The Patent 1000 focuses exclusively on patent practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal patent expertise.
Gold - Firms
Bird & Bird continues to uphold its brand of excellence across intellectual property in the Czech Republic. The firm guides those with interests in the country through each stage of the patent cycle, from patent validation and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs), to infringement and revocation disputes. Their roster of leading market players includes the likes of B Braun Melsungen AG, WobbleWorks and Celanese International Corporation. Overseeing the department is Vojtěch Chloupek, a renowned litigator with a keen strategic eye for IP-intensive commercial assignments. As testament to his immense expertise, he is the lead author of the sole commentary on the Czech Patent Act. “Vojtěch is well educated and delivers great insight. Fruitful collaboration is the hallmark of his distinguished service.” By his side, senior associate and seasoned litigator Jiří Malý is a go-to for those in the life sciences and automotive industries, as well as the technology and communications space.
Bronze - Firms: transactions
Bronze - Firms: litigation
“Bird & Bird offers excellent legal support with a wide range of capabilities.” Boasting a global network, the firm is a favoured choice among leading domestic and international players seeking contentious and commercial assistance. The life sciences, biotechnology and industrial engineering sectors continue to be the cornerstone of the practice. Heading the IP group in Finland, Henri Kaikkonen flawlessly navigates legal disputes and keeps infringers at bay. A tenacious litigator with great cross-border experience, Kaikkonen is also regularly enlisted for R&D and trade secrets agreements. By his side, Mikko Nurmisto brings his expertise in employee invention disputes and high-value IP deals to the table. Of Nurmisto, a leading market player enthuses: “Among other things, he handles our commercial activities from due diligence work to preparing in-licensing agreements with international partners. The clarity, accuracy and promptness of his comments and amendments to agreements have been instrumental for us.” As a testament to the firm’s capabilities, Kaikkonen and Nurmisto are entrusted by the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service to handle its R&D and licensing agreements.
Recommended - Firms: transactions
Gold - Firms: litigation
Bronze - Firms: prosecution
“The outfit is guided by strong professionalism and future practical outcomes, more than by its own immediate gain,” reported customers of this market-leading IP practice. Being one of the few Singapore legal hubs with specialist patent attorneys and technically qualified lawyers holding both law degrees and degrees in science, medicine and engineering, Bird & Bird ATMD exemplifies what it means to provide an all-rounded patent service. It combines the technical capability with superb legal shrewdness perfectly. IPOS recently enlisted it for a judicial review proceeding in the Singapore High Court relating to a patent examiner’s decision to refuse an application to correct a patent application. Taking care of these instructions are Alban Kang and Pin-Ping Oh. With more than 30 years at the coalface, Kang has unparalleled insight into the nitty-gritty of complex IP litigations. His pre-eminent reputation as a fearsome patent litigator is solidly cemented thanks to his proven track record of victories in courtrooms. Chemical engineer Oh fuses her solid scientific expertise into the contentious practice seamlessly. The IP transactions practice is moving from strength to strength thanks to the efforts of polished litigator Anan Sivananthan. While the IP disputes practice is a vital cog in the machine, the patent prosecution offering is also mightily impressive in its own right. Its contingent of patent engineers, ex-in houses and attorneys works closely with major players in fields of pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, manufacturing and financial services to safeguard their IP rights. Senior patent attorney Martin Kwan and Hui Leng Tan are among the finest in the prosecution department. Kwan is adept at drafting patent specifications for both individual and institutional inventors, while Tan has considerable experience in patent prosecution, including pre-filing and post-filing stages in Singapore and internationally.
Recommended - Firms
Highly-recommended - Firms: litigation
Highly-recommended - Firms: prosecution
Highly-recommended - Firms: transactions
Home to nearly 50 scientifically adept and legally sound IP professionals, the formidable Hong Kong contingent at Bird & Bird has consolidated its reputation as a go-to IP and technology practice for world-leading multinational corporations in need of comprehensive legal representations. The offering is also at the forefront of local legal development, acting as the sole external adviser to the Hong Kong government in its recent patent system reform. Pacing the multi-talented group is Matthew Laight, a life sciences expert who has frequently acted for pharmaceutical titans across the Asia-Pacific region in high-stake disputes. IP all-rounder Ted Chwu draws judiciously on his experience practising in the United Kingdom to defend the interests of IT and telecommunications companies. An attestation to his virtuosity and versatility, he is also one of the few entries to be ranked across all three tables. Alison Wong supports companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries, handling everything from enforcement in Greater China to transactional issues. Last but not least, Victor Tse is an Australian-qualified patent attorney whose farsighted strategic and active involvement in multi-jurisdictional patent litigations lands him his first spot in the IAM Patent 1000 this year.
