Profile details
About Frank-Erich Hufnagel
Frank-Erich is head of our patent litigation group in Düsseldorf.
Over his more than 25 years with the firm, he has built a remarkable patent litigation record for many large corporations in various fields of technology, with a particular focus on the pharmaceutical and telecoms sectors.
In addition, his extensive track record of patent litigation and enforcement ranges from biotech to automotive and from primarily mechanical medical devices to complex optical and semi-conductor patents, with most of his cases being multijurisdictional in nature.
This wealth of experience is the basis for his highly strategic and commercial approach to patent disputes, and for his ability to concentrate on the key issues during litigation.
Although he is primarily engaged in litigation, on the non-contentious side he advises on patent transfers and technology-driven corporate transactions.
He speaks German, English and French.
Recent work
- Advising a number of major manufacturers in the telecoms industry (eg Ericsson, Lenovo, Sony Mobile or NTT Docomo) on patent litigation, in particular relating to standard-essential patents.
- Acting for the Novartis group, BMS and others in relation to pharmaceutical and biologics patents.
- Representing Ajinomoto in complex biotech patent litigation.
- Counselling leaders in the automotive industry, such as Continental and Knorr-Bremse, on patent litigation.
- Acting as lead counsel in pan-European litigation for leading US- and Asia-based high-tech hardware manufacturers in relation to the enforcement or defence of crucial patents in the IT and telecommunication fields.
Qualifications
Education
- Bonn University, Germany (PhD in law)
- University of Cambridge, UK (LLM)
Professional qualifications
- Rechtsanwalt, Germany
Professional memberships
- Intellectual property bar associations, such as the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR), European Patent Lawyers Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association and Association of Intellectual Property Experts
- Patent law committee of the GRUR
Academic positions
- Teaches intellectual property and patent law at the University in Marburg, Germany