Reinhard Knauer

Reinhard Knauer specialises in IT and telecommunications-related technology, consumer electronics and automation technology, and represents major global companies in these fields.

Being a German and European patent attorney, he has extensive expertise in patent litigation and patent prosecution. He is particularly experienced with European Patent Office opposition and appeal procedures as well as patent invalidation proceedings before the German Federal Patent Court and the German Supreme Court.

Mr Knauer is regularly involved in complex patent litigation, frequently involving standard-essential patents. In recent cases he has represented Yahoo, Pinterest, Tumblr, Whirlpool and Samsung before German courts. With his large team, Mr Knauer has obtained over 1,000 European patents related to software and telecommunications, including standard-essential patents.

He has been a partner of Munich-based law firm Grünecker since 1996 and has a master’s in electrical engineering and information technologies from the Technical University of Munich. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys, the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property and the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

Mr Knauer has been named as a recommended individual by the following:

• Managing Intellectual Property’s IP Stars 2017;
• the IAM Patent 1000 2017; and
• the JUVE awards 2017.

Grünecker is among the largest IP law firms in Europe, with more than 100 attorneys. The firm has its headquarters in Munich and branch offices in Berlin, Cologne and Paris.