Germany: Life Sciences
Home to such industry giants as Bayer HealthCare, MorphoSys and GPC Biotech, the life sciences sector in Germany is one of the most sophisticated in Europe. With an EU-wide focus on innovation, research and market development in biotechnology, the following 22 members of the country’s already highly advanced life sciences market have seen their skills continually put to the test in recent years.
Bird & Bird is the best represented firm in this chapter, fielding three lawyers from its Düsseldorf office. Chairman of the firm’s German offices and German IP group head Wolfgang von Meibom is internationally recognised as an expert in life sciences patent litigation, having acted in numerous precedent-setting matters in the national courts. Ina vom Feld is also noted for her disputes work as well as her “leading” expertise in pharmaceutical regulation and she regularly assists in the drafting and negotiation of licence agreements and clinical trial and manufacturing contracts for high profile multi-national clients. Felix Rödiger is known for his work in complex domestic and international patent infringement disputes on behalf of clients in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors.
Praised by sources as a “superb technical lawyer”, Peter Chrocziel heads Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s patent litigation practice in Germany and is a former global co-head of the IP and IT team. Frank-Erich Hufnagel regularly represents national and international clients in disputes before the German patent courts and is also recommended for his technology transfer, licensing and competition work.
Peter Dieners represents Clifford Chance LLP and is lauded for his work advising life science companies in regulatory, contractual, distribution and advertising matters as well as cross-border transactions. Ulrich Reese is noted for both his contentious and non-contentious work on behalf of pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology companies and sources praise him as “first rate”.
At Hogan Lovells, the “world class” Ina Brock is co-head of the global life sciences team and a “great name” in pharmaceutical and medical device product liability and tort matters. Andreas von Falck has handled life science patent cases before the German courts and the European Patent Office (EPO) and counts Eli Lilly, Merck, Roche and Sanofi-Aventis among his recent clients.
The “very experienced” and “highly respected” Thomas Reimann is a name partner of Reimann Osterrieth Köhler & Haft and focuses his practice on patent litigation, arbitration and mediation in the pharmaceutical sector. At the same firm, Christine Kanz is also well thought of for her disputes practice as well as her “sought after” expertise in drafting and negotiating commercial agreements for clients in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields.
Thilo Raepple is a “big name” in the Frankfurt office of Baker & McKenzie where he provides advertising, regulatory, competition and IP advice to drug and medical device companies. Wolfgang Rehmann is the managing partner of Taylor Wessing and combines his “outstanding” pharmaceutical and medical law knowledge with a strong focus on EU, competition and trade work. Joachim Feldges manages the German offices of Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP and is a “very well known” figure in the German, Federal Supreme Court and Federal Patent court and the EPO.
Gleiss Lutz fields “excellent” litigator Thomas Bopp whose recent work includes the successful representation of ratiopharm GmbH, Merckle GmbH and AbZ-Pharma GmbH in patent infringement actions brought by Sanofi-Aventis. Peter Klappich at Oppenhoff & Partner assists major multinational drug companies in regulatory and commercial issues as well as boasting a “great” practice in product liability, product safety and risk management. Burkhard Sträter is a “go-to” drug regulation expert who regularly advises life sciences companies in matters related to clinical trials and authorisation procedures. At Rospatt Osten Pross Intellectual Property Rechtsanwälte, Max von Rospatt is a “top tier” trial lawyer who regularly acts in patent matters for clients in the pharmaceutical, genetic engineering, medical device and chemistry sectors.
At Ehlers Ehlers & Partner, Alexander Ehlers is an expert in health policy and regulatory matters relating to the drug and medical device sectors and frequently contributes public policy advice to the German healthcare authorities. Christian Dierks of Dierks + Bohle is known for his expertise in health insurance and telemedicine law, encompassing drug supply regulations and medical liability, and he is held in “high esteem” by respondents to our survey. Wolfgang Kozianka is a founding partner of Dr Schmidt-Felzmann & Kozianka in Hamburg and is recognised as a “prominent name” in public healthcare policy, marketing authorisation, competition and reimbursement. Healthcare advertising, regulatory affairs, IP and drug law specialist Peter von Czettritz is a “superb” name at Preu Bohlig & Partner.