This latest annual 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 177 recommended firms offering the services of patent attorneys feature in the overall list, sorted in alphabetical order in the main table below (use the toggle to sort by country).

Firms that were especially recommended for their services in six areas of industrial expertise — Chemistry & Pharmaceuticals; Electrical Engineering & Physics; Mechanical Engineering; Biotechnology, Food & Healthcare; Materials & Nanotechnology; IT & Software — have been included in sector lists. They were ranked in three classes: gold (very frequently recommended), silver (frequently recommended) and bronze (recommended).

These are displayed in separate tables below the main listing.

Scroll below the tables for full methodology.

Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms
Patent Law FirmCountry of Origin
2SPLGermany
AA ThorntonUnited Kingdom
AAA-PatentGermany
Abel + ImrayUnited Kingdom
ABG Intellectual PropertySpain
ABP Burger RechtsanwaltsgesellschaftGermany
aeraDenmark
Allen & OveryUnited Kingdom
AOMBNetherlands
AOMB PolskaPoland
Appleyard LeesUnited Kingdom
Arnold & SiedsmaNetherlands
August DebouzyFrance
AWASweden
BalderSpain
Bandpay & GreuterFrance
Bardehle PagenbergGermany
Barker BrettellUnited Kingdom
Bauer | Vorberg | KayserGermany
Beau de LoménieFrance
Becker & AssociésFrance
BerggrenFinland
BESTPATENTGermany
BETTEN & RESCHGermany
Bianchetti & MinojaItaly
Bird & BirdUnited Kingdom
BOEHMERT & BOEHMERTGermany
Botti & FerrariItaly
Boult Wade TennantUnited Kingdom
Braun-Dullaeus Pannen EmmerlingGermany
BrinkhofNetherlands
BristowsUnited Kingdom
Budde SchouDenmark
BugnionItaly
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItaly
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited Kingdom
CasalongaFrance
CMSUnited Kingdom
Cohausz & FlorackGermany
COPADenmark
Curell SuñolSpain
D Young & CoUnited Kingdom
De Clercq & Partners IPBelgium
De Vries & MetmanNetherlands
DehnsUnited Kingdom
df-mpGermany
DompatentGermany
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermany
DREISS PatentanwälteGermany
DTS Patent- und RechtsanwälteGermany
Durán-CorretjerSpain
EIPUnited Kingdom
Eisenführ SpeiserGermany
Elkington + FifeUnited Kingdom
EP&CNetherlands
Epping Hermann FischerGermany
ForrestersUnited Kingdom
Germain MaureauFrance
GeversBelgium
GJEUnited Kingdom
GLAWE DELFS MOLLGermany
GLPItaly
Gramm, Lins & PartnerGermany
Grosset-Fournier & DemachyFrance
GrüneckerGermany
Guardian IP ConsultingDenmark
H&ASpain
Hamm & Wittkopp PatentanwälteGermany
Håmsø PatentbyråNorway
HansepatentGermany
HarberCzech Republic
Heeschen PültzGermany
Herzog IPGermany
HGFUnited Kingdom
HLKUnited Kingdom
Hoefer & PartnerGermany
Hoffmann EitleGermany
HØIBERGDenmark
Horn Kleimann WaitzhoferGermany
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlands
IK-IPUnited Kingdom
InspicosDenmark
isarpatentGermany
Isenbruck Bösl HörschlerGermany
Isler & PedrazziniSwitzerland
J A KempUnited Kingdom
J. Pereira da CruzPortugal
Jacobacci & PartnersItaly
Kador & PartnerGermany
karo IPGermany
Kehl, Ascherl, Liebhoff & EttmayrGermany
Keller SchneiderGermany
KeltieUnited Kingdom
Kilburn & StrodeUnited Kingdom
Kohler Schmid Möbus PatentanwälteGermany
König Szynka Tilmann von RenesseGermany
Kransell & WennborgSweden
Kraus & WeisertGermany
Kroher StrobelGermany
Kutzenberger Wolff & PartnerGermany
Laine IP OyFinland
Lambsdorff & LangeGermany
LavoixFrance
Lederer & KellerGermany
Lippert StachowGermany
LLR Intellectual PropertyFrance
Lorenz Seidler GosselGermany
Maikowski & NinnemannGermany
MaiwaldGermany
Marietti, Gislon e TrupianoItaly
Marks & ClerkUnited Kingdom
Mathys & SquireUnited Kingdom
Meissner BolteGermany
Mewburn EllisUnited Kingdom
MHPGermany
Michalski · Hüttermann & PartnerGermany
MitscherlichGermany
Modiano & PartnersItaly
Müller-BoréGermany
MurgitroydUnited Kingdom
NLONetherlands
Oxon IP Netherlands
Page White & FarrerUnited Kingdom
Papula-NevinpatFinland
Patendibüroo UstervallEstonia
PATENTREEPortugal
PATERISGermany
PELSTER BEHRENDSGermany
Plasseraud IPFrance
Plougmann VingtoftDenmark
Ponti & PartnersSpain
Potter ClarksonUnited Kingdom
Prinz & PartnerGermany
Puchberger & PartnerAustria
Reddie & GroseUnited Kingdom
RegimbeauFrance
Reitstötter KinzebachGermany
Rentsch PartnerSwitzerland
Richardt - PatentanwälteGermany
Sagittarius IPUnited Kingdom
Samson & PartnerGermany
Santarelli GroupFrance
SBGKHungary
Schiweck Weinzierl KochGermany
Schoppe, Zimmermann, Stöckeler, Zinkler, Schenk & Partner mbBGermany
Script IPUnited Kingdom
Simmons & SimmonsUnited Kingdom
Sirius IPUnited Kingdom
Slingsby PartnersUnited Kingdom
Società Italiana Brevetti (SIB)Italy
SSMGermany
Ström & GullikssonSweden
Studio TortaItaly
TBKGermany
Ter Meer Steinmeister & PartnerGermany
Uexküll & StolbergGermany
UNGRIASpain
V.O.Netherlands
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 and PartnersPoland
WUESTHOFF & WUESTHOFFGermany
Wynne-Jones IPUnited Kingdom
ZaccoDenmark
ZardiSwitzerland
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpain
Zimmermann & PartnerGermany
ZSP PatentanwälteGermany

