Germany

Firm overview

HEUKING is one of Germany’s largest law firms with a substantial Media, IP and IT department. The firm advises and represents its clients in all kinds of IP matters. The areas listed below are therefore not exhaustive.

Soft IP / Trademarks, Design Law, Copyright Law and Unfair Competition

Heukings Practice Group IP, Media and Technology comprises of seven expertise groups, the biggest one being „Soft IP“, covering trademark and design law, copyrights and unfair competition law. The group offers in depth expertise in all these areas, Practice Group co-leader Dominik Eickemeier confirms: „Our experienced partners managed to build a strong team enabling younger colleagues to grow and learn on the job rather than requiring them to write assessments with no client contact.“. Well-known partners like Christian Spintig (Hamburg), Georg Jacobs (Düsseldorf) and Thorsten Wieland (Frankfurt) support the team building by encouraging newcomers to work on major cases.

Registering, protecting and maintaining trademarks and designs

The team offers all services required to build and maintain trademark and design portfolios, including the defense of the clients‘ rights in all kinds of administrative proceedings. In the event of a collision with other IP rights, negotiating delimitation solutions or representing its clients before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office or the European Union Intellectual Property Office is the group’s daily work. With partners abroad, Heuking also secures its clients‘ ip rights worldwide.

Defending our clients‘ IP rights against competitors and others

Representation in court: The group members are admitted to and well-known at all important courts nationwide. They are familiar with regional peculiarities of interim legal protection, thus avoiding pitfalls.

Protection against dilution: For companies that, as trademark owners, fall victim to counterfeiting, the group conducts serial civil litigation against infringers. The Soft IP group has implemented enforcement programs to counteract the dilution of valuable trademark and design assets.

Out-of-court settlement: In addition, Soft IP advises and represent its clients in domain disputes before national and international arbitration courts, where Dominik Eickemeier also acts as arbitrator.
One of the teams specializes in combating product piracy. This includes strategic advice on product identification solutions, helping the clients and the investigating authorities to successfully take action against counterfeit goods, unauthorized parallel imports, or other unlawful activities.

Designing the clients‘ business

In addition to legal disputes, the Soft IP group also advises its clients in contractual matters and drafts license agreements, supervises licensing relationships, or helps with designing distribution systems. Jointly with the Heuking specialist lawyers in distribution law and antitrust law, they develop distribution agreements, for example for franchising or store-in-store concepts.

Patent Law / Patent Litigation

With years of experience in patent litigation, HEUKING’s patent team has a proven track record of successfully defending and enforcing patents across a wide range of industries before the German national courts, the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office and more recently also the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The team combines deep technical knowledge with strategic legal acumen to navigate the complexities of patent disputes, ensuring that the client’s industrial property rights are robustly protected. All team members are actively involved in various cases before the new Unified Patent Court (UPC), showcasing their strong technical understanding and seamless integration into the new legal framework.
Under the leadership of Anton Horn, HEUKING's patent team has grown significantly in recent years. All lawyers are Certified Specialist Lawyers in Intellectual Property Law (Fachanwälte für Gewerblichen Rechtsschutz) and all team members are registered representatives with the Unified Patent Court (UPC) since its inception in 2023.

Patent Prosecution

While HEUKING’s patent prosecution practice is relatively new, having been established just a few years ago, it is rapidly gaining recognition for its excellence and effectiveness. The team of skilled patent attorneys and paralegals is adept at guiding clients through the patent application process, from the initial filing to final grant. They work closely with inventors and businesses to draft, file, and prosecute patents that stand up to scrutiny and provide strong protection in the marketplace. This expansion aligns with HEUKING's full-service approach, providing clients with expertise in both patent litigation and prosecution, a combination highly valued by the market.

International Network

HEUKING’s patent team has also supported clients in proceedings across Europe, including Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as globally. The team regularly works in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese. As a member of the World Services Group (WSG) network, HEUKING has access to top-tier patent litigators worldwide, allowing the firm to manage and coordinate international or cross-border proceedings effectively.

Firm overview

WSL is a premier patent law firm in Germany, known for its comprehensive intellectual property (IP) services. With offices in Wiesbaden and Munich, and a vast global network, the firm has built a reputation for delivering exceptional IP management across a wide array of industries. WSL's team of multidisciplinary experts offers tailored legal solutions, supporting clients through the entire lifecycle of their IP portfolios.

WSL's patent practice is particularly strong in areas such as AI, biotechnology, polymers, metallurgy, and medical technology. The firm serves a broad spectrum of clients, including multinational corporations, SMEs, start-ups, universities, and research institutions. One of the firm's unique strengths is its ability to craft innovative IP strategies that not only protect clients’ inventions but also maximize the value of their intellectual property in highly competitive markets. The firm’s legal team integrates deep technical knowledge, particularly in emerging technologies, with strategic business insights, ensuring that clients are not just legally secure but also positioned for long-term success.

WSL offers full-spectrum IP services, including patent filing, opposition, litigation, and commercialization. The firm is particularly adept at handling complex patent prosecutions under the European Patent Convention (EPC) and has successfully secured patent protection for clients in numerous jurisdictions worldwide. Additionally, WSL has developed a strong reputation for its efficient, cost-effective solutions. The firm leverages advanced technology and AI tools to enhance patent management processes, enabling clients to stay ahead of the competition while reducing administrative burden.

