Michalski Hüttermann partner launches new patent firm Aurodion

The new IP firm’s biggest office is Düsseldorf where most of the former Michalski Hüttermann attorneys were located.

Wasilis Koukounis, Elmin Fatić, Andrea Koukounis, and Gerrit Fachinger have all previously worked at Michalski Hüttermann which is one of the biggest patent attorney firms in West Germany.

Patent attorney Bertram Koch brings an established patent prosecution and litigation practice in Heidelberg from his former firm Koch Müller. He was the firm’s only fee earner.

Four partners

Koukounis and Fatić are already registered as partners at Aurodion. Koch will follow shortly. The fourth partner will soon be lawyer Christian Hille. He is currently legal counsel at Xella International. Hille will continue in this position in the future. Prior to his work for Xella he was an associate at Taylor Wessing.

The four partners are complemented by three further patent attorneys and two IP consultants. Most of the fee earners have extensive in-house experience. Prior to his time at Michalski Hüttermann, Koukounis spent two years at Thyssenkrupp, while others have worked at companies such as Claas, Daimler, Siemens, and AEG.

Industry experience at the core

Aurodion’s client list includes companies from the mechanical engineering, automotive supply, electronics, semiconductors, and consumer goods sectors. The new firm does not offer advice on pharmaceutical and biotech patents. This is one of Michalski Hüttermann’s well-known areas of specialisation.

Aurodion’s Düsseldorf office will serve clients such as TK Elevator, Aumund, Bohle, Esta Apparatebau and Schade Lagertechnik.

In Heidelberg, Koch brings in established relationships to clients such as Azur Space Solar Power, TDK-Microna, Pepperl+Fuchs, and the University of Magdeburg.

UPC work

In addition to patent filing and strategic advice, the new firm will focus on litigation, particularly before the Unified Patent Court. Aurodion is already involved in two UPC proceedings for Baekert against Siltronic and Hinterberger at the local division Düsseldorf concerning saw wires. Aurodion acts in cooperation with Matthias Hülsewig of Preu Bohlig & Partner.

Michalski Hüttermann remains one of western Germany’s most high-profile patent attorney firms with over twenty fee earners and renowned expertise for patent filing and litigation regarding biotech and electronics patents.

It was recently involved in UPC cases for Quantificare over 3D imaging systems and for Syngenta concerning plant protection patents. (Co-author: Laura King)