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Announcement

Wächtershäuser & Hartz forms an alliance with Gill Jennings & Every LLP

We are pleased to announce that we have formed an alliance with Gill Jennings & Every (GJE).

Founded in 1912, GJE comprises 65 patent, trade mark and registered design attorneys who practise from offices in London and Munich. Clients know the firm for its expertise across physics, engineering, IT, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, branding and product design. In the Financial Times’ survey of European patent law firms, GJE is the only firm to have been awarded the highest “Gold” ranking in each of the six areas of industrial expertise surveyed for each of the past six years.

GJE’s larger bench of patent attorneys are qualified at both the EPO and UK, meaning that they can handle proceedings at the UK Intellectual Property Office. With the increasing importance of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), there will be immense benefit to clients from having advice and representation from attorneys trained in both civil and common law jurisdictions. GJE also has specialist teams of UK and European trade mark and design attorneys. Speaking on the announcement, W&H partner Nikolai Hartz said:

“We are excited to be forming an alliance with GJE. By joining forces, we can continue providing the same service and quality of work to clients, but with the additional capabilities and support available from a larger firm. This is a positive development for our clients and us alike.”

GJE Chairman Alasdair MacQuarrie said:

“I am delighted to welcome our new colleagues to GJE and to be able to extend our service offering to existing clients. The alliance strengthens our presence in Germany and the EU, while also opening up a wider portfolio of services for W&H’s clients.”

For further information, please consult the related FAQs or contact us directly.

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FAQs

Why are W&H and GJE forming an alliance? Are the two firms merging?
Both W&H and GJE are long-established intellectual property firms. By forming an alliance and sharing our wealth of knowledge, we will be able to offer clients of both firms a wider range of services. At this time, both firms are continuing to practise independently, so there will be complete continuity of service for clients.
How will this new alliance benefit intellectual property owners?
By combining our expertise and resources, W&H and GJE intend to integrate services into a single IP powerhouse. Through the alliance, clients will benefit from access to attorneys in both of Europe’s leading IP centres under one roof, saving the need to instruct multiple firms. Acting together, we have seasoned attorneys who have trained in both the civil and common law jurisdictions. As more and more patent law disputes are resolved in the Unified Patent Court (UPC), having access to advice and representation from attorneys in both jurisdictions will be increasingly important.
What languages will the alliance be able to offer?
We recognise that many German inventors and technical experts prefer to manage their IP in German, even when they are proficient in English themselves. By forming an alliance, all clients have access to English and German-speaking attorneys. This is particularly useful for clients with R&D functions in both English and German speaking centres.
What additional services will W&H clients now be able to access?
By forming an alliance with GJE, W&H is now able to offer clients the ability to file UK national patents, trade marks and registered designs. Furthermore, GJE has patent attorneys with technical expertise in a broader range including in IT, physics and engineering.
Will W&H and GJE continue to maintain offices in Munich and London?
Yes: W&H’s office in Munich and GJE’s office in London will be unaffected. Staff previously based at GJE’s Munich office have recently moved to W&H’s existing office, a short walk away on Weinstraße.
Which currency will W&H and GJE invoice their services in?
Clients will see no change in billing currency or practices.
Will my W&H point of contact change?
No: both W&H and GJE are retaining all their existing partners and staff, including attorneys and business support. Please continue to liaise with your usual attorney and other points of contact.
What should I do if I have any questions?
Please email or call your usual attorney if you have any questions. Alternatively please email info@ip-agent.eu.

Our Services

In alliance with Gill, Jennings & Every LLP

We serve domestic and international clients with the ambition to make a significant contribution to the protection of their corporate investments by

Representation

In alliance with Gill, Jennings & Every LLP

As pivotal for these services we see the prosecution and enforcement of intellectual property rights before the following institutions:

  • EPOEuropean Patent Office
  • UPCUnified Patent Court
  • EUIPOEuropean Union Intellectual Property Office
  • WIPOWorld IP Organization
  • DPMAGerman Patent and Trademark Office
  • BPatGGerman Federal Patent Court

Innovation Lab

Align your intellectual property with your business

Based on your USP, we harvest your innovation and design synthetic inventions for protecting your business model. As a result, your IP portfolio will drive the success of your enterprise.

Attorneys

Portrait

Dr. (USA)

Nikolai F. Hartz

LL.M.

Dr. Nikolai F. Hartz is a German and European Patent and Trademark Attorney as well as a European Patent Litigator.
He holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (USA) where he worked with Nobel Laureate Prof. George A. Olah. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany) and the University of Rennes (France). Dr. Hartz specializes in inventions in the fields of chemistry, life sciences, and nanotechnology.
Portrait

Dr. sc. nat.

Wolfgang Blodig

Dr. Wolfgang Blodig is a German and European Patent and Trademark Attorney as well as a European Patent Litigator.
He holds a chemistry diploma from the University of Konstanz, Germany, and a doctorate degree in biochemistry from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich. For his dissertation, he was awarded the medal of the ETH. Dr. Blodig‘s major technical areas of practice are chemistry, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
Portrait

Luca Colombo

Luca Colombo is a European Trade Mark and Design Attorney with more than a decade’s experience in brand protection and trade mark portfolios management.
With experience at top international IP law firms and a multicultural background, he offers deep expertise in European and international trade mark and design law and practice. He advises clients across industries in English, German, and Italian, with a focus on large-scale filings, assignments, oppositions, cancellations, and cross-border disputes.

Contact

WÄCHTERSHÄUSER & HARTZ

In alliance with Gill Jennings & Every LLP

Patentanwaltspartnerschaft mbB
Weinstr. 8
80333 Munich
Germany

T: +49 89 21 99 76 0
F: +49 89 21 99 76 88

Email: info@ip-agent.eu

Being centrally located, we provide services from the heart of the European Patent System in close proximity to the German and European Patent Offices.

We are located in the center of Munich close to the Marienplatz, between City Hall and Frauenkirche, the historic cathedral of Munich, within walking distance to the German and European Patent Offices.

W&H is listed as a limited liability partnership in the Partnerschaftsregister (partnership register) of the Amtsgericht (municipal court) Munich under entry No. PR 531

Partner (PartGG): Dr. Nikolai F. Hartz, Dr. Wolfgang Blodig.

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