Hoyng ROKH expands patent attorney practice with König Szynka partner

Claudia Hertzsch will not be moving to Hoffmann Eitle with the Düsseldorf office of König Szynka Tilmann von Renesse. Instead, the pharmaceutical and biotech expert is joining the Düsseldorf office of Hoyng ROKH Monegier.

As a salary partner at König Szynka, Hertzsch has worked on numerous high-profile cases in the life sciences sector. Two years ago, her work landed her a place on JUVE Patent Ones to Watch 2022.

The 45-year-old patent attorney will initially join Hoyng ROKH Mongier as counsel.

No to Hoffmann Eitle

Hertzsch’s former team is currently in the process of merging with the mixed law firm Hoffmann Eitle. The latter has a strong reputation in both patent prosecution and litigation for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In contrast to Hoyng ROKH Monegier, however, patent attorneys dominate Hoffmann Eitle‘s business.

Claudia Hertzsch

“In the future, I would like to concentrate entirely on patent litigation, i.e. bilateral proceedings,” Claudia Hertzsch tells JUVE Patent. “I see better opportunities for this in a law firm. I have also already worked with Hoyng ROKH Monegier in larger proceedings and I know and appreciate the team around Christine Kanz very much, so the choice was obvious.”

Hertzsch has already worked with the firm’s pharma litigation department, for example on the preparation of a litigation campaign for a US original equipment manufacturer.

Separate ways

Hertzsch and her former mentor Gregor König will continue working for some existing clients in ongoing cases, for example for Grünenthal.

But in future, the mentor and his former pupil will go their separate ways. Hertzsch and König have worked together for Eli Lilly in recent years, for example in proceedings concerning the cancer drug Alimta, better known as pemetrexed.

At the UPC, they were recently active for Alexion against Amgen and Samsung Bioepis. Alexion wanted the UPC to prohibit Amgen and Samsung Bioepis from selling their drugs, Bekemv and Epysqli respectively, for treating rare blood diseases in the UPC territory.

Gregor König cannot take this client with him to Hoffmann Eitle due to a conflict. In any case, Freshfields is the lead counsel for Alexion.

Mixed approach

In Germany two years ago Hoyng ROKH Monegier began taking on patent attorneys who focus exclusively on patent litigation. Claudia Hertzsch is probably the most prominent lateral hire. Now the firm has three patent attorneys in its ranks in Germany. In addition, the team also features lawyers with a degree in natural sciences. The German patent attorneys focus exclusively on litigation in the life sciences sector.

Christine Kanz

Traditionally, the firm also employs a large group of patent attorneys in Amsterdam who also conduct patent prosecution. The Paris office also has two patent attorneys in its ranks.

In Germany, however, the firm will continue to work with external patent attorney firms, says Christine Kanz.