Biotechnology, Food & Healthcare
Patent Law FirmCountry of OriginRating
ABG Intellectual PropertySpainGold
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomGold
CMSUnited KingdomGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
HGFUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
J A KempUnited KingdomGold
KeltieUnited KingdomGold
MurgitroydUnited KingdomGold
PATENTREEPortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
Sagittarius IPUnited KingdomGold
VossiusGermanyGold
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainGold
De Clercq & Partners IPBelgiumSilver
HLKUnited KingdomSilver
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomSilver
MaiwaldGermanySilver
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomSilver
WTS Patent Attorneys Witek, Śnieżko and PartnersPolandSilver
Appleyard LeesUnited KingdomBronze
Becker & AssociésFranceBronze
Bird & BirdUnited KingdomBronze
BOEHMERT & BOEHMERTGermanyBronze
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomBronze
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalyBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
df-mpGermanyBronze
ForrestersUnited KingdomBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
GLPItalyBronze
Grosset-Fournier & DemachyFranceBronze
GrüneckerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
HansepatentGermanyBronze
HØIBERGDenmarkBronze
InspicosDenmarkBronze
König Szynka Tilmann von RenesseGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
NLONetherlandsBronze
Oxon IPNetherlandsBronze
Papula-NevinpatFinlandBronze
Plasseraud IPFranceBronze
Plougmann VingtoftDenmarkBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
RegimbeauFranceBronze
V.O.NetherlandsBronze
Venner ShipleyUnited KingdomBronze
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZSP PatentanwälteGermanyBronze

Chemistry & Pharmaceuticals
Patent law firmCountry of originRating
ABG Intellectual PropertySpainGold
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
HGFUnited KingdomGold
HLKUnited KingdomGold
Hoffmann EitleGermanyGold
J A KempUnited KingdomGold
MaiwaldGermanyGold
MurgitroydUnited KingdomGold
PATENTREEPortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
Sagittarius IPUnited KingdomGold
VossiusGermanyGold
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainGold
CMSUnited KingdomSilver
De Clercq & Partners IPBelgiumSilver
df-mpGermanySilver
GLPItalySilver
Grosset-Fournier & DemachyFranceSilver
KeltieUnited KingdomSilver
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomSilver
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomSilver
RegimbeauFranceSilver
WTS Patent Attorneys Witek, Śnieżko and PartnersPolandSilver
Abel + ImrayUnited KingdomBronze
Appleyard LeesUnited KingdomBronze
AWASwedenBronze
BalderSpainBronze
Bandpay & GreuterFranceBronze
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyBronze
Becker & AssociésFranceBronze
Bianchetti & MinojaItalyBronze
Bird & BirdUnited KingdomBronze
BOEHMERT & BOEHMERTGermanyBronze
Botti & FerrariItalyBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
DehnsUnited KingdomBronze
DompatentGermanyBronze
Durán-CorretjerSpainBronze
Eisenführ SpeiserGermanyBronze
Elkington + FifeUnited KingdomBronze
ForrestersUnited KingdomBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
GrüneckerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Hamm & Wittkopp PatentanwälteGermanyBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
HarberCzech RepublicBronze
Herzog IPGermanyBronze
HØIBERGDenmarkBronze
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlandsBronze
InspicosDenmarkBronze
Isenbruck Bösl HörschlerGermanyBronze
Kutzenberger Wolff & PartnerGermanyBronze
Lederer & KellerGermanyBronze
LLR Intellectual PropertyFranceBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
Meissner BolteGermanyBronze
NLONetherlandsBronze
Oxon IPNetherlandsBronze
Plasseraud IPFranceBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
Reitstötter KinzebachGermanyBronze
Schiweck Weinzierl KochGermanyBronze
Ter Meer Steinmeister & PartnerGermanyBronze
UNGRIASpainBronze
Venner ShipleyUnited KingdomBronze
Weickmann & WeickmannGermanyBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZSP PatentanwälteGermanyBronze

