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“Aera is a small boutique firm offering only positive experiences. Going from strength to strength, it punches above its weight and successfully outdoes its competition in quality of work and turnaround time. The group has attracted a team of incredibly skilled, friendly and helpful practitioners, with technical capabilities spanning an array of fields.” Biotechnology experts Nicka Kirstejn and Per Larsen offer technology transfer, due diligence work and licensing negotiation assistance to universities, start-ups, and SMEs. Managing partner Kirstejn utilises more than two decades of IP expertise and keen commercial sensibilities to provide “insightful and straightforward advice, alongside a deep understanding of the UPC”. Larsen is a safe pair of hands for those interested in radio-immunology and process chemistry. Combining a robust academic background and perfected market exclusivity strategies as a part of her portfolio management, Marianne Johansen is an asset to those in the life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector. Ylva Skoglösa is highly sought out by clients within the medical research arena, from neurosciences to microbiology, for her talent in creating secure strategies and global portfolio management. Henrik Skødt, hailed as a “great choice for handling EPO oppositions”, brings expertise of German IP law and in-house experience at a major pharmaceutical company. Engineer Anders Sandgaard is a safe bet for smart hearing technology players; his work with computer-implemented inventions has established him among start-ups and mature companies involved in software/hardware. Telecommunications and cyber security expert Hanane Fathi Roswall garners a wave of praise: “Always going the extra mile for clientele, Roswall is a skilled and emphatic communicator with superior abilities as a technologist. Unafraid of getting into the weeds with the engineers, she can easily parse even the most complex machine learning or algorithm-heavy inventions. As a drafter, she is peerless. Her drafted claims are very economical, great at capturing the point of novelty and transform the technical details into a solid patent draft.” Recently departing Zacco, Hans Christian Nielsen is “a patent portfolio management ace with a robust grasp of the field at hand”. Experienced in all phases of the patent lifecycle, Nielsen combines his time at the DKPTO with his experience operating a naval architecture consultancy, to carve a niche for himself among those in the field of global shipping. His work has also attracted players in a spectrum of technical fields from mechanics and software to maritime and automotive.
Anders Sandgaard has a MSc in engineering with a heavy focus on electronics and mathematics from the Danish Technical University, where he worked with nonlinear dynamic systems and time series analysis. He entered the patent profession in 2003 at one of Europe’s largest IP firms.
From day one, Mr Sandgaard has been heavily involved with a major hearing aid client and provided legal advice to protect all four cornerstones of smart hearing technology – that is, audiology, connectivity, apps and design.
Mr Sandgaard has a profound understanding of the problematic issue of computer-implemented inventions in Europe and – as software patents have the highest growth rate among all patent categories presented before the EPO – his skills are in high demand. His clients range from the world’s largest software and hardware developer to the smallest start-up company with a vision to change the world.
With the explosion of the Internet of Things (IoT), Mr Sandgaard has been committed to provide invention harvesting for clients that traditionally did not use IoT interaction. He has filed numerous applications on the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators and network connectivity that enable these objects to connect and exchange data.
Mr Sandgaard has extensive experience prosecuting patent applications before numerous patent offices and frequently represents clients at hearings before the EPO. His work has been used in successful global patent licensing and litigation discussions. He also conducts opinion work.
Mr Sandgaard has been a tutor at the Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies since 2008 and continues to lecture prospective European patent attorneys in their preparation for the European qualifying examination, which tests candidates’ knowledge and aptitude to represent applicants in EPO proceedings and is widely regarded as one of the most demanding professional examinations.
aera is a European IP consultancy firm, built on Nordic values but with an international outlook. Founded in Copenhagen in January 2018, the firm now has patent attorneys in Stockholm, Oslo, Berlin, Munich and Madrid and has expanded its operations to cover all aspects of IP protection.
The name aera is derived from the Latin word for ‘era’ (‘æra’ in Danish). The firm’s mission stems from its name – the firm wishes to create a new era in the IP community and become one of the market leaders in IP consultancy.
aera continues to recruit highly experienced patent attorneys to help the firm become one of the most sought-after IP firms in the region. In 2022 our expansion continued with the establishment of a new office in Oslo and the recruitment of European patent attorney Johannes Wehner and US patent attorney David Loretto in the patent team, as well as the addition of ten new employees in the legal department.
The firm strives to offer high-quality services to clients that use intellectual property strategically and link these strategies to their business needs. The engagement of the firm’s patent attorneys often makes them deeply involved in the innovation process of their clients’ R&D. The creation of successful business results is a common goal between the firm and its clients.
aera offers a vast array of services, from basic prosecution to strategic projects such as invention harvesting, fast-track prosecution through the Patent Prosecution Highway, Unified Patent Court collaborations and IP management. The firm seeks proactively to optimise its clients’ IP handling by creating and maintaining a strong and close relationship to them.
aera’s clients come in all sizes – from the largest global companies to local entrepreneurs and research institutions. What its clients all have in common is that their size (large) and their place as (or aspiration to become) market leaders in their respective technology fields.
aera considers the legal aspects of any issue just as clearly and carefully as it does its commercial and technical considerations. This is why clients make aera their first choice when they require services such as IP counselling, prosecution, litigation and strategy, or simply need to discuss important business decisions.
aera has the drive of an entrepreneur backed up by experience. The founding partners had all practised for 10 to 20 years in high-end firms in the region prior to establishing aera, adding to the success of the firm. aera has grown from four people in January 2018 to 41 people in April 2023.
The firm has invested in a cloud-controlled Mac OS IT system that enables efficient work processes anywhere. This system delivers both cost savings and flexibility to better meet clients’ needs. Flexibility and adaption are keywords in aera’s approach to its clients, and with a flat hierarchical structure and a one-team spirit, solving issues is never hindered by historical structures or ingrown habits. aera is a high-end speedboat in a sea of old super tankers.
aera’s patent attorneys are credited for having played a significant role in the creation and protection of landmark portfolios in the life sciences, clean tech, mechanics and electronics industries.