Mathys & Squire expands European capabilities with Munich hire

Andreas Wietzke (41) is a qualified patent attorney in Germany and Europe, and joins Mathys & Squire as a partner in its recently-opened Munich office. His expertise lies in prosecuting and enforcing patents. This is particularly in the fields of software and mechanical engineering.

Andreas Wietzke

The hire of Andreas Wietzke brings the total team number to five, and doubles the number of partners to two.

In July 2019, other Munich partner Gerold Fiesser led a team from Herzog Fiesser & Partner to the Mathys & Squire office in Germany. Giuditta Biagini, Lorraine Aleandri-Hachgenei and Kirstin Wenck joined Fiesser as associates.

Previously, Fiesser had been a founding partner at patent attorney firm Herzog Fiesser & Partner. “We want to establish Mathys & Squire as a truly European IP attorney firm,” says Fiesser. The German team has further plans to expand in the near future.

Wietzke joins Mathys & Squire from Munich-based patent attorney firm Bals & Vogel, which works in European and international cases. His departure leaves the firm with eight patent attorneys and four partners, two of whom are managing partners Rüdiger Bals and Andreas Vogel.

Andreas Wietzke had been considered by Mathys & Squire since before its expansion to Munich was announced. Currently, Bals & Vogel is taking steps to shift Wietzke’s cases to the firm’s remaining partners.

Gerold Fiesser

Brexit effect

Although the full-service IP firm already has a strong presence in the UK, with offices in London, Manchester, Cambridge, York, Brighton, Oxford and the Midlands, Mathys & Squire continues to develop its continental strategy.

The Munich office comes in addition to a team of one partner and two associates in Paris. The firm also has a presence in Luxembourg. Mathys & Squire now has 106 attorneys in Europe, as well as 30 technical assistants.

Senior partner at Mathys & Squire, Paul Cozens, says, “We have been able to expand in Munich so quickly due to the excellent reputation of Mathys & Squire, and Gerold Fiesser and his team. Post-Brexit, Andreas’ experience will enhance our expertise within the EU.”

Mathys & Squire is the latest UK law firm to set up shop in Munich. The most recent new entrant was Mewburn Ellis in 2017. Other renowned prosecution firms, such as Carpmaels & Ransford and J.A. Kemp, also have an office in the Bavarian capital.

There are persistent rumours that other UK prosecution law firms are planning to open offices in the vicinity of the European Patent Office, with numerous IP firms in talks with German patent attorney teams. Brexit is considered as the main driver for these moves.