Whether you need to obtain and maintain intellectual property rights such as patents, utility models, trade marks and designs, or require support in intellectual property disputes – we are your trusted partner for your intellectual property. We support you every step of the way, from the initial search and filing through to the strategic management of your IP portfolio, and represent your interests before both national and international offices and courts.
We are also at your side when it comes to freedom-to-operate analyses. In this context, we analyse third-party intellectual property rights, assess potential areas of conflict and work with you to develop strategies for risk mitigation – so that you can make the most of your scope for action.
We help you to obtain and maintain intellectual property rights for your innovations. Whether patents, utility models, trade marks or designs – we work with you to develop the right intellectual property strategy and implement it consistently. From the initial consultation through to filing, and on to the long-term management and defence of your intellectual property rights, we are at your side as an experienced partner. In particular, we support you through the following steps:
We will discuss your innovations with you, identify potential intellectual property rights and assess the prospects of successfully obtaining such rights.
We will review your documents and, if you wish, carry out comprehensive searches in cooperation with specialist search agencies in order to make an informed assessment of the chances of success.
We identify and discuss with you measures to optimise your intellectual property strategy and increase your chances of success.
We will prepare all the necessary documentation for your intellectual property application – precisely worded and strategically tailored.
We file your applications with the relevant offices and monitor the entire course of the proceedings.
We handle all official notifications and enquiries from the offices, prepare the necessary responses and communicate with the offices.
We monitor all relevant time limits, coordinate timely payments and ensure that all time limits are met.
We represent you before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Federal Patent Court (BPatG, Germany) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
We can advise you on planning and optimising the geographical scope of your intellectual property rights – at national, European and international level.
We coordinate the involvement of qualified representatives in other jurisdictions, if you wish, from our trusted international network.
We are here to assist you with any disputes relating to your intellectual property rights and those of your competitors. Whether you need to defend your rights against third-party claims, challenge third-party rights or clarify issues of infringement – we will work with you to develop the best strategy and implement it consistently. In particular, we can assist you with the following steps:
We work with you to assess the current situation, analyse the legal framework and identify possible courses of action.
We develop a range of strategies for your next steps – from out-of-court settlements to legal enforcement.
We will work with you to assess the opportunities and risks associated with each strategy and help you make an informed decision.
We carry out targeted searches, gather relevant documentation and lay a solid foundation for your case.
Where necessary, we refine the chosen strategy through in-depth analysis or by bringing in additional experts from our network.
We draft all your pleadings, motions and statements – ensuring they are legally sound and strategically focused.
We represent your interests in negotiations and out-of-court settlement proceedings.
We represent you before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), the European Patent Office (EPO) and other relevant authorities.
We represent you before the Federal Patent Court (BPatG) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC). Before the Federal Court of Justice (BGH), we present the technical aspects of your case on your behalf.
In proceedings before the civil courts, we work closely with specialist solicitors from our trusted network of partners.
As a result of a freedom-to-operate analysis (FTO analysis for short), we provide you with a well-founded assessment of the risk that a court might conclude that your apparatuses or methods infringe existing intellectual property rights. Where necessary, we recommend specific risk mitigation measures. Our approach can be broken down into the following steps. Upon request, we can collaborate with specialist service providers, particularly during the search phase.
We work with you to precisely define the relevant apparatuses or methods and specify the technical characteristics to be analysed.
We work with you to identify the regions and jurisdictions for which the FTO analysis is to be carried out.
We develop a targeted search strategy and define search criteria as well as relevant categories of intellectual property rights.
We carry out a systematic search for relevant intellectual property rights in the relevant national and international intellectual property databases, working with specialized service providers upon request.
We are reviewing the current legal status of the identified intellectual property rights.
We filter the intellectual property rights we have researched by relevance and identify those with the highest potential for conflict.
We analyse the most relevant intellectual property rights in detail. We systematically compare the features of your apparatuses and methods with the scope of protection of the identified intellectual property rights.
For each relevant intellectual property right, we assess the risk that a court might conclude that your apparatuses or methods infringe that right.
We formulate specific, practical recommendations for minimising identified risks.
We provide you with detailed, transparent documentation of all search findings, analyses and recommendations for action.
Do you have any questions about protecting your innovations? Contact us for a non-binding initial consultation. We will take the time to understand your situation and outline specific solutions for you.
Innovation IP
Ballindamm 3
20095 Hamburg
Germany
