Chemistry and pharma team joins Eisenführ Speiser in Munich and Hamburg

Eisenführ Speiser continues to expand with the arrival of a large team with long-standing experience in chemistry and biotech. The firm previously rebuilt its lawyer team following some departures.

The two partners Martin Nohlen and André Guder are joining Eisenführ Speiser with three experienced associates. Patent attorneys Nohlen and Guder have worked at Uexküll & Stolberg for over twenty years, having begun their careers at the firm.

Nohlen joined Uexküll & Stolberg in 1997 as a trainee. Nohlen and Guder have known each other since their studies.

Chemistry boost for Eisenführ

Nohlen is known for his extensive litigation work and for frequently representing chemical companies in EPO oppositions, especially Exxon Mobil. The US company is a core client of Uexküll & Stolberg’s chemistry practice; patent attorney Peter Franck represented the company until his retirement a year ago. Recently, for example, Nohlen represented Exxon Mobil in an EPO opposition against Total concerning EP 2 935 367. The patent relates to ethylene-based copolymers for the production of films with high tensile strength.

Nohlen also acts for clients such as US cosmetics company Mary Kay, as well as Schill + Seilacher “Struktol” and Worlée-Chemie in Hamburg.

Guder has worked at Uexküll & Stolberg since 2003, initially in the biotech team led by Martin Weber. The latter joined Jones Day in 2007 to build up the firm’s patent litigation practice but surprisingly left the firm in 2020.

Guder is highly active in EPO oppositions and advises clients such as Beiersdorf, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ferring, and the Hamburg-based company Ohly in litigation.

Two-pronged move

The team also includes experienced associates Hanna Pieper, Nils Lindenmaier and Johannes Heidemann. Pieper and Heidemann have both been part of the Hamburg team since they were trainees. The bulk of the team will join the Hamburg office, only Lindenmaier will join the Munich office. He underwent some of his training at Bardehle Pagenberg and rejoined Uexküll & Stolberg two years ago. The five-strong team will move to Eisenführ Speiser towards the end of the year.

The managing directors of Eisenführ Speiser, Lars Birken and Julian Eberhard, say, “We are delighted to expand our partnership with the team led by the two renowned and experienced patent attorneys André Guder and Martin Nohlen. This will enable us to meet the high demand in the technical fields of chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacy and to position ourselves very broadly across locations in this very spectrum.”

Eisenführ Speiser already plays a role in a comparatively large number of UPC proceedings across a wide range of technical fields. For example, the firm represents the medical technology manufacturer BEGO Medical in a dispute with CEAD. This litigation in mixed teams could lead to further synergies following the new arrivals.

Change for Uexküll & Stolberg

Uexküll & Stolberg’s team will shrink as a result of the departures, leaving it with eight patent attorneys.

All remaining patent attorneys boast extensive experience. The firm has intensively litigated for many years for well-known clients such as Chr. Hansen, W. R. Grace, KRKA, Ivoclar and Presspart.

Patent attorney Albrecht von Menges has a particularly high profile, having led the team in the EPO oppositions for BMS and Pfizer against Teva, Stada and Galenicum over blood anticoagulant apixaban. He also represents Amgen in several EPO oppositions against various generic drug companies over cancer drug cinacalcet. Uexküll & Stolberg now intends to further increase its ongoing investment in the training of young talent.