Patents

Technical innovations are a key success factor for modern companies. Patents protect these innovations as intellectual property and grant you a time-limited exclusive right for up to 20 years. They create competitive advantages, increase company value, and strengthen your position vis-à-vis competitors, business partners, and investors.

Patent protection can be obtained via different routes: through national filings (e.g., with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office), via the European patent system (EPO), or internationally through the PCT procedure. For certain EU Member States, the Unitary Patent is also available. Choosing the optimal route depends on your markets, your corporate strategy, and economic considerations. Together with you, we develop a tailored filing strategy.

Before a patent is granted, the patent office examines in particular novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. Precise drafting of the application is therefore crucial for grant. The patent’s robustness and later enforceability also depend largely on the quality of the drafting.

We provide comprehensive support and advice in:

Strategy & Assessment

  • Patentability analyses
  • Prior art searches
  • Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) and risk analyses
  • Development of national and international filing strategies
  • Building, analyzing, and optimizing patent portfolios

Filing & Prosecution

  • Drafting patent applications (specification, claims, drawings)
  • German, European, and international filings (PCT), including entry into national/regional phases worldwide
  • National IP rights outside Europe (e.g., USA, China, Japan, Korea): drafting and prosecution, where necessary in close coordination with trusted local partner firms
  • Support throughout examination and grant proceedings
  • Deadline management as well as monitoring and payment of annuities/renewal fees

Monitoring & Competition

  • Technology, competitor, and IP monitoring (e.g., watch services)
  • Strategic advice on differentiation, positioning, and portfolio development

Opposition & Dispute Proceedings

  • Opposition and appeal proceedings (e.g., before the EPO)
  • Nullity and revocation/cancellation proceedings
  • Support in infringement proceedings in cooperation with specialized litigators
  • Advice on the Unitary Patent and proceedings before the Unified Patent Court (UPC), including strategic opt-out decisions

Commercialization & Enforcement

  • Expert opinions on scope of protection, infringement, and validity issues
  • Support with licence agreements and technology transfer
  • IP due diligence in transactions

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