Electrical Engineering & Physics
Patent law firmCountry of originRating
2SPLGermanyGold
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyGold
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalyGold
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanyGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
GLPItalyGold
HGFUnited KingdomGold
HLKUnited KingdomGold
KeltieUnited KingdomGold
MurgitroydUnited KingdomGold
PATENTREEPortugalGold
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainGold
ABG Intellectual PropertySpainSilver
df-mpGermanySilver
Durán-CorretjerSpainSilver
ForrestersUnited KingdomSilver
Germain MaureauFranceSilver
GrüneckerGermanySilver
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwaySilver
Lippert StachowGermanySilver
LLR Intellectual PropertyFranceSilver
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomSilver
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomSilver
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomSilver
Prinz & PartnerGermanySilver
Westphal, Mussgnug & PartnerGermanySilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
AOMBNetherlandsBronze
BalderSpainBronze
Bird & BirdUnited KingdomBronze
BOEHMERT & BOEHMERTGermanyBronze
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomBronze
Braun-Dullaeus Pannen EmmerlingGermanyBronze
CMSUnited KingdomBronze
Cohausz & FlorackGermanyBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
DREISS PatentanwälteGermanyBronze
Eisenführ SpeiserGermanyBronze
Epping Hermann FischerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Hoffmann EitleGermanyBronze
Horn Kleimann WaitzhoferGermanyBronze
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlandsBronze
IK-IPUnited KingdomBronze
J A KempUnited KingdomBronze
J. Pereira da CruzPortugalBronze
Jacobacci & PartnersItalyBronze
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomBronze
Kransell & WennborgSwedenBronze
Kraus & WeisertGermanyBronze
Kroher StrobelGermanyBronze
Lambsdorff & LangeGermanyBronze
Maikowski & NinnemannGermanyBronze
MaiwaldGermanyBronze
Marietti, Gislon e TrupianoItalyBronze
Meissner BolteGermanyBronze
Mewburn EllisUnited KingdomBronze
MHPGermanyBronze
Müller-BoréGermanyBronze
Papula-NevinpatFinlandBronze
Plasseraud IPFranceBronze
Puchberger & PartnerAustriaBronze
Reddie & GroseUnited KingdomBronze
RegimbeauFranceBronze
Samson & PartnerGermanyBronze
Schoppe, Zimmermann, Stöckeler, Zinkler, Schenk & Partner mbBGermanyBronze
Slingsby PartnersUnited KingdomBronze
Ström & GullikssonSwedenBronze
UNGRIASpainBronze
Viering, Jentschura & PartnerGermanyBronze
WITTEWELLERGermanyBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZaccoDenmarkBronze
Zimmermann & PartnerGermanyBronze

IT & Software
Patent law firmCountry of originRating
2SPLGermanyGold
Bardehle PagenbergGermanyGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
HGFUnited KingdomGold
HLKUnited KingdomGold
KeltieUnited KingdomGold
MurgitroydUnited KingdomGold
PATENTREEPortugalGold
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalySilver
CMSUnited KingdomSilver
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanySilver
Germain MaureauFranceSilver
GLPItalySilver
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomSilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainSilver
ABG Intellectual PropertySpainBronze
Appleyard LeesUnited KingdomBronze
BalderSpainBronze
Barker BrettellUnited KingdomBronze
BESTPATENTGermanyBronze
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
De Vries & MetmanNetherlandsBronze
df-mpGermanyBronze
DREISS PatentanwälteGermanyBronze
Durán-CorretjerSpainBronze
ForrestersUnited KingdomBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwayBronze
Hoffmann EitleGermanyBronze
IK-IPUnited KingdomBronze
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomBronze
Kransell & WennborgSwedenBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
Meissner BolteGermanyBronze
Page White & FarrerUnited KingdomBronze
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
Samson & PartnerGermanyBronze
Ström & GullikssonSwedenBronze
UNGRIASpainBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
Zimmermann & PartnerGermanyBronze

