HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER

Gold - Firms: litigation

“The partners at HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER are extremely experienced, know the court systems inside and out, and are intimately familiar with the interplay with pharmaceutical regulatory law. They are extremely bright and can grasp complex scientific issues quickly. In France they have a patent attorney on staff too, which really adds to the depth of service they offer and avoids the need for contracting another firm.” As the largest IP boutique on the continent, the outfit can deal with cases Europe-wide, but its French contingent – comprising 21 professionals, eight of whom are partners – is also equipped with all the local knowledge needed to tackle issues purely on home soil. The firm stands at the forefront of IP innovation on both the telecommunications and pharmaceutical sides – with FRAND cases and SPC issues regularly coming its way – but it also deals in other sectors too, with one recent case seeing it represent Volvo Trucks in relation to fuel-saving technologies. Acting on the piece are Sabine Agé and Marta Mendes – Agé is a patent litigator of 20 years’s experience who has gained a wealth of SEP knowledge and has been credited with being “very quick to understand cases”; Mendes enters the IAM Patent 1000 this year on account of her skill coordinating litigation and EPO proceedings across 15 countries. Reflecting her practice’s versatility, meanwhile, is Amandine Métier, who knows as much about FRAND and SEP matters as she does about SPCs and biosimilars. Similarly versatile are Caroline Levesque and Florence Jacquand – Levesque works across all IP rights in all fields and has specialisms in everything from plant breeders’ rights to computer security, while Jacquand’s interests span chemistry, mechanics and electronics, and she steps in on infringement cases as easily as she does contractual disputes. Working across both France and Belgium is managing partner Benoît Strowel, who is not only a member of both the Paris and Brussels Bars but is also qualified to practise in England and Wales. An expert in dealing with cross-border disputes in both the life sciences and high-technology fields, he also brings top knowledge in pharmaceutical regulatory law. His fellow maven is Denis Monégier du Sorbier, who deals with unfair competition and parasitic behaviour matters alongside his IP work. A tenacious litigator, he is well known across the whole of Europe.

Gold - Firms: litigation

Flawless cross-border cooperation, impeccable expertise and a dependable service are all staples of European IP powerhouse HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER. The international boutique has established an outstanding and well-resourced cross-border practice that is accessible through a single point of contact – a crucial arrangement for multi-jurisdictional briefs and something veterinary pharmaceutical group CEVA has taken full advantage of in Spain. “An excellent and tenacious litigator”, Luis Fernández-Novoa has been representing the company in a large-scale, cross-border dispute against Bayer, and collaborates seamlessly with colleagues in Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal and the Netherlands to take on what is thought to be the largest veterinary product patent case ever. He also teamed up with José Antonio Sanmartín to successfully defend Huawei in a patent infringement, unfair competition and breach of contract case brought by TOT Power Control. “Lawyers must think like a business. Clients are not interested in theoretical legal analysis but in practical strategy, and both Luis and José provide just that.” Bringing his own strategic and commercial acumen to the table is Álvaro Velázquez.  “A diligent and responsive lawyer”, he has been acting on behalf of Philips in a conflict regarding its portfolio of essential and non-essentialpatents.

Gold - Firms: litigation and transactions

With over 100 dedicated specialists based in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Spain, HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER is one of the most eminent IP outfits in Europe. It provides a wide range of patent services, but it is best known for its sterling cross-border litigation capabilities. For example, Brussels-based Liesbeth Weynants, Steven Cattoor and Benoît Strowel are representing Ceva Santé Animale in a large-scale cross-border dispute against Bayer, which spans across 17 jurisdictions and is believed to be the largest veterinary product patent case yet. In the words of one interviewee: “Liesbeth is exceptional when it comes to patent and regulatory matters. Thanks to her remarkable knowledge, she provides expert legal analyses and advice that will achieve her clients’ end goals.” The market is also unanimous in its praise for Cattoor and Strowel, both of whom are lauded as “Belgium’s top life sciences litigators”. “Steven offers sound, practical advice and produces high-quality work to a tight timeline. He has very solid judgement and is a pleasure to work with.” “Benoît is a major name in Belgium and France. His strategic perspective is highly regarded and he has excellent first-hand knowledge of the law, which he uses very creatively.” “When it comes to coordinating sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional patent litigation, Benoît and Steven are meticulous.”

