able to hold together on its own and in conjunction with the other partner law firms.

Practice groups that stood to benefit from a US merger must now resist attempts from other firms to woo them. Success depends on their confidence in Bertram’s management plan, which needs to include a strategy for swiftly addressing the gap in London offerings. The details of Betram’s plan are not yet known, nor is what this means for the international patent group.

US mergers en vogue

British law firms increasingly see their future in the US market. A short time ago, Allen & Overy merged with Sherman & Sterling, as did Herbert Smith Freehills with Kramer Levin. More recently a merger between Ashurt and Perkins Coie has come to light.

This law firms believe the current market transformation, marked by technological disruption, requires partnership with financially robust US firms. Revenue is paramount in these considerations.

Merger partner shrouded in mystery

The identity of Taylor Wessing London’s US negotiating partner remains unknown. US merger candidates typically scrutinise structures like the Schweizer Verein, which often stem from previous mergers.

Taylor Wessing has operated in Germany since 2002, when German outfit Wessing merged with British firm Taylor Joynson Garrett. The firm added Paris in 2003 and Brussels in 2005.

In 2008 the firm expanded into China. Austria joined in 2012, followed by a Dutch law firm merger in 2015. Since 2014, the firm has maintained two US offices, though neither San Francisco nor New York handle US law.

The organization as a whole was never financially integrated. It has been operating as the Schweizer Verein since 2018.

Market-leading patent practice

The changes will likely affect Taylor Wessing’s trans-European patent practice in the medium term. The practice has secured a leading position in UPC litigation, handling significant disputes for Abbott Laboratories, Pfizer and Ericsson.

Taylor Wessing currently maintains strong patent teams across Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. The future relationship between UK and continental European offices remains uncertain.

Recent staff changes have particularly affected the German patent team. In October, five partners and seven associates left the Munich office to found IP boutique Pentarc, taking substantial UPC work with them. This departure significantly reduced Taylor Wessing’s Munich patent litigation team. The remaining five-lawyer team works closely with the firm’s life sciences group. Taylor Wessing Germany maintains a strong position with its five-strong team in Düsseldorf.

This setback followed Taylor Wessing’s European expansion through lateral hires in Paris and Amsterdam. In early 2025, the firm strengthened its Paris presence by recruiting a Pinsent Masons partner and team. The Dutch practice also grew with two partners and three associates from Simmons & Simmons. It had worked particularly closely with UK patent colleagues.

JUVE Patent has published its second UPC litigation ranking, which includes Taylor Wessing. (Co-authors: Martin Ströder)