Finnegan adds Baker McKenzie team to enter the German market

Finnegan adds Baker McKenzie team to enter the German market

The launch brings the firm's worldwide office count to 11

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, the international intellectual property law firm based in Washington, DC and popularly referred to as Finnegan, has teamed up with Baker McKenzie, a multinational law firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, to enter the German market.

After building Baker Mac's German patent disputes practice for eight years, partner Dr. Jochen Herr will now lead the seven-member team in the Munich office.

One of the few to be admitted as a lawyer and German and European patent attorney in Germany, Herr brings more than 17 years of experience in patent litigation proceedings to his new firm. He has represented clients in varied fields including mechanics, electronics, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, chemistry and biotechnology.

Appreciating Herr, Finnegan's managing partner, Anand Sharma said, "He is the perfect choice to play a key role in establishing and building our German practice. His reputation as a skilled litigator and his addition (to our firm) will enable us to significantly expand our ability to provide clients with quality advice and patent litigation support in Germany and Europe."

Finnegan's new office will be made up of seven legal professionals and it becomes the firm's second foray into Europe after London, as a natural step.

In a statement, Finnegan mentioned, "Munich is one of the several key locations around the globe for patent litigation on a range of IP-related disputes. The new team will further strengthen that."

It added that the Munich office would focus on supporting not only major players in Germany and Europe, but also Finnegan's existing clients across the globe.

Herr said, "With a new team in place, we are well-positioned to support clients in all technical areas regarding infringement proceedings at the trial and appellate level before the German courts, as well as proceedings and cancellation actions before the German Professional Tax Office (PTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO)."

The launch brings the firm's worldwide office count to 11, including five in the US and four in Asia in Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei and Shanghai.