Gold - Firms: infringement

Recommended - Firms: transactions

As far as European IP boutiques go, it is hard to beat HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER, a firm that handles some of the most complex and high-profile patent disputes continent-wide. Its German contingent is a key component of this offering, serving a diverse and illustrious clientele from its base in Düsseldorf and branch office in Mannheim. Key among said clients is Fujifilm, which it has recently been fighting hard for in infringement proceedings against a US competitor. Leading on the case is Tobias Hahn, with Christine Kanz at his side. Hahn has been working in patents for the best part of two decades, is well placed to advise on parallel US and European litigation, and ably handles FRAND- and antitrust-related cases, while Kanz’s focus is on pharmaceutical disputes. The latest highlight in a 20-year-career is her work acting for Gilead in an SPC-related battle, alongside Mirko Weinert, who works either side of the contentious/non-contentious divide and pairs his patent work with a thriving trade secrets practice. He is also part of the team advising Huawei on a range of issues including SEP licensing – working alongside him are Kay Kasper and Stefan Richter, and leading on the work are Tobias Hessel and Klaus Haft. Kasper is also an expert when it comes to SEP licensing, fighting related cases in court and advising automotive companies on portfolio strategy, while Richter has spent the last decade working with IT and telecommunications patents, as well as committing himself to a healthy amount of data protection work. Hessel, on the other hand, is known for his record acting in opposition and nullity proceedings before the EPO, while Haft takes naturally to even the most complex medical devices and high-technology patents, thanks to his background in physics. Leading the department is Martin Köhler, who since 1998 has acted for some of the biggest names in fields including pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and electronics – including his recent high-profile work for Samsung. Completing the line-up in this year’s IAM Patent 1000 are elder statesmen Christian Osterrieth and Thomas Reimann, who have been in the game since 1984 and 1973, respectively. Both effortlessly craft multinational litigation strategies across all patent-rich industries.

Gold - Firms: litigation and transactions

Silver - Firms: prosecution

One of Europe’s premier IP firms, HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER is spread across eight offices in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, and is in pole position to handle complex cross-border litigation on behalf of some of the biggest names in almost every industry. Locally, it stands out for its partner-centric approach and integrated team of lawyers and patent attorneys – a rarity on the Dutch legal scene – and with the most individuals listed on the litigation table in the chapter, it is well equipped to tackle sprawling disputes. Recently it has been representing technology giant Philips in a patent infringement matter against Asus, with Bart van den Broek and David Owen teaming up to bring home crisp results. Department head van den Broek is at ease devising national and international patent litigation strategies, and Owen’s qualifications as a US patent attorney and lawyer, as well as a solicitor of England and Wales, bring a global touch to everything he does. In the life sciences, Peter van Schijndel and Simon Dack have been supporting Sanofi in infringement and invalidity proceedings. “Peter and Simon are consummate professionals. Simon is super skilled, and his business-oriented approach is always valued, while Peter is really knowledgeable about the law and thinks strategically.” Frank Eijsvogels often joins up with them and is described by his peers as “an excellent litigator who is always willing to go above and beyond”. Joining forces to assist AstraZeneca in several high-profile patent matters surrounding a number of their blockbuster drugs are Willem Hoyng, Jeroen den Hartog, and Theo Blomme. Former managing partner Hoyng is an encyclopaedia of IP knowledge, having seen and done it all over the course of his nearly 50-year career, while organic chemistry PhD den Hartog brings over two decades of in-house experience to bear. “Blomme swiftly understands the essence of a matter and efficiently extracts the relevant facts before translating them into cogent and persuasive arguments. He also develops clear strategies that have the best possibility of success, which he bases on his own experiences.” Michiel de Baat and Wilbert Derks round off the impressive line-up. De Baat has been handling EPO work for Hologic – a medical technology company focused on women’s health – as well as managing their entire portfolio. “Wilbert studies subjects in depth, thoroughly grasps new concepts, asks critical questions and has made significant contributions to his clients’ patent positions through his ingenuity and business-oriented advice.”

Bronze - Firms