What the team is known for
Well-respected team best known for handling contentious and non-contentious trade mark matters, including anti-counterfeiting of products and franchise agreements. Frequently acts on patent infringement cases, as well as providing strategic and transactional patent advice. Also active in the copyright area, as well as handling large data protection and compliance projects. Offers considerable expertise in the life sciences sector and represents pharmaceutical companies as well as many notable brands from other sectors. Experienced in mandates involving international elements.

Strengths
One client enthuses: "Bech-Bruun’s IP department is second to none in Denmark. It has an impressive team of legal experts who are ready for any task. We especially appreciate their pragmatic, commercial mindset and outstanding expert knowledge."

Another source describes the practitioners as "very flexible and able to help with cross-border matters in the Nordics."

Work highlights
Advised Hedensted on litigation proceedings against Jasopels concerning the validity and infringement of its patents.

Notable practitioners
Christian Vinding Thomsen primarily advises clients in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. He is recognised for his regulatory and compliance activities. Clients state that he is "knowledgeable, proactive, flexible, attentive and accessible."

Claus Barrett Christiansen specialises in trade mark and design law and advised Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein on trade mark enforcement strategy. Sources consider him a "skilled trade mark litigator" who has a "large portfolio in trade marks."

Dan Bjerg Geary enters the rankings due to strong client feedback. He focuses on litigation, disputes and trade mark infringement cases. Clients observe that he is "always calm and acts on facts." Another source regards him as a "very effective and highly skilled lawyer who delivers fast solutions."

Klaus Madsen is well versed in patent law and patent litigation. He acts on behalf of clients from the pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors. Sources praise him for being "very strong in patents."

Martin Dræbye Gantzhorn is active in the life sciences sector. He advises on litigation strategy, patent and regulatory cases. Clients consider him a "very skilled, capable and well connected" practitioner who is able to "come up with good ideas and solutions."

The core expertise of Mikkel Friis Rossa lies in IPR, data protection and marketing law. Clients endorse him for his "strong commercial mindset" and for being "straight to the point." Friis Rossa is also praised for being "able to simplify very complex legal solutions."

Chambers and Partners Europe, Intellectual Property

Ranked: tier 1

Bech-Bruun runs the gamut of IP matters with 'an in-depth knowledge of the life sciences sector'. IP litigator Claus Barrett Christiansen jointly leads the team and assisted a number of well-known clothing company with investigations into the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods. Clients single out fellow practice head Martin Draebye Gantzhorn as 'very knowledgeable about life sciences and IP' with 'a great network of other specialists in those areas'. Other key names include patent litigator Klaus Ewald Madsen, who represented Hedensted Gruppen in a patent infringement dispute against Jasopels relating to apparatuses and methods for the treatment of mink furs; life sciences specialist Christian Vinding Thomsen, and litigation and licensing expert Dan Bjerg Geary.

Legal 500, Intellectual property

Patent Editorial

• Tier 1
  

Trade Mark contentious

• Tier 1

Copyright & related rights

• Tier 2

Trademark prosecution

• Highly recommended
  

"A trusted partner for all trademark matters, Bech-Bruun gives state-of-the-art advice and considers each client’s overall strategic aims.” The firm stands at the forefront of innovation and has been laser-focused on building a new practice dedicated to AI. Of late, the tech-savvy group has been raking in wins before the local courts, most notably on behalf of Schneider Corporation, a global electronics company. Spearheading these efforts is "superstar litigator" Claus Barrett Christiansen, the department lead receives vociferous praise from all corners of the market. "He is certainly number one in Denmark. Very few have the knowledge, experience and cultural understanding that Claus has. He is a bright, pleasant and principled individual who communicates effectively and readily makes himself available even when fighting the most interesting of cases." The unit has also been hard at work consolidating its presence in Shanghai, acting as a liaison for Danish entities looking to enter into the market; an area where Inge Kirstine Skou’s experience is exceptionally valuable. The “pragmatic” WTR 1000 debutante administers highly effective prosecution strategies for brand owners in China and the United States, capitalising on her "broad and in-depth knowledge of trademark issues".

 

WTR 1000, 2020