Materials & Nanotechnology
Patent law firmCountry of originRating
ABG Intellectual PropertySpainGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
PATENTREEPortugalGold
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainGold
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanySilver
EIPUnited KingdomSilver
GLPItalySilver
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwaySilver
HGFUnited KingdomSilver
HLKUnited KingdomSilver
J A KempUnited KingdomSilver
KeltieUnited KingdomSilver
AAA-PatentGermanyBronze
Boult Wade TennantUnited KingdomBronze
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalyBronze
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomBronze
Germain MaureauFranceBronze
MaiwaldGermanyBronze
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomBronze
Meissner BolteGermanyBronze
MurgitroydUnited KingdomBronze
Papula-NevinpatFinlandBronze
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomBronze
Prinz & PartnerGermanyBronze
UNGRIASpainBronze
VossiusGermanyBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
Zimmermann & PartnerGermanyBronze

Mechanical Engineering
Patent law firmCountry of originRating
2SPLGermanyGold
EIPUnited KingdomGold
ForrestersUnited KingdomGold
GJEUnited KingdomGold
GLPItalyGold
HGFUnited KingdomGold
HLKUnited KingdomGold
KeltieUnited KingdomGold
Marks & ClerkUnited KingdomGold
MurgitroydUnited KingdomGold
PATENTREEPortugalGold
Potter ClarksonUnited KingdomGold
ABG Intellectual PropertySpainSilver
BalderSpainSilver
Bardehle PagenbergGermanySilver
Buzzi, Notaro & Antonielli d’OulxItalySilver
Dr. Bakuri LanchavaGermanySilver
Germain MaureauFranceSilver
GrüneckerGermanySilver
Håmsø PatentbyråNorwaySilver
Hoffmann EitleGermanySilver
InspicosDenmarkSilver
J A KempUnited KingdomSilver
Lippert StachowGermanySilver
MaiwaldGermanySilver
Meissner BolteGermanySilver
Plasseraud IPFranceSilver
Prinz & PartnerGermanySilver
RegimbeauFranceSilver
Withers & RogersUnited KingdomSilver
ZBM Patents & TrademarksSpainSilver
Abel + ImrayUnited KingdomBronze
AOMB PolskaPolandBronze
AWASwedenBronze
Barker BrettellUnited KingdomBronze
Bird & BirdUnited KingdomBronze
BOEHMERT & BOEHMERTGermanyBronze
BugnionItalyBronze
Carpmaels & RansfordUnited KingdomBronze
CMSUnited KingdomBronze
Curell SuñolSpainBronze
D Young & CoUnited KingdomBronze
DehnsUnited KingdomBronze
df-mpGermanyBronze
DREISS PatentanwälteGermanyBronze
DTS Patent- und RechtsanwälteGermanyBronze
Durán-CorretjerSpainBronze
Eisenführ SpeiserGermanyBronze
Gramm, Lins & PartnerGermanyBronze
H&ASpainBronze
Heeschen PültzGermanyBronze
Horn Kleimann WaitzhoferGermanyBronze
Hoyng Rokh MonegierNetherlandsBronze
Jacobacci & PartnersItalyBronze
karo IPGermanyBronze
Keller SchneiderGermanyBronze
Kilburn & StrodeUnited KingdomBronze
Kohler Schmid Möbus PatentanwälteGermanyBronze
LavoixFranceBronze
LLR Intellectual PropertyFranceBronze
Maikowski & NinnemannGermanyBronze
Marietti, Gislon e TrupianoItalyBronze
Mathys & SquireUnited KingdomBronze
Müller-BoréGermanyBronze
PELSTER BEHRENDSGermanyBronze
Puchberger & PartnerAustriaBronze
Studio TortaItalyBronze
Wallinger Ricker Schlotter TostmannGermanyBronze
WTS Patent Attorneys Witek, Śnieżko and PartnersPolandBronze
Wynne-Jones IPUnited KingdomBronze
ZaccoDenmarkBronze
Zimmermann & PