About

When it comes to patent litigation, Frank-Erich is Freshfields’ leading representative in Germany. Patents affect all industries, and he is particularly active in the pharmaceutical and telecommunication industries.

He has an extensive track record of patent litigation and enforcement for large corporations which enables him to give strategic advice and concentrate on the key issues during litigation. Frank-Erich also has clear, analytical insight into the sector, and the ability to translate complex technical details for a legal audience.

Although he is primarily engaged in litigation, on the non-contentious side he advises on patent transfers and technology-driven corporate transactions. Frank-Erich works very closely with Peter Chrocziel in Munich, sharing an eight-strong team of specialists.

Frank-Erich lectures in patent and intellectual property law at the University of Marburg and is the vice-chairman of the German Intellectual Property Association’s patent law committee.

Recent deals/Highlights

• Advising a number of major manufacturers in the telecoms industry on patent litigation.
• Acting for the Novartis group, Pfizer and others in relation to pharmaceutical patents.
• Representing Ajinomoto in complex biotech patent litigation.
• Counselling leaders in the automotive industry such as Continental or Knorr-Bremse on patent litigation.

Career to date

In the late 1990s Frank-Erich spent some time on secondment at a leading patent attorneys’ firm in Munich. He joined us in 1996 and becoming a partner in 2000.

Qualifications and education

• Rechtsanwalt
• PhD in Law from Bonn University
• LL.M. from Cambridge University

Languages

German, English and French