Gold - Firms: litigation
Recommended - Firms: transactions
“Bird & Bird provides first-class advice in patent litigation and has established a great presence in the Italian market, making it an attractive choice for an array of intellectual property matters.” Its practitioners are widely recognised as thought leaders in their respective fields, and spearheading the department are “dynamic duo Massimiliano Mostardini and Giovanni Galimberti, who have years of experience in high-value litigation”. “Reliable, pragmatic and business driven, Massimiliano boasts deep expertise in complex patent issues and gives well-thought-out advice. He is precise, dedicated and understanding of his client’s final goal. Likewise, Giovanni is deeply involved in his clientele’s transactional activities.” He frequently teams up with Edoardo Bàrbera, with patrons stating: “They are two of the most knowledgeable and approachable lawyers in the country. The best litigation happens when lawyers are not only focused on the legal aspects, but also understand the technical side. Giovanni and Edoardo take the time to truly understand the science.” Boosting the firm’s contentious offering further are Elisabetta Bandera and Evelina Marchesoni. Regularly involved in mechanical, pharmaceutical and electronics-related disputes, Bandera is no stranger to complex cases. IAM Patent 1000 newcomer Marchesoni is a specialist in healthcare and life sciences and is at home in pan-European contentious engagements. She has also developed her practice in the technology and communications sector, and has been creating strategies relating to the protection and enforcement of SEPs related to 3G, Wi-Fi and GSM. Representing the group’s strengths in non-contentious matters is chemist Antonella De Gregori. A familiar face before the European Patent Office (EPO) and a portfolio management ace, De Gregori brings visions to reality for a wide range of players in the organic and pharmaceutical chemistry arena. Also on deck is commercial ace Claudia Ricciardi. She is involved in all phases of the contract lifecycle, particularly in the life sciences and retail and consumer goods industry.
Gold - Firms: litigation
Recommended - Firms: transactions
One of Europe’s leading patent practices, Bird & Bird’s offering in France is undoubtedly among the country’s finest litigation teams. Alongside their enforcement prowess, the group’s practitioners also possess the legal diligence needed to deliver comprehensive non-contentious advice, from M&A due diligence through collaboration and licensing agreements. The top names to know are Yves Bizollon and Anne-Charlotte Le Bihan, two of the most well-respected litigators on the French market. Bizollon leads the IP group in France and boasts over 30 years’ experience. He works across a wide array of technological areas, as his recent work experience confirms. He advised HYDROMECANIQUE ET FROTTEMENT (HEF), a world leader in the field of surface engineering, in a suit against competitor SIBO. They countered with a revocation claim which failed. Another complex matter Bizollon counsels on is for Baxter International, a major American healthcare company. The claims turn on facts over 25 years old. He also represents power grid company ABB in a major cross-border infringement action against Grid Solutions. He is on the other side for Life Scientific, an Irish company sued by Syngenta for infringement relating to an ingredient in plant fungicide. For hip and knee prostheses manufacturer SERF, Bizollon is leading infringement actions against Adler and Amplitude. Success was secured against Adler, while the Amplitude matter remains ongoing. Le Bihan is known as a fierce and strategic disputer – peers relate that “without doubt, she does a good job. She is a very reliable professional.” Her recent activities are immense. She has led Edwards Life Sciences on a vast, large-scale 10-country enforcement campaign against Meril relating to five patents in the heart valve space. Success was secured in France in May 2022. For Honeywell, she defended against allegations of patent infringement levelled by Manulatex. The Paris Judicial Court rejected Manulatex’s claims in March 2022. Intellectual Ventures sued Broadcom as part of a massive cross-border litigation. Le Bihan defended Broadcom, while IV’s patent was invalidated in 2021. For Keboda, she defends in a pending suit against allegations of infringement for automotive electronic components; while for Microsoft, she defends against claims of patent infringement relating to icon display. She secured victory for Rescaset, a French food packaging company that was sued for infringement, via a revocation countersuit. On the non-contentious front, Le Bihan assisted Guerbet in the negotiation of a major deal with Bracco on Gadopiclenol. She also assisted AskBio on its acquisition of BrainVectis, a biotech company focused on Huntington’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
Gold - Firms: litigation
Gold - Firms: transactions
