This listing of Europe’s leading patent law firms is based on recommendations by clients and peers, as compiled by the FT’s research partner Statista.

A total of 168 recommended firms offering the services of patent attorneys feature in the overall list, sorted in alphabetical order in the main table below (click on the main table to also sort by country).

Firms that were especially recommended for their services in six areas of industrial expertise have been included in sector lists. They were ranked in three classes: gold (very frequently recommended), silver (frequently recommended) and bronze (recommended). To view these firms, see sectoral tables below the main listing.

Sectors

Biotechnology & Food

Chemistry & Pharmaceuticals

Electrical Engineering

IT & Software

Materials & Nanotechnology

Mechanical Engineering

Also, we finally present below an extra table of top firms ranked by the number of their awards and also provide a breakdown of the numbers of leading patent law firms by country.

For a methodology of how the tables were compiled, see foot of tables.

Europe’s leading patent law firms
Patent Law FirmCountry of Origin
2K PatentGermany
2SPLGermany
AA ThorntonUnited Kingdom
Abel + ImrayUnited Kingdom
abello IP France
ABGSpain
AbitzGermany
aeraDenmark
Allen & OveryUnited Kingdom
Andrejewski HonkeGermany
AOMBNetherlands
Appleyard LeesUnited Kingdom
Arnold & SiedsmaNetherlands
August DebouzyFrance
AWASweden
BalderSpain
Bandpay & GreuterFrance
Bardehle PagenbergGermany
Barker BrettellUnited Kingdom
Barzanò & ZanardoItaly
Beau de LoménieFrance
Beck GreenerUnited Kingdom
Becker & AssociésFrance
BerggrenFinland
Betten & ReschGermany
Bird & BirdUnited Kingdom
Boehmert & BoehmertGermany
Boult Wade TennantUnited Kingdom
BrannSweden
Braun-Dullaeus Pannen EmmerlingGermany
Breuer Friedrich HahnerGermany
BrevalexFrance
BrinkhofNetherlands
BristowsUnited Kingdom
BryersUnited Kingdom
BugnionItaly
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItaly
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited Kingdom
CasalongaFrance
CMSUnited Kingdom
Cohausz & FlorackGermany
COPA Copenhagen PatentsDenmark
D Young & CoUnited Kingdom
De Clercq & PartnersBelgium
De Vries & MetmanNetherlands
DehnsUnited Kingdom
df-mpGermany
Diehl & PartnerGermany
dompatentGermany
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermany
DREISS PatentanwälteGermany
E. Blum & CoSwitzerland
EIPUnited Kingdom
Eisenführ SpeiserGermany
Elkington + FifeUnited Kingdom
ElzaburuSpain
Freischem & PartnerGermany
Freshfields Bruckhaus DeringerUnited Kingdom
Germain MaureauFrance
GeversBelgium
GJEUnited Kingdom
Glawe Delfs MollGermany
GLPItaly
Gramm, Lins & PartnerGermany
Greaves BrewsterUnited Kingdom
GrüneckerGermany
Guardian IP ConsultingDenmark
Gulde & PartnerGermany
H&ASpain
Håmsø PatentbyråNorway
HansepatentGermany
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited Kingdom
Hauck Patent- und RechtsanwälteGermany
Hepp Wenger RyffelSwitzerland
Herzog IPGermany
HGFUnited Kingdom
Hoefer & PartnerGermany
Hoffmann EitleGermany
Hogan LovellsUnited Kingdom
HØIBERGDenmark
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlands
HS&PGermany
IcosaFrance
IK-IPUnited Kingdom
InspicosDenmark
IpsideFrance
IpsilonFrance
Isenbruck Bösl HörschlerGermany
Isler & PedrazziniSwitzerland
J A KempUnited Kingdom
Jacobacci & PartnersItaly
Kehl, Ascherl, Liebhoff & EttmayrGermany
Keil & SchaafhausenGermany
Keller SchneiderSwitzerland
KeltieUnited Kingdom
Kilburn & StrodeUnited Kingdom
König Szynka Tilmann von RenesseGermany
Kransell & WennborgSweden
Kroher StrobelGermany
Kuhnen & Wacker (K&W)Germany
Kutzenberger, Wolff & PartnerGermany
LavoixFrance
Lederer & KellerGermany
LLRFrance
Lorenz Seidler GosselGermany
Maikowski & NinnemannGermany
MaiwaldGermany
Manitz FinsterwaldGermany
Marks & ClerkUnited Kingdom
Mathys & SquireUnited Kingdom
Maucher JenkinsUnited Kingdom
Meissner BolteGermany
MERH IP - Matias Erny Reichl HoffmannGermany
Mewburn EllisUnited Kingdom
Michalski · Hüttermann & PartnerGermany
MitscherlichGermany
Modiano & PartnersItaly
Müller Schupfner & PartnerGermany
Müller-Boré & PartnerGermany
MurgitroydUnited Kingdom
NLONetherlands
OnsagersNorway
PatentreePortugal
PatentshipGermany
PaterisGermany
Plasseraud IPFrance
Plougmann VingtoftDenmark
Potter ClarksonUnited Kingdom
Powell GilbertUnited Kingdom
Prinz & PartnerGermany
Prüfer & PartnerGermany
Reddie & GroseUnited Kingdom
RegimbeauFrance
Reitstötter KinzebachGermany
Sagittarius IPUnited Kingdom
Samson & PartnerGermany
SantarelliFrance
SBMPSwitzerland
Simmons & SimmonsUnited Kingdom
Slingsby PartnersUnited Kingdom
Società Italiana Brevetti (SIB)Italy
SSMGermany
Stolmár & PartnerGermany
Ström & GullikssonSweden
Studio TortaItaly
TBKGermany
Ter Meer Steinmeister & PartnerGermany
UDLUnited Kingdom
Uexküll & StolbergGermany
V.O. - Patents & TrademarksNetherlands
ValeaSweden
Venner ShipleyUnited Kingdom
Viering, Jentschura & PartnerGermany
VossiusGermany
Vriesendorp & GaadeNetherlands
Wallinger Ricker Schlotter TostmannGermany
Weickmann & WeickmannGermany
Westphal Mussgnug & PartnerGermany
Wilson GunnUnited Kingdom
Withers & RogersUnited Kingdom
WitteWellerGermany
WTS Patent Attorneys - Witek, Śnieżko & PartnersPoland
Wuesthoff & WuesthoffGermany
Wynne-Jones IPUnited Kingdom
ZaccoDenmark
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpain
Zimmermann & PartnerGermany
ZSPGermany