A significant part of WSL’s practice is supporting innovation within start-ups. The firm has guided numerous early-stage companies through the process of developing commercially viable IP strategies, helping them transform ideas into market-ready solutions. WSL's long-standing relationships with high-profile companies in industries such as AI, renewable energy, and biotechnology underline its commitment to fostering innovation.

Another key area of expertise is trade secrets protection, where WSL advises on the strategic use of trade secrets as part of a comprehensive IP strategy. In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, WSL’s focus on securing innovations through trade secrets has become an increasingly valuable service for clients.

WSL's exceptional casework includes securing patents for cutting-edge technologies in sectors like carbon and graphite products, optical communications, and medical devices. The firm also handles high-stakes litigation, consistently achieving favorable outcomes in complex patent disputes. WSL’s client-centered approach, technical depth, and innovative strategies make it a leading player in the global IP landscape.

Firm overview

As one of Germany’s largest and best-known firms in the field of intellectual property, Maiwald’s foremost aim is to achieve the best possible solution for each client in each particular case. Maiwald employs about 270 people working out of Munich and Düsseldorf. The interdisciplinary teams work closely with each other and with foreign associates, always with an eye to the client’s particular needs, whether start-up, mediumsized firm or large corporation, across all industrial sectors. Maiwald’s team does its utmost to ensure that all IP matters are handled with competence and care, irrespective of the client’s physical location, whether in Germany, Europe or beyond. 

Client-oriented solutions and personal consultation are at the heart of Maiwald’s professional approach. Our teams comprising 110 highly qualified patent attorneys, attorneys-at-law and technical experts, including search specialists, devote their extensive skills and experience to providing clients with optimal customized IP solutions on a daily basis. Client satisfaction is evidenced by the long-standing business relationships with many prestigious corporations.

Main Areas of Practice:
Maiwald advises and represents domestic and international clients from all technical fields across the entire spectrum of intellectual property law. When appropriate, an interdisciplinary exchange of information and expertise can take place between various teams, ensuring that the optimal solution is achieved in each particular case.

Maiwald’s Patent Attorneys:
Maiwald’s team of patent attorneys combine their expertise across various technical fields and advise and represent clients across a wide range of industries.

These include:

• Pharma & Biotech
• Organic Chemistry & Polymers
• Inorganic & Construction Materials
• Food & Agriculture
• Electrical & Mechanical Engineering
• Communication & Information Technology
• Mobility & Energy
• Displays & Light
• Measuring & Process Technology
• Medical Technology & Imaging
• Artificial Intelligence & Digitalization

Maiwald’s patent attorneys have extensive experience in the management of international patent portfolios. Services include drafting and filing patent applications and coordinating worldwide prosecution as well as defending, enforcing and contesting IP rights. Patent attorneys also prepare freedom-to-operate (FTO) opinions based on thorough research and analysis to establish whether existing IP rights of third parties could potentially stand in the way of a client’s particular product or manufacturing process. Clients also benefit from the exceptional expertise in opposition and appeal proceedings before the German and European Patent Office as well as in infringement and nullity proceedings before the national courts.

Maiwald’s Attorneys-At-Law:
Maiwald’s team of attorneys-at-law can boast many years of experience in trademark, design, copyright, and contract law as well as patent infringement litigation, particularly in the conduct and coordination of international litigation proceedings.

The firm’s legal expertise includes:

• Patents & Utility Models
• Supplementary Protection Certificates
• Trademarks & Designs
• Copyright
• Competition & Antitrust Law
• Compliance
• Contract Law
• Employee Invention Law
• Pharmaceutical Law
• Data Protection
• Plant Variety Protection

Close cooperation between patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law is especially important in patent infringement litigation, since this type of proceedings generally calls for a comprehensive overview of the various national regulations as well as a thorough grasp of the particular technology. The interdisciplinary teams provide a comprehensive package of services to guarantee the successful conduct of legal proceedings in an international arena, also in cases where speed is of the essence, such as in preliminary injunction proceedings or border seizure procedures.

However, Maiwald’s attorneys-at-law would be the first to acknowledge that litigation is not always the best solution. They are skilled advocates in arbitration and mediation proceedings and are trusted experts when it comes to negotiating licensing contracts.

Firm overview

Epping Hermann Fischer Patentanwaltsgesellschaft mbH (EHF) specializes in all fields of industrial patents. As an internationally active patent law firm, EHF makes a significant contribution to the research and development of their industrial clients by ensuring the protection of their innovations.

Founded in 1999, the firm has grown to a team of about 50 patent professionals, a total staff of 150 employees, and represents clients from all over the world.

Client-oriented solutions and professionally tailored advice are the top priority of EHF, enabled by the wide range of technical expertise and extensive experience of the firm's professionals in science, research and industry.

EHF's team of attorneys, patent professionals, and paralegals complement each other with their in-depth knowledge, experience and qualifications, strengthened by an established network of international IP law firms. EHF is highly responsive to clients' wishes and requirements, with a competent contact person at their disposal at any time.

The services of EHF are based on clearly defined processes that determine workflows and define responsibilities. Thanks to extensive years of service, the firm excels in designing targeted processes for highly effective cooperation between client and firm. Clearly defined interfaces enable efficient, precise and documented communication with the client.

EHF provides intellectual property rights of consistently high quality, customized to meet their clients' specifications. The firm has successfully implemented and operates in accordance with a quality management system which is certified under ISO 9001:2015.