PE house Consolid investing heavily in IP firms

The trend towards private equity-backed IP firms continues. Just a few days ago, it was announced that Consolid was investing in the leading Dutch patent attorney firm, Vereenigde Octrooibureaux (V.O.). However, as JUVE Patent has just learned, it is a much bigger project encompassing three additional firms.

V.O. will pool its activities with another leading Dutch patent attorney firm, De Vries & Metman, the Swedish IP firm Ström & Gulliksson, and Dutch firm Knijff Trademark Attorneys. They will form a new group of pan-European patent and trademark firms.

The participating firms continue to operate under their own name. However, the new group combines local partnership and autonomy with the strength of a European player, giving clients access to a broader pool of expertise, deeper technical knowledge, and seamless support across borders.

The four firms will consolidate all management activities onto a shared platform. This is also where they will standardise their service offerings.

Partner-driven group

The initiative is a partner-driven entity, facilitated by and held in co-ownership with Swedish investor Consolid.

According to JUVE Patent information, all equity partners of the four firms will also hold equity in this new group. The private equity firm is investing exclusively in this group offering the participating firms a shared platform. The private equity investor’s participation is intended to enable the group to invest strategically in areas such as IT infrastructure, AI, enhanced client experience, and talent development.

Consolid is based in Stockholm and specialises in investments in niche sectors. The investment company partners with B2B services firms in the Nordic region and northern Europe. The company had previously invested in the tax sector under the Svalner Atlas Advisors brand.

JUVE Patent does not know the name of the new group. But for the time beingm Consolid’s investment is likely to operate under the Petra Group brand. Consolid’s website states, “Petra Group is the premier independent expert house for intellectual property advisory in Europe.” No further information is currently available. However, the branding also suggests further expansion.

Joint management

The group currently has a presence across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden, with headquarters in the Netherlands. It is led by patent attorney Bernard Ledeboer as CEO. Ledeboer, chairman of V.O. Patents & Trademarks, also serves as a technically qualified UPC judge alongside his private practice.

Bernard Ledeboer

“Our clients expect a personal relationship, sound advice and value for money — things we are able to offer more efficiently with this new structure. By combining the strengths of leading European firms, we can invest in cutting-edge technology and offer our clients the depth, reach and continuity they need”, says Ledeboer.

His firm V.O. is one of the best-known Dutch patent attorney firms. With over 50 patent attorneys across its offices in The Hague, Amsterdam, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Groningen, and Utrecht, V.O. is also the largest patent attorney firm in the Netherlands. It is regarded as a leading patent filing practice in the Dutch market. With clients such as Moderna and Novartis, its pharmaceutical and biotech patent attorneys also have a proven track record in providing technical support for Dutch infringement proceedings.

De Vries & Metman is significantly smaller, with around 20 patent attorneys, but also has an outstanding reputation for patent litigation. In the life sciences sector, it has frequently represented generic drug manufacturers such as Teva and Sandoz, and has thus usually found itself on the opposite side to V.O.’s attorneys. In mobile communications, it frequently acts on behalf of KPN or Asian implementers such as Oppo.

Knijff has an office near Amsterdam comprising 20 trademark attorneys and brings soft IP expertise to the group. Meanwhile, Ström & Gulliksson has four offices in Sweden, including its head office in Stockholm. The firm employs 30 IP attorneys and consultants, nine of whom are partners. Although the firm operates broadly in the field of IP, its main focus is on patent prosecution.

Future expansion

The newly founded group also has ambitions to grow further, its goal being to become the largest Tier one IP firm in Europe. “This is just the beginning, and I look forward to building something exceptional together with our partner firms,” Ledeboer says.

However, further expansion plans are likely to depend on the feasibility of private equity investments in the individual countries. In Germany, for example, these are considered very difficult. Integrating lawyers is also difficult.

Those involved do not rule out a deeper integration of the four law firms in the medium term.

Preserving individual identities

But for now, they are still focusing on maintaining their individual identities under the new umbrella. De Vries & Metman partner Arnt Aalbers says, “We preserve the close, personal relationships that define how we work, whilst gaining access to a network that allows us to invest in the future together with some of the best firms in the business.”

Rikard Roos, managing partner at Ström & Gulliksson, says, “The European IP landscape is changing rapidly, and our clients need partners who can keep pace. By joining forces, we are building something that is genuinely greater than the sum of its parts — a network where shared expertise and investment in technology will raise the bar for what clients can expect from an IP firm.”

Knijff Trademark Attorneys’ managing partner Ellen Gevers adds, “Joining this network gives us the muscle to invest strategically in AI and technology, whilst remaining firmly focused on the personal relationships and sound advice our clients have always valued from us. Together with our partner firms, we now have the scale to match our ambition.”

AI as a driving force

Above all, massive investment in AI, combined with other challenges, is seen as a key factor in why patent attorney firms in particular are currently merging to form larger entities and even entering into alliances with private equity investors. This alliance is simply the latest.

After 120 years, Plasseraud has only just opened its doors to French investor Andera Acto. In April last year, NLO and Ipsilon joined forces with the support of a private equity investor. Just five months later, the Dutch firm Arnold & Siedsma joined the private equity-backed IP group Rouse. In all three cases, investments in AI tools played an important role.

Under the brand House of IP, Belgian flooring developer i4F has been offering IP services to other companies since May. To this end, the private equity-backed technology company aims to bring together several patent attorney firms under the new brand. The Dutch law firm Patentwerk is the first acquisition, with House of IP taking a majority stake.

This means that, of the major Dutch patent attorney firms, only AOMB and EP&C remain independent partnerships without external financing.