Biotechnology & Food
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
ABGSpainGold
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomGold
D Young & CoUnited KingdomGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
J A KempUnited KingdomGold
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomGold
PatentreePortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
VossiusGermanyGold
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomSilver
CMSUnited KingdomSilver
De Clercq & PartnersBelgiumSilver
df-mpGermanySilver
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomSilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
AWASwedenBronze
BalderSpainBronze
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyBronze
Becker & AssociésFranceBronze
Boehmert & BoehmertGermanyBronze
Elkington + FifeUnited KingdomBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
Greaves BrewsterUnited KingdomBronze
GrüneckerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited KingdomBronze
HGFUnited KingdomBronze
HØIBERGDenmarkBronze
IcosaFranceBronze
InspicosDenmarkBronze
Isenbruck Bösl HörschlerGermanyBronze
Jacobacci & PartnersItalyBronze
KeltieUnited KingdomBronze
König Szynka Tilmann von RenesseGermanyBronze
MaiwaldGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
PaterisGermanyBronze
Plasseraud IPFranceBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
Reddie & GroseUnited KingdomBronze
RegimbeauFranceBronze
Sagittarius IPUnited KingdomBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZaccoDenmarkBronze
ZSPGermanyBronze
Chemistry & Pharmaceuticals
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
ABGSpainGold
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomGold
MaiwaldGermanyGold
PatentreePortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
Sagittarius IPUnited KingdomGold
VossiusGermanyGold
AWASwedenSilver
Bird & BirdUnited KingdomSilver
CMSUnited KingdomSilver
D Young & CoUnited KingdomSilver
J A KempUnited KingdomSilver
König Szynka Tilmann von RenesseGermanySilver
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomSilver
NLONetherlandsSilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
aeraDenmarkBronze
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
Appleyard LeesUnited KingdomBronze
BalderSpainBronze
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyBronze
Barker BrettellUnited KingdomBronze
Boehmert & BoehmertGermanyBronze
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomBronze
BrinkhofNetherlandsBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
COPA Copenhagen PatentsDenmarkBronze
De Clercq & PartnersBelgiumBronze
DehnsUnited KingdomBronze
df-mpGermanyBronze
Eisenführ SpeiserGermanyBronze
Elkington + FifeUnited KingdomBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
GLPItalyBronze
Greaves BrewsterUnited KingdomBronze
GrüneckerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
HGFUnited KingdomBronze
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlandsBronze
InspicosDenmarkBronze
Isenbruck Bösl HörschlerGermanyBronze
KeltieUnited KingdomBronze
Lederer & KellerGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
Meissner BolteGermanyBronze
Plasseraud IPFranceBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
RegimbeauFranceBronze
SantarelliFranceBronze
SBMPSwitzerlandBronze
Ter Meer Steinmeister & PartnerGermanyBronze
Uexküll & StolbergGermanyBronze
Venner ShipleyUnited KingdomBronze
Weickmann & WeickmannGermanyBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZaccoDenmarkBronze
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainBronze
ZSPGermanyBronze
Electrical Engineering
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
2SPLGermanyGold
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
GrüneckerGermanyGold
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
PatentreePortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
Samson & PartnerGermanyGold
ABGSpainSilver
AWASwedenSilver
BalderSpainSilver
Boehmert & BoehmertGermanySilver
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalySilver
df-mpGermanySilver
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanySilver
Guardian IP ConsultingDenmarkSilver
Kransell & WennborgSwedenSilver
Meissner BolteGermanySilver
Plasseraud IPFranceSilver
Reddie & GroseUnited KingdomSilver
Studio TortaItalySilver
Venner ShipleyUnited KingdomSilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
ZaccoDenmarkSilver
Zimmermann & PartnerGermanySilver
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
Barker BrettellUnited KingdomBronze
Beau de LoménieFranceBronze
BryersUnited KingdomBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
DehnsUnited KingdomBronze
Diehl & PartnerGermanyBronze
Eisenführ SpeiserGermanyBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
GLPItalyBronze
Gulde & PartnerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
HGFUnited KingdomBronze
Hoefer & PartnerGermanyBronze
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlandsBronze
InspicosDenmarkBronze
J A KempUnited KingdomBronze
KeltieUnited KingdomBronze
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomBronze
LavoixFranceBronze
Maikowski & NinnemannGermanyBronze
Manitz FinsterwaldGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
MERH IP - Matias Erny Reichl HoffmannGermanyBronze
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomBronze
