Plasseraud strengthens litigation team with former Simmons & Simmons partner

François Jonquères (58) has joined Plasseraud IP Avocats, the patent litigation practice of Plasseraud IP, one of France’s largest firms. He joined from Simmons & Simmons on 6 January.

A doctor of pharmacy and a lawyer, Jonquères began his career at pharmaceutical and cosmetics group Sanofi-Synthélabo before joining Marina Cousté’s law firm Cousté & Cousté in 2000. There he focused on patent litigation from the outset and became partner in 2004.

Together with Cousté, Jonquères established the Paris office of US law firm Howrey in 2005, which specialised in antitrust, global litigation and IP. In March 2011, however, the global firm dissolved and entered bankruptcy. Both partners moved first to Reed Smith’s IP practice in Paris and in 2018 to Simmons & Simmons’ Paris office.

At the international law firm, Jonquères advised clients across various technical fields in national patent litigation, particularly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, as well as in electronics, mobile communications and emerging technologies.

Plasseraud grows

Jonquères’ work included representing Merck in a case against a group of patients over thyroid medication as well as Dana Farber against INPI over an application for an SPC for the cancer drug avelumab. He also represented J.C. Bamford in a dispute with Manitou. His life sciences clients include pharma originators and medical device companies such as Neo Medical and United Orthopaedics.

At Plasseraud IP he joins a litigation team that has grown substantially. In January last year, the firm merged with IP boutique Candé Blanchard Ducamp. Previously, Jean-Christophe Guerrini and Alexander Paichadze joined from LexCase in autumn 2021, followed in early 2023 by Sandrine Bouvier-Ravon from established IP boutique Cousin & Associés. With the arrival of Jonquères, the team now has five partners focused on patent litigation and two who advise on both patents and other IP matters.

Meanwhile, Plasseraud continues to expand its patent attorney team. In autumn, it hired Jérémie Palacci, an AI expert from Cabinet Netter. Previously, Plasseraud had opened an Amsterdam office with Johan Renes.

UPC presence

Plasseraud’s growth strategy focuses on providing advice through strong legal and technical teams at the UPC. The firm relies on close cooperation between its patent attorney branch Plasseraud IP and the lawyers at Plasseraud IP Avocats in a fully integrated approach.

So far, the litigation team has handled one UPC case, for ScanTrust against Advanced Track and Trace. This case has concluded. Plasseraud’s patent attorneys are also involved in other cases alongside external lawyers, for example a team led by French partner Denis Boubal represents Fives in a case against Reel.

Four lawyers focusing mainly on patent litigation remain in Simmons & Simmons’ Paris office, including dual-qualified partner Abdelaziz Khatab, who joined from August Debouzy’s renowned IP practice in spring 2024. The Paris team is fully integrated into the firm’s pan-European patent practice and operates in international teams, especially at the UPC. For example, a team including French, Dutch, German, and British patent litigators advised Apple as intervening party in Ericsson vs Asustek and Arvato.

The European practice currently comprises 19 lawyers, 6 patent attorneys and 3 dual-qualified fee earners.