Patent protection

Put your patent applications in the
best hands.

With a term of up to 20 years, patents are the basis of sustainable corporate success. However, an inaccurately drafted patent application can lead to high costs and the loss of competitive advantages even years later in the event of a dispute. In addition, inventions can be copied by competitors without intellectual property protection.

From the initial consultation to the filing of the patent often takes only days to a few weeks, depending on the complexity of the development. The filing strategy for IP protection differs depending on the individual orientation of the company. For international patent applications, it is often advisable to go via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT application).

After about 9 months, the applicant can expect the first examination communication from the patent office. The processing time may vary depending on the office (e.g. German Patent and Trade Mark Office, DPMA vs. European Patent Office, EPO). After that, the adaptation of the patent claims and exchanges between the patent attorney and the patent office begin. The aim is to provide the broadest possible protection despite the prevailing prior art. Prior art searches are often carried out before filing a patent application in order to predict the likelihood of grant.

For the broadest possible patent protection, the technical features of the invention are abstracted in terms of content and the patent application is drafted in such a way that claims can be flexibly adapted in the examination procedure.

The grant procedure is completed after 12 months at the earliest, usually after 1.5 - 2 years. However, IP rights can be asserted retroactively after grant.