For high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional patent disputes Bird & Bird continues to come out near the top of the list, and is recommended by peer firms and clients across industries. With 13 litigation-focused partners in the United Kingdom, the team offers one of the country’s largest, dedicated patent litigation groups. Across this group, it offers up in-depth expertise across the full range of technical disciplines, with particular experience in life sciences and in electronics and telecommunications. The former practice is co-headed by Mark Hilton and includes Jennifer Jones, Patrick Kelleher, Neil Jenkins, Eleanor Root and Chris de Mauny. Among Jones’s work is acting for the Broad Institute defending key patents claiming the use of CRISPR gene-editing technology in eukaryotes. Jones and Kelleher act together for Gilead in a patent revocation proceeding against NuCana concerning the drug Sofosbuvir. Alongside work for pharma companies, Jenkins was also instructed by Neo Performance Materials to defend against infringement proceedings brought by Rhodia. Root represented Teva in proceedings against Janssen Oncology in relation to a prostate cancer treatment. De Mauny, meanwhile, who enters the IAM Patent 1000 for the first time this year, has been praised by his clientele: “Working with Chris was a real pleasure. He was extremely responsive and accommodating to changing deadlines and timelines. His advice was always well balanced and practical, taking in commercial as well as legal considerations and always with an understanding and an eye towards our business interests. Chris also has a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in the UK and the EU. This recent litigation was concluded to our full satisfaction as far as the result obtained, the time to conclusion and related costs. I would definitely recommend Chris to anyone looking to handle a patent dispute in the UK.” With a career spanning 30 years, Morag Macdonald is known and respected by all in the profession – her practice takes in work in a range of sectors, including the life sciences, financial services and energy. IP group co-head Robert Williams also acts for a widely varying clientele, including life sciences, chemicals, energy and utilities, and engineering companies. The technology, engineering and telecommunications side serves up a strong raft of practitioners, including Jane Mutimear, Katharine Stephens, new partner Jae Park and Richard Vary, a noted specialist in the SEP and FRAND space. Park joins the rankings this year on the basis of strong commendations: “Jae provides excellent advice – it is always on point and perfectly articulated. He provides a solid base for strategic decision making. He has a real gift for explaining complex issues simply and is liked and well regarded by both the legal team and business stakeholders. He also has clear insight into our technology and understands it quickly. We trust him to deliver the advice we need, often at pace and with a good measure of any cost sensitivities. I could not recommend him more highly.” Bird & Bird also offers up a stellar design litigation practice represented by Ewan Grist. “Ewan had an enthusiastic engagement with, and understanding of, the technical aspects of our business. He provided straightforward and clear guidance through the lens of our business objectives. Ewan is pragmatic, knowing exactly when to concede points and when to strongly push back, a skill which is invaluable in the commercial world. With his advice we were able to come up with a non-litigious solution avoiding trial, which was acceptable to our business.” The firm also features one of the UK’s strongest transactional patent practices, overseen by the leadership of Tom Snaith. “Tom has helped us on a number of projects over the past year and taken control of all IP aspects. He has also coordinated employment and other advice both in the UK and overseas. He is extremely responsive and pragmatic. It is the pragmatism that we value the most – IP is important to our commercial projects and Tom provides advice related to these aspects extremely well.” The other transactional name to know is Sally Shorthose, who is especially well equipped to deal with regulatory issues and commercial difficulties in the life sciences sector. She spent 11 years in-house, first with ICI/Zeneca and then Novartis UK, giving her a privileged insight into the business issues that matter for patrons across the sector.
Bronze - Firms: litigation
What Bird & Bird’s Australian contingent offers is a combination of global experience and local expertise – it regularly handles high-value, cross-border patent disputes that are also precedent setting. Standard essential patent litigation and arbitration remains the stronghold of this Sydney-based outfit. Of particular note is its in-house, cloud-hosted software solution, PATTERN, which is designed to solve patent portfolio valuation needs and provides accurate determinations of licensing royalties. Leading the IP team is Jane Owen, who effortlessly dispatches complex life sciences patent disputes and freedom-to-operate advisory. She litigates with poise in a patent infringement/revocation claim in the Federal Court on behalf of an international mineral and drilling company. Beside her is IP all-rounder Lynne Lewis, whose practice encompasses everything from IP-related consumer to regulatory law.
