What is our Role in Patent related Matters?

We offer our clients assistance and guidance in following up their developments and in identifying potential inventions. We may guide our clients towards developents that are the most promising from a patentability point of view.

A novelty search is advisable during the R&D work and/or when engaging into the patenting process. We may assist our clients in running such searches.

Based on our experience, we draft applications for patents, seeking the best possible protection for the client's inventions and file such applications in whatever appropriate geography, in line with the client's needs.

We also file and prosecute such applications up to grant, in a cost-effective and transparent manner, either directly before the European Patent Office or through our network of foreign associates in other geographies, always in the client's best interest.

In the event of a European Opposition brought against our client's patent, we represent our client's interests directly before the European Patent Office Opposition Divisions and Appeal Boards. Similarly, in the event of an opposition sought against a third party European Patent, we act on behalf of our clients directly before the European Patent Office Opposition Divisions and Appeal Boards.

Should a patent be attacked by a third party in national nullity proceedings, we defend our client's interests through our network of associates.

We have a long standing experience in preparing Freedom-to-Operate opinions for our clients and give advise on how best to deal with potential freedom-to-operate problems.

Preparing validity opinions is also part of our day-to-day business.

Our services further include counseling our clients in enforcing their IP-right against a third party or when attacked by a third party IP-right owner. While raising a conflict before the relevant courts may be needed in certain situations, it is not always the very best solution. Alternate dispute resolutions and settlements are mostly available and may offer equal or better cost-effective alternatives to the clients.
we consider it as part of our role to counsel and assist our clients in that respect, in a transparent manner.

In the case of business deals, we can audit IP portfolios in view of a valuation of the IP assets.