Dehns acquires Norwegian firm
Dehns has acquired Leogriff, an IP consultancy based in Oslo. Leogriff’s team, including co-founder Axel Moulin, joined Dehns. Moulin specialises in IP strategy and commercialisation. The acquisition will help Dehns provide services to its Norwegian clients and do EUIPO work.
IP firm Novagraaf and VIM Group form a new partnership
Novagraaf entered into a partnership agreement with marketing firm VIM Group to provide a holistic brand management service. The partnership would allow Novagraaf to use VIM Group’s data tools such as ImpactValuator when advising clients on trade mark portfolio management. This news follows the creation of NovumIP, a company launched in 2020 by Novagraaf and PAVIS.
Lewis Silkin strengthens its UK IP practice
Lewis Silkin hired Antony Craggs as a partner in its London office. Craggs, who specialises in IP litigation, joined from D Young & Co.
Swiss law firms Meyerlustenberger Lachenal and FRORIEP announce merger
The merger creates a firm with more than 100 lawyers across its European offices. Both firms have practitioners ranked for IP work. IP Stars Michael Ritscher, Simon Holzer and Nicola Benz are among the lawyers who will lead the new firm. The merger is expected to be completed by June 2021.
Deloitte completes Kemp Little acquisition
Kemp Little’s 29 partners, including IP Star Paul Garland, have now joined Deloitte Legal. This development also brings in Dupe Killer, an IP tool created by Garland and Rachael Barber.
Hoyng Rokh Monegier announces three new partners
Hoyng Rokh Monegier expanded its partnership with two promotions and one lateral hire. The firm promoted Rising Stars Mathis Breuer and Marta Mendes in Dusseldorf and Paris respectively, whereas Franz Ruz joined the Madrid office from ECIJA. Breuer and Ruz are soft IP practitioners while Mendes is a patent litigator.
Pronovem Swiss has changed its name
Following its acquisition in June 2019, Pronovem Swiss has now changed its name to AWA Switzerland. AWA also hired trade mark attorney Milana Pantelic to lead its trade mark practice in Switzerland. IP Star Joëlle Van Malderen is in charge of the firm’s operations in the Benelux and Switzerland. Pantelic will work alongside European patent attorney Astrid de Ro, who leads the patent practice.
Venner Shipley strengthens in the UK and Germany
European patent attorney Kirsty Simpson joined as a partner in the firm’s chemical and life sciences practice in the UK. Simpson joined from Withers & Rogers, where she was an associate. Trade mark lawyer Mechthild Liebelt joined the firm’s Munich office.
DLA Piper hired a new IP partner in Paris
IP Star Frank Valentin joined DLA Piper as a partner in its Paris office. Valentin joined from Altana and brought along former colleagues, including Charlotte Hébert-Salomon, Cédric Meiller and Vincent Chapuis.
Bird & Bird welcomed a new partner in the Netherlands
Patent litigator Tjibbe Douma joined the firm as a partner in its Amsterdam office. Douma was previously with Dentons.
Hogan Lovells appoints another IP Star as its new Chair
Hogan Lovells has announced the appointment of IP Star Marie-Aimée de Dampierre as its new Chair. de Dampierre will take over from Leopold von Gerlach on May 1 and will serve for three years.
Two patent lawyers leave Gowling WLG Munich
Thomas Mayer left for an in-house role at Infineon Technologies while Carsten Schulte joined Müller Schupfner & Partner.
Burges Salmon established an IP practice in Dublin
Burges Salmon hired trade mark practitioners Louise Carey and Alison Brennan to establish a wholly owned subsidiary in Ireland called Burges Salmon IP Ireland Limited. The practitioners have worked for well-known IP firms in the market: Carey was previously with Tomkins while Brennan used to work for Cruickshank.
Budde Schou hired an IP Star
Former Chas Hude partner Jesper Mark Wenzel will join Budde Schou on March 1. Wenzel is a European patent attorney who specialises in electronics and mechanics work.
More firm news and people moves
Read our previous roundups: EMEA here; Americas here and Asia Pacific here.