Gold - Firms: litigation and transactions
Bird & Bird lives up to its tremendous reputation in Belgium. A safe pair of hands for the most crucial patent litigation, it draws on its vast and powerful international network to flawlessly manage multi-jurisdictional disputes. Captaining the team is Jean-Christophe Troussel, who can be relied on for efficient dispute resolution. He has recently been undertaking important work for several multinational biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including freedom-to-operate searches and coordinating defensive strategies against claims of patent infringement. A compelling presence in the courtroom, Domien Op de Beeck is quick to get to grips with the technical details of a litigation and takes swift and decisive action to turn a case on its head.
Silver - Firms: litigation and transactions
Bird & Bird is a go-to resource for multinational corporations seeking support in Europe, and its Dutch outpost is a key contact for the address book. The team take a commercial approach, ensuring their counsel aligns with a company’s overall goals, and they are well known for their exceptional litigation talents. For example, founding partner Wouter Pors and IAM Patent 1000 newcomer Peter van Gemert are acting on behalf of Nokia in their global SEP dispute against Oppo. Industry peers are hailing the case as the biggest 5G-centric patent dispute, and the duo are supporting their colleagues in Germany and the United Kingdom with the parallel proceedings. The firm has also been the long-term counsel for major medical devices company Edwards Lifesciences. Armand Killan and Tjibbe Douma are currently representing this client against Meril in a multi-jurisdictional, multi-patent infringement litigation regarding a prosthetic heart valve that is almost identical to Edwards’s SAPIEN 3 heart valve. In the chemical space, co-managing partner Marc van Wijngaarden is representing Neo Materials Group in a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute involving multiple patent families.
Silver - Firms: litigation and transactions
“Bird & Bird continues to go from strength to strength, establishing itself as a prominent firm in the region.” The practice capitalises on over 1,450 attorneys internationally and a robust presence across Central and Eastern Europe to assist local and international clientele. “A key figure in the market, Bálint Halász is a brilliant lawyer. He is simultaneously creative, strategic, realistic and pragmatic. A true partner to clients, he is responsive, hardworking and reliable. Halász is a go-to resource for those seeking compulsory licence assistance in Hungary.” The group has added a new weapon to its arsenal in the region, now including patent prosecution, with new hire Miklós Tar. Drawing on over 20 years of experience as a patent attorney, including time spent working in-house at Gedeon Richter and Polpharma across Europe, Tar has established himself as a favoured choice for the pharmaceutical industry. From early-stage assessments to portfolio management, he maximises the value of patrons’ IP rights.
Silver - Firms: litigation
Recommended - Firms: transactions
“Bird & Bird is a top-notch outfit. Its attorneys are serious, professional and deliver a high-quality service.” Featuring representatives on each of the prosecution, litigations and transactions tables, Bird & Bird perfectly showcases the diversity of its offering and has distinguished itself as a true one-stop shop for patent services. The set garners enthusiastic praise from esteemed patrons and peers: “Mariano Santos excels at managing patent portfolios and sees high levels of success when filing patent applications across Europe and the world. He is a conscientious, proactive, responsive and agile practitioner, who deals with all matters with the highest level of professionalism to provide peace of mind to his clients”. “Manuel Lobato is a seasoned and outstanding litigator, who quickly understands customers’ needs and meets these through effective and pragmatic IP strategy. He is intelligent, approachable, highly skilled, reliable and responsive to questions and queries. Manuel combines his extensive experience in pharmaceutical litigation with the capacity to make sophisticated and creative assessments to achieve favourable results.” “Patent infringement litigation expert José Miguel Lissén is a very diligent and professional practitioner.” He has recently teamed up with Lobato to represent Biohope Nature in a patent infringement case filed as an action of unfair competition by competitor, Abiope.
Highly-recommended - Firms
Intellectual property has always been the bread and butter of Bird & Bird’s practice – its China branch is no exception. The 50-strong team is a repository of trust among domestic and international blue chips when it comes to realising the true value of their IP assets. With an extensive on-the-ground presence and vast global network, it has assisted entities in navigating the idiosyncrasies of the Chinese IP system with expertise. Leading the charge in Shanghai is Christine Yiu, who has demonstrated both unrivalled technical proficiency and impressive patent litigation skills. The Cambridge graduate and electrical engineer has provided unparalleled guidance for telecommunication giants, and is particularly adept at multi-jurisdictional FRAND disputes.