Michalski · Hüttermann & PartnerGermanyBronze
Müller-Boré & PartnerGermanyBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
Prüfer & PartnerGermanyBronze
Slingsby PartnersUnited KingdomBronze
Ström & GullikssonSwedenBronze
Viering, Jentschura & PartnerGermanyBronze
VossiusGermanyBronze
Westphal Mussgnug & PartnerGermanyBronze
WitteWellerGermanyBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainBronze
IT & Software
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
KeltieUnited KingdomGold
Kransell & WennborgSwedenGold
PatentreePortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
2SPLGermanySilver
ABGSpainSilver
AWASwedenSilver
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalySilver
df-mpGermanySilver
Plasseraud IPFranceSilver
Ström & GullikssonSwedenSilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
2K PatentGermanyBronze
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
BalderSpainBronze
Barker BrettellUnited KingdomBronze
Boehmert & BoehmertGermanyBronze
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomBronze
Braun-Dullaeus Pannen EmmerlingGermanyBronze
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
De Vries & MetmanNetherlandsBronze
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanyBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomBronze
LavoixFranceBronze
Maikowski & NinnemannGermanyBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
Meissner BolteGermanyBronze
Müller-Boré & PartnerGermanyBronze
Reddie & GroseUnited KingdomBronze
RegimbeauFranceBronze
Samson & PartnerGermanyBronze
Simmons & SimmonsUnited KingdomBronze
Studio TortaItalyBronze
Venner ShipleyUnited KingdomBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZaccoDenmarkBronze
Materials & Nanotechnology
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
PatentreePortugalGold
ABGSpainSilver
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited KingdomSilver
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomSilver
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
AWASwedenBronze
Boehmert & BoehmertGermanyBronze
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
Hoffmann EitleGermanyBronze
J A KempUnited KingdomBronze
KeltieUnited KingdomBronze
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomBronze
MaiwaldGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomBronze
Plasseraud IPFranceBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
Studio TortaItalyBronze
VossiusGermanyBronze
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
Mechanical Engineering
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
GrüneckerGermanyGold
Haseltine Lake KempnerUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
KeltieUnited KingdomGold
Meissner BolteGermanyGold
PatentreePortugalGold
Plasseraud IPFranceGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomGold
ABGSpainSilver
AWASwedenSilver
BalderSpainSilver
Boehmert & BoehmertGermanySilver
Eisenführ SpeiserGermanySilver
Germain MaureauFranceSilver
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwaySilver
HGFUnited KingdomSilver
InspicosDenmarkSilver
J A KempUnited KingdomSilver
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomSilver
LavoixFranceSilver
Lorenz Seidler GosselGermanySilver
Maikowski & NinnemannGermanySilver
Prinz & PartnerGermanySilver
Prüfer & PartnerGermanySilver
RegimbeauFranceSilver
Studio TortaItalySilver
ZaccoDenmarkSilver
2SPLGermanyBronze
Abel + ImrayUnited KingdomBronze
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
Barker BrettellUnited KingdomBronze
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomBronze
BryersUnited KingdomBronze
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomBronze
DehnsUnited KingdomBronze
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanyBronze
DREISS PatentanwälteGermanyBronze
GLPItalyBronze
Gramm, Lins & PartnerGermanyBronze
Guardian IP ConsultingDenmarkBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Hauck Patent- und RechtsanwälteGermanyBronze
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlandsBronze
HS&PGermanyBronze
Jacobacci & PartnersItalyBronze
Keil & SchaafhausenGermanyBronze
Kransell & WennborgSwedenBronze
Kroher StrobelGermanyBronze
MaiwaldGermanyBronze
Manitz FinsterwaldGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomBronze
MitscherlichGermanyBronze
Müller-Boré & PartnerGermanyBronze
NLONetherlandsBronze
Samson & PartnerGermanyBronze
Ström & GullikssonSwedenBronze
ValeaSwedenBronze
Venner ShipleyUnited KingdomBronze
VossiusGermanyBronze
Wallinger Ricker Schlotter TostmannGermanyBronze
Weickmann & WeickmannGermanyBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainBronze
Zimmermann & PartnerGermanyBronze
Number of awards per country of origin
Country of OriginNumber of Awards
Belgium2
Denmark7
Finland1
France16
Germany65
Italy8
Netherlands8
Norway2
Poland1
Portugal1
Spain5
Sweden5
Switzerland5
United Kingdom42
Top Firms by Medals
Name of Law FirmTotal AwardsGoldSilverBronze
EIP6600
GJE6600
Patentree6600
Potter Clarkson6510
Hoffmann Eitle6501
Haseltine Lake Kempner6411
ABG6240
Keltie6204
Withers & Rogers6141
Kilburn & Strode6123
Plasseraud IP6123
AWA6042
Boehmert & Boehmert6024
Germain Maureau6015
Håmsø Patentbyrå6015
AOMB6006
Wynne-Jones IP6006
Bardehle Pagenberg5302
Carpmaels & Ransford5203
Vossius5203
J A Kemp5122
Mewburn Ellis5113
Balder5023
Zacco5023
Prinz & Partner5014
H&A5005
Marks & Clerk5005

