Our Services

THE CLASSICS

  • PATENTS

    Patents typically represent the core of an intellectual property (IP) strategy, conferring protection for technical inventions – products, methods, and uses. Patent applications may be filed on national level, regional level (e.g., a European patent application), or as international PCT patent application. We reflect the individual case scenario with our clients in order to always find the most cost effective and straightforward solution. Our network with experienced colleagues worldwide ensures successful global patent protection. We have particular experience in preparing patent applications relating to computer hardware and software, electronics, nanotechnology, robotics, material sciences, semiconductor devices, renewal energies, automotive technologies (autonomous driving), digital farming and medical devices. Beyond, we assist our clients in defending and enforcing their patent rights, in particular in opposition and appeal proceedings before the European and German Patent Office as well as in infringement and nullity proceedings before German courts.

  • UTILITY MODELS

    Utility models which are often also referred to as “petty patents” confer, much like a patent, protection for technical inventions, in many jurisdictions with the exception of methods and processes. However, utility models constitute cost-effective enforceable IP rights that may provide considerable strategic advantages, both in terms of prosecution and litigation, and thus become a valuable asset to an IP portfolio. We advise our clients on making use of this type of IP right and have experience in filing, defending, and enforcing utility model applications.

  • TRADEMARKS

    Trademarks are of fundamental importance for enterprise and product branding. Different trademark strategies – nationally or internationally – are instrumental for successful marketing strategies. We counsel our clients on filing options as well as of using trademarks as “flanking IP rights”. A long term strategy for a development of a strong trademark portfolio is indispensable for our clients’ long term marketing success.

  • DESIGNS

    Designs protect the outward appearance of products. Distinctive features may result from contours, colors, shapes, texture, and materials of the product itself or its ornamentation. A combination of trademarks and designs may result in a superb combination as part of an overall IP strategy, thus allowing the differentiation of products in addition to pure technical aspects. We have experience in preparing national or international design applications.

THE EXTRAS

  • IP Management

    In addition to the “classical IP services”, we put particular emphasis on providing our clients with comprehensive advice concerning the development of compelling IP protection, defense, and enforcement strategies. We thoroughly analyze our clients’ IP estate, evaluate and manage complex patent portfolios, and strive towards identifying and avoiding potential pitfalls. We also perform extensive “trouble-shooting” in individual cases. In addition, we advise on IP lifecycle management and develop customized strategies at the interface between intellectual property and marketing requirements.

  • Opinions

    We have particular expertise in delivering due diligence and landscape analyses as well as in preparing freedom-to-operate, product clearance, infringement, and validity opinions in order to strengthen our clients’ strategic position and to provide for a clear path of our clients’ innovative technologies to the market. In this context, we also perform prior art searches and analyze the documents retrieved.

  • EMPLOYEE INVENTIONS & AGREEMENTS

    Moreover, we assist our clients with any questions concerning employee inventions. We advise on addressing the formal requirements stipulated in the German Act on Employee Inventions, develop suitable remuneration strategies for employee inventors, and mediate corresponding disputes between employers and employees. Furthermore, we assist our clients in preparing and negotiating of contracts relating to IP rights, including licensing agreements, contracts on cooperation and transfer of know-how, as well as prior-rights and court settlement agreements.

  • Bottom Line

    We thus provide legal services across many facets of intellectual property law and endeavor to meet or exceed the expectations of our clients in all aspects of their legal representation. Thereby, we are at our clients’ service in all technical fields from computer sciences and engineering to automotive technologies and digital farming.

  • Cooperations

    For trademark and design related matters we are happy to cooperate with the law firm Klinger & Kollegen which is capable of also handling complex questions and cases in this IP field.