df-mp strengthens electronics practice with partner from Finnegan

Patent attorney firm df-mp Dörries Frank-Molnia & Pohlman specialises in the life sciences sector, as well as in mobile communication and electronics patents. The Munich firm is now expanding its latter practice with a further partner in Alexandre Hoffmann (37). Previously counsel at Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner, he will strengthen the renowned team around David Molnia and Dominik Ho from June 2024.

df-mp expand in electronics

In the mobile communications sector, the law firm, which is dominated by patent attorneys, is highly active in litigation and is involved in numerous proceedings. Here, the firm usually acts alongside law firms on behalf of patent holders against implementers.

Alexandre Hoffmann

The practice’s best-known client is Nokia, which Molnia and Ho recently represented against Oppo. The team is currently working for Nokia against the payment services provider Verifone at the UPC and German courts. Alexandre Hoffmann will now support this work.

Hoffmann is also admitted to the UPC, where he was recently responsible for a PI claim for SES-imagotag. Last December, the Munich local division rejected an application for a preliminary injunction by the French company against its Chinese competitor Hanshow over electronic tags (case ID: UPC_CFI_292/2023).

However, the judges were not sufficiently convinced that Hanshow infringed EP 3 883 277 and did not grant a PI. SES-imagotag appealed the judgment and the parties are currently waiting for the appeals court ruling. In the future, Finnengan Henderson will continue to advise the client.

Mobile communications booming

Alexandre Hoffmann is registered with the German and European patent offices and specialises in patent infringement and nullity proceedings, as well as EPO opposition cases. A trained electrical engineer, he specialises in mechanics, electronics, telecommunications and software patents. Hoffmann spent his training and early professional years at Bardehle Pagenberg, where he acted for Blackberry against Nokia, and for chip manufacturer Nvidia in the dispute between Broadcom and VW.

In May 2021, he joined the patent team at Baker & McKenzie led by Jochen Herr when, six months later, the team moved to Finnegan Henderson. The firm promoted Hoffmann to counsel last autumn. Most recently, Hoffmann worked on numerous oppositions and nullity proceedings for REC Solar concerning solar modules. He also acted for the Dentsply group concerning dental technology.

At df-mp, the focus of Hoffmann’s work will shift towards mobile technology. In addition to Nokia, the df-mp team is currently very active for Chinese company Datang, which recently won a case against Samsung Electronics at the Munich Regional Court. It is also active for InterDigital against Lenovo. In addition to classic mobile phone technology, the focus is increasingly on wifi technology and video coding. Hoffmann will work alongside 16 patent attorneys in the team, while partner Dominik Ho is also a qualified lawyer.

Setback for Finnegan Henderson

The German team of US law firm Finnegan Henderson led by Jochen Herr also takes a mixed approach. Based in Munich, it now consists of three patent attorneys, four lawyers and two dual-qualified lawyers. It conducts litigation with a mixed approach and focuses on electronics, mechanics and chemicals patents.

The team is currently active in two proceedings at the UPC. In addition to SES-imagotag, it represents KraussMaffei as claimant against Troester over a production technique for tyres. In the latter, the Munich local division heard the first ever UPC oral hearing in a main case two weeks ago.