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.
Recommended - Individuals
Silver - Individuals: prosecution and nullity
In the words of clients, “The team at HOFFMANN EITLE is really great. We rely on them for a large volume of work – both portfolios and for litigation preparation. They do a great job on both. We have worked with various attorneys at Hoffmann and their skills are always top notch. The depth and breadth of their team is excellent, both in technology backgrounds and in legal skills. We have had excellent experiences working with them in the German courts and are happy to rely on them. If you have a tricky case, whether in pharma or SPCs, there is no better team for EPO oppositions and patent attorney work.” Boasting one of the largest IP teams in Europe, HOFFMANN EITLE has one of Germany’s strongest prosecution practices, along with a solid bench of attorneys at law to support the most fraught legal issues, whether contentious or not. “The litigation team at HOFFMANN EITLE led by Dirk Schüßler-Langeheine is to be rated very highly. Dirk is excellent – he is extremely experienced, knowledgeable, realistic and business focused. He and his team are excellent advocates, and the rare kind of external counsel you would allow to talk directly with internal senior stakeholders. Their English (and numerous other languages) is excellent, and they have obtained very good results. They are superb as part of a multi-jurisdictional team. Best of all, they are very nice people, who make working together on difficult issues very enjoyable!” Another skilled litigator at the outfit is Niels Hölder. “Niels produces excellent written work and he communicates effectively across borders, keeping the clients’ objectives always in mind. He stays focused on the business goals and provides clear guidance to that end. His advice is invariably detailed, yet high level and strategically focused on the big picture. The analysis was very technically and legally thorough, which is not always evident from infringement-focused counsel. Overall, HOFFMANN EITLE, and particularly Niels, are a go-to firm for European litigation strategy, especially because of their knowledge and familiarity with medical technologies and the issues that face medical device companies.” Joining Schüßler-Langeheine and Hölder on the attorney at law bench is Clemens Tobias Steins, who moves with equal dexterity across contentious and non-contentious matters. Bringing a detailed knowledge of tech licensing and M&A work to every interaction, Steins offers enforcement advice with a commercial sensibility in mind. The prosecution side of the practice is among Germany’s very best. Engineering inventors are well protected in the experienced hands of Claus Thomas Becher, Frank van Bouwelen and Veit Frank. The smart and strategic Becher is a mechanical engineer with a wealth of technical and oppositional expertise under his belt. A recent matter saw him supporting Hölder in an infringement action for Insulet against Medtrum, related to a patent for a portable insulin pump. He also represents MATCH Group LLC, owners of online dating platform Tinder, in a nullity action before the Federal Patent Court. The firm also defends the company in parallel infringement proceedings launched by Hoccer Betriebs GmbH. Van Bouwelen is also a specialist in mechanical engineering patents. Equipped with a PhD in physics, van Bouwelen supports patrons with his technical expertise across a range of specialist fields. Several inventions he is particularly proud of working for include medical technology, sealing devices for protection against fire, winglets for airplanes and various water management technologies. Frank is an insightful attorney who lets no detail pass him by unexamined. A skilled advocate for contentious prosecution matters from the courts to the EPO, his graduate research in the field of digital telecommunications makes him a real asset on the contemporary patent landscape. The biotechnology practice is co-headed by Joseph Taormino and Leo Polz. The always well-prepared Taormino has a PhD in biochemistry and has been in the patent profession for nearly 30 years. With experience in research and at a start-up, Taormino always offers his clients well-rounded, technically astute and commercially savvy advice. Polz’s expertise is wide ranging, taking in all the life science fields including pharmaceutics, diagnostics, analytics and microbiology. His 30-plus years’ experience in the profession make him a routine port of call for the trickiest opposition and nullity proceedings. One other name on the biotech bench is Andreas Stefferl. “Andreas has a brilliant mind and possesses highly detailed technical understanding. He is really great – working with him is an excellent experience.” The chemistry and life sciences practice is co-headed by Peter Klusmann. Klusmann’s practice takes in all manner of chemical applications, from pharmaceuticals to foodstuffs. He has a PhD in chemistry and has been engaged in the patent profession for almost 30 years. He is joined by Thorsten Bausch, Morten Garberg and Joachim Renken. “Thorsten is a great choice for high-value, contentious EPO oppositions and appeals in the pharmaceutical sector. His work is excellent, and he is very experienced. He is a skilled communicator and an excellent advocate. He can be relied on without hesitation.” Chemist Garberg has accrued significant expertise in EPO oppositions, conducting over 20 per year in a wide array of technical fields. A tenacious tactician, Garberg knows which arguments to leverage in order to secure the commercially prized objectives his customers seek. The enthusiastic Renken is also an experienced hand when it comes to EPO work. One high-profile matter which Renken has been involved in recently is providing strategic and technical advice to Moderna in its litigation against BioNTech concerning the mRNA covid-19 vaccine, launched in August 2022.