Methodology

This listing of Europe’s leading patent law firms is based on recommendations by clients and peers © Getty
Survey and sample

The list of Europe’s leading firms for services around patent prosecution and patent strategy consultation is based on recommendations made by clients and peers.

Survey participants could recommend firms both in general and by specialities, categorised into six sectors. More than 10,000 patent attorneys working in patent law firms or in the patent departments of companies, as well as clients, were directly invited to take part in the survey.

The sample was collected via research conducted by Statista on relevant company websites, in publications and from the EPI (the Institute of Professional Representatives Before the European Patent Office), the professional body representing European patent attorneys. The invitations were sent by email with a personalised link that could be used only once.

Patent attorneys and clients who did not receive an individual survey invitation could participate via a link published on FT.com. In such cases, their eligibility was checked before the recommendations were considered.

The survey was conducted between February 8 and March 19 2021. In total, the recommendations of more than 3,200 clients and peers were considered. Self-recommendations were prohibited and thus not considered.

Top lists

In total, 168 recommended firms offering the services of patent attorneys feature in the overall list. Firms that were recommended for their services in a particular sector have been included in the respective sector lists.

They were ranked in three classes: 1 gold (very frequently recommended); 2 silver (frequently recommended) and; 3 bronze (recommended).

All lists were created through an extensive process of research. However, the quality of firms that are not included in these tables is not disputed.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
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