Gold - Firms: litigation and transactions
Its impressive reputation in high-stakes litigation and high-value deals has made Bird & Bird a go-to name for industry heavyweights across the globe. “The team always has a great understanding of what the client needs, and they dispense excellent guidance that will achieve their goals.” In Poland, the group has no shortage of work, assisting some of the biggest names in the life sciences and telecommunications. Piotr Dynowski has been supporting Teva and Edwards Lifesciences with a patent nullity action for an anticoagulant medication, and for Nokia he is handling crucial SEP enforcement in relation to the technology used in connected cars. Joining him in the guide this year is Marta Koremba, who is representing a leading Japanese construction company in enforcing its patent throughout Europe. So far, she has handled four infringement cases for the client, in addition to dealing with 50 other infringers and coordinating legal proceedings in other European countries.
Gold - Firms: infringement
Bronze - Firms: prosecution and nullity
The multinational practice of Bird & Bird is consistently ranked among the leading patent litigation outfits in Europe for a reason. It boasts unrivalled experience in the most rancorous and high-value cross-border contentious work and a well-stocked raft of technical experts. In Germany the patent attorney practice is equally deep and the firm is as safe a pair of hands for nullity as it is for infringement proceedings. Clientele praise the team for being “extremely hardworking and always there for the client. They are happy to explain the intricacies of German law in a clear and concise manner.” From Dusseldorf, Christian Harmsen takes charge as head of the German IP department. He works across a range of sectors, with a particular emphasis on technology. Passionate about innovation, Harmsen’s approach is characterised by strategic, long-term vision and an eye for minute details. Joining him in the Rhineland are leading litigators Oliver Jan Jüngst, Felix Rödiger and Matthias Meyer. Jüngst is a smart, sophisticated and strategic disputer who has 20 years’ experience litigating for both claimants and defendants. Recent highlights include advising Broadcom in a dispute against Netflix on the tech front, and, in the life sciences, Fisher & Paykel against Medisize and Flexicare, Guardant Health against FMI, a subsidiary of Roche, and defence for Teva in a number of suits. One of the founders of the Bird & Bird patent litigation practice in Germany, Rödiger has a wealth of litigation experience, most of which he has recently channelled into advice and litigation action for players in the automotive sector. Meyer takes on both contentious and non-contentious legal work. A commercially savvy litigator, Meyer has delivered for Formax in five infringement proceedings concerning high-performance cutting machines for foodstuffs. In Munich, the IP litigation practice is headed by Boris Kreye, a stellar choice for multi-jurisdictional patent suits from the life sciences to telecommunications. Kreye is currently leading a European-wide enforcement strategy for Canon in relation to toner cartridge technology; he also supports Edwards Life Sciences in several patent and utility model infringement proceedings against Meril, relating to heart valve prostheses and catheters. Christopher Maierhöfer is also based in Bavaria and is equally competent across technical fields, from life sciences to telecommunications. His strategic insight into business-critical patents and licensing have been invaluable to two big names in the pharmaceutical space in recent years. The set’s German patent attorney practice is 17 practitioners strong and includes chemistry expert Daniela Kinkeldey, who is as confident supporting infringement proceedings as she is delivering knock-out arguments at EPO oppositions. Based in Munich, she is joined at that office by the equally dexterous Claus Becker, another leader in contentious patent attorney work and a chemistry expert, as well as biology-chemistry expert Michael Alt. Alt worked in-house at a biopharmaceutical company and delivers a special understanding of the needs of the industry in his contentious and non-contentious patent attorney work. Hamburg is home to the electronics, physics and engineering specialists Felix Landry and Felix Harbsmeier. Landry worked for industrial chemical manufacturer BASF before embarking on a career in patent law. Armed with a physics degree, he delivers top-notch opposition and nullity work across telecoms, computer technology, aviation and medical engineering. Harbsmeier also worked for a chemical company – Babcock-BSH, now part of Grenzebach – before turning his hand to the patent profession. Like Landry, Harbsmeier has a background in physics and now offers high-quality prosecution, nullity and opposition work in various engineering fields – from automobiles and airplanes to telecoms and computers.
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