Squire Patton Boggs has appointed a three-partner team from WilmerHale in Frankfurt, to focus on brand management. Reinhart Lange, Dr. Christofer Eggers and Eva Schalast, all highly regarded for their expertise in intellectual property and competition disputes, have joined the firm along with a five-strong brand management team.
Formerly office managing partner of WilmerHale in Frankfurt, Reinhart Lange has over 25 years of intellectual property and trademark experience. He advises national and international clients on the management of worldwide trademark portfolios, brand strategy, and national and cross-border trademark litigation.
Dr. Christofer Eggers is an experienced and highly regarded litigator with a focus on competition, antitrust and regulatory law in the brand management context. Dr. Eggers is recognised for his specialist expertise in the consumer goods sector, and has advised on matters ranging from product branding and labelling through to market approval and distribution. He has represented clients before the German Federal Antitrust Authority and the European Commission, as well as in the European Court of Justice, the German Federal Supreme Courts and district courts.
Ms. Schalast’s practice works closely with that of Mr. Lange and Dr. Eggers, focusing on trademark and design in addition to related unfair competition matters. She has considerable experience in advising clients on the strategic development, management and administration of their international trademark portfolios. In addition, she litigates trademark infringement cases before all German Courts.
“We are delighted to welcome our new team to the firm,” commented Dr. Kai Mertens, managing partner of Squire Patton Boggs in Germany. “Reinhart, Christofer, Eva and their team bring experience that presents synergies across a number of different practices. They will strengthen our International Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property & Technology and Competition and Antitrust Practices, while assisting in the growth of our firm in Germany.”
Global Chair of Squire Patton Boggs’ International Dispute Resolution practice, George von Mehren, commented: “We have a strong cartel litigation and competition dispute practice in Germany and this team’s arrival, coupled with the continued growth in competition-related litigation, will lead to further opportunities for the expansion of our practice as one of the leading firms for this type of specialist work.”
Frankfurt partner and head of the European Brand Protection, Trademark & Copyright Practice, Iliana Haleen, added: “With the adoption of the European Trademark Reform and the start of its implementation earlier this year, having a strong intellectual property disputes team will be essential for our clients. As a recognized leader in brand management in Europe, with particular expertise in luxury and consumer goods, these additions could not be more timely. We are delighted to further strengthen this depth and breadth of expertise in cross-jurisdictional trademark disputes and welcome this extensive brand management team that will allow for the best integrated service to our clients.”
At the beginning of the year, Squire Patton Boggs combined with Carroll, Burdick & McDonough, a specialist global product risk management and global litigation firm. This combination gave the firm a significant presence in the center of Germany’s industrial powerhouse of Baden-Württemberg through its office in Böblingen, complementing the firm’s existing offices in Berlin and Frankfurt.
In the past 18 months, the firm has also appointed partners Lutz Hoheisel from Orrick, and the former acting General Counsel and Compliance Officer for the German holding of ICL Group, Dr. Rouven Schwab. In addition, Monika Kuschewsky, a German Rechtsanwältin, has recently been recruited as a data protection and cybersecurity expert in Brussels and will work closely with the Intellectual Property & Technology group in Germany.