BARDEHLE PAGENBERG

Managing Partners: Tobias Kaufmann, Christof Karl

Number of partners: 40

Number of lawyers: 81

Languages: Catalan, Chinese (Mandarin), Dutch, English, Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Luxembourgish, Lithuanian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil (Telugu, Gujarati), Thai

Who we are

As one of Europe’s leading IP law firms, BARDEHLE PAGENBERG has combined the strong points and expertise of attorneys-at-law and patent attorneys for nearly 50 years now, clearly setting itself apart from many other IP law firms.

For our diverse client base, our collaborative approach ensures seamless support in infringement cases before civil courts and proceedings before patent offices, across all instances, including the UPC—where we are the leading firm by case involvement. Our team includes experienced consultants who have played a pivotal role in shaping IP law and provide their invaluable input.

We cover all fields of intellectual property, guiding clients from the initial idea through to launch, exploitation, enforcement, and strategic management. Our services span patent law, trademark and design law, unfair competition law, antitrust law as well as licensing and technology transfer.

All our services are underpinned by ISO9001-certified quality management, benefiting our diverse international client base—from blue-chip corporations and market leaders to SMEs and niche technology innovators.

International presence and alliancese

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG distinguishes itself through strong cross-national connections, with offices in Munich, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Paris, and Barcelona. The firm’s extensive global network includes long-standing partnerships with leading IP law firms in the US and rapidly growing Asian markets, ensuring outstanding capabilities in handling cross-border IP disputes.

Team experience and size

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG brings together over 240 specialists from more than 15 countries across three continents, offering clients truly international expertise. With nearly 50 years of experience, the firm is equipped to simultaneously handle multiple major infringement, opposition, and nullity proceedings for its substantial global client base.

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG’s extensive experience ensures close cooperation with all relevant courts, judges, patent offices, ministries, universities, and other public stakeholders—whom we assist and consult in non-profit initiatives that advance the law and the broader IP community. Our partners are leaders in prominent professional associations such as LESI, LES Germany, LES France, GRUR, VPP, EPLAW, and others, reflecting our commitment to shaping the future of intellectual property law. The team boasts highly skilled attorneys who actively contribute to international professional associations and committees, serve on government expert groups, advisory boards, and bar association boards, and regularly publish books and expert articles on a wide range of current IP topics. This depth of experience ensures clients benefit from cutting-edge knowledge and a broad perspective on intellectual property law.

Main Areas of Practice:

Patent Litigation

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG is a market leader in patent litigation, with a dedicated German team of over 40 litigators and patent attorneys. Each year, the firm handles more than 800 adversarial patent disputes at different stages before relevant courts and patent offices. The firm’s patent litigation practice has seen significant growth in the telecommunications, automotive, and pharmaceutical sectors, where BARDEHLE PAGENBERG has successfully managed numerous high-profile litigation series for its clients.

Patent Prosecution

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG is a trusted partner for patent prosecution, backed by long-standing relationships with prestigious companies and a steadily growing volume of applications. Our firm stands out for its exceptional strength in patent proceedings, with a particular focus on opposition proceedings. This area demands both close interaction with patent offices and extensive litigation experience—skills that our team brings together seamlessly. Nearly all our patent attorneys are active in both domains, ensuring clients benefit from comprehensive expertise and a strategic approach at every stage of the process. Our team of specialized patent attorneys offers deep expertise across artificial intelligence (AI), high tech, automotive, life sciences, medical devices, engineering, and physics. Clients benefit from tailored, forward-thinking advice on both established and emerging technological developments, ensuring robust protection and strategic management of their innovations.

Trademarks

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG delivers comprehensive trademark services with a strong emphasis on strategic advice for multinational portfolios and cross-border brand enforcement. The firm is trusted by both start-ups and established clients to handle complex, high-profile litigation, often achieving landmark decisions in industries such as restaurant chains, consumer health care, fashion, cosmetics, and sports. Our firm is also at the forefront of securing innovative trademark types, including newly recognized multimedia and hologram marks, ensuring clients’ brands are protected at the cutting edge of IP law.

Designs

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG has always been a leader in design law, shaping the field since the inception of the European design law regime. The firm represents clients renowned for their iconic, uniquely designed products–many of which have quickly become all-time classics. BARDEHLE PAGENBERG delivers tailored strategies to ensure these designs remain distinctive and protected both nationally and globally. The firm’s expertise extends beyond traditional sectors with an affinity for design such as clothing and furniture, covering health-related industries such as pharmaceutical appliances and providing comprehensive protection for innovative designs across diverse markets.

Unfair Competition

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG offers comprehensive expertise in unfair competition law, representing clients in cases involving misleading advertising, product imitation, and other forms of unfair business conduct. Our experienced team supports clients from diverse sectors—including restaurant chains, consumer health care, fashion, cosmetics, and sports—before courts at all levels across Germany, up to the Federal Court of Justice. Beyond litigation, we provide strategic advice on developing marketing and advertising concepts that comply with legal and regulatory standards while meeting commercial objectives, helping clients create effective campaigns that avoid legal pitfalls.

Antitrust Law

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG offers top-tier expertise in IP-related antitrust law, with a team of leading specialists experienced in settlement and licensing negotiations. Clients benefit from specific added value such as blacklists, risk assessments, and expert contract drafting. The firm advises on a wide range of antitrust matters, including R&Dagreements, FRAND terms, and standard-essential patents (SEPs), ensuring clients receive strategic guidance in complex and evolving regulatory environments.

Licensing & Technology Transfer

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG is a leader in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing contracts that maximize the value of intellectual property. The firm’s attorneys have deep expertise in licensing, distribution, sponsorship, franchising, co-marketing, R&D, and technology transfer agreements. Clients benefit from tailored solutions for the development and licensing of IP and IP-related technology-based services, ensuring their innovations are protected and effectively commercialized.

Key Clients:

Adidas, Apple, BMW, Cisco, Dell, 3D Systems, Intellectual Ventures, Nintendo, Qualcomm, Campari, GlaxoSmithKline, H&M, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Mondelēz, The Coca-Cola Company.