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Silver - Firms: prosecution and nullity
The small but mighty patent attorney boutique Braun-Dullaeus Pannen Emmerling is laser focused on supplying the very best support for litigious matters, from infringement through nullity proceedings. The team has an especially sophisticated grasp on SEPs in mobile communications and connected cars. In Munich, practice leader Friedrich Emmerling earns accolades: “Fritz is the best patent attorney you will find in Germany or even the EU. He has a deep technical understanding of telecommunications and abundant litigation experience. He does not limit himself to the tried and true – he is able to think outside of the box to further aid the client. He is supported by an able and sizeable team, dedicated to achieving the patron’s objectives.” The other named partner is Karl-Ulrich Braun-Dullaeus in Dusseldorf. Braun-Dullaeus has 20 years’ experience in the patent profession and has devoted 15 of those to perfecting his work in contentious matters. He delivers high-quality German and European prosecution for Deutsche Telekom AG and Hochland SE. Three other top-notch patent attorneys at the firm all bring technical expertise and industry experience to their arsenal. Markus Kreuzberg worked as an engineer in metal processing before moving into the patent profession, while Franck Klein gained invaluable sector specialism in the mobile communications industry and Jörg Kohlschmidt was employed for more than 15 years as a development and systems engineer at mobile phone and semiconductor manufacturers. Klein and Kohlschmidt support Emmerling in his opposition work for Huawei, while Kreuzberg joins Braun-Dullaeus for VVG-Befestigungstechnik GmbH & Co KG and Honsel Umformtechnik GmbH. Klein also dishes up high-value oppositions for Adidas AG.
Braun-Dullaeus Pannen Emmerling (BDPE) has patent litigation as its core business. While other firms generally heavily rely on patent prosecution, BDPE has a clear focus on patent litigation, setting it apart from other boutique law firms.
The firm
Our patent attorney team has only been operating in this setup for three years and is already one of the most active in patent litigation before German courts and the EPO, especially when it comes to standard essential patents (SEPs) in mobile communications and connected cars sectors. Further focus is on power electronics, in particular solar energy.
The patent attorneys at BDPE specialise in litigation and prosecution in the field of intellectual property and combine branch-specific and technical expertise with legal competence. The founding partners of BDPE are well known for their expertise in litigation and the industry for many years and are among the few established experts in their clients’ industries. As a result, they created a law firm, which is highly specialised in IP litigation. The attorneys are real business partners who understand the business of their clients.
BDPE’s client portfolio includes worldwide corporations and leading companies in Germany and abroad. The firm works with an international network of contacts inclusive of external law firms and patent attorneys.
Competence
BDPE sets itself clearly apart from competing patent attorney firms with its strong focus on patent litigation. Even strong competitors opt for far more comprehensive prosecution activity. Based on this specialisation BDPE can offer outstanding expertise in complex and multi-jurisdictional patent litigation proceedings. Thus, the firm’s experience in defending against SEP claims stands out. BDPE also litigates in other technological fields when high economic stakes are involved. The team operates a small prosecution practice and is looking to strategically build on this but is still called on much more frequently for its litigation strength.
BDPE combines industry-specific and technical knowledge with excellent legal competence. In close cooperation, we bring together this legal expertise and technical knowledge for the benefit of our clients.
Additionally, we protect innovations, new technologies and products as well as trademarks and new designs and conduct the corresponding grant, complaint and opposition proceedings. We work for our clients both national and internationally, and have an international network of contacts to legal and patent law firms.
BDPE also brings the experience needed to represent clients at the UPC in complex technological fields by joining forces with external law firms without patent attorney.
Team
The team currently consists of nine patent attorneys and two attorneys-at-law in its offices in Munich and Düsseldorf. The firm and its patent attorneys are frequently recommended by reputable publications and ranking organisations and have received a truly remarkable amount of praise since the firm was founded in 2019.
The firm specialises in patent litigation, with additional expertise in trademark litigation and prosecution, as well as competition law in the field of IP. It is consistently one of the most active in patent litigation before the German courts. Our lawyers have been involved in various high-profile patent litigation proceedings, many of which have concerned SEPs and have had international implications. Partners Friedrich Emmerling and Karl-Ulrich Braun-Dullaeus are highly regarded in Germany, particularly for their work in the telecommunications field and for their activities in nullity proceedings before the German Federal Patent Court and the EPO.
Diversity
BDPE promotes diversity. Our attorneys and office staff represent a multitude of nationalities from Europe, Asia and the Americas, and speak as many as 10 different languages,including Mandarin. Allowing them to interact directly with a broad client base internationally, while understanding and being respectful of cultural differences. This makes it possible, for our firm to interact directly with a broad client base across the globe, while understanding and being respectful of diverse cultural contexts and cultural differences.
We are committed in our hiring practices to seek out diverse lawyers and office staff and to ensure that they are strategically invested in and advanced. We are further dedicated to non-discriminatory hiring practices and believe that a diverse staff is essential to our practice and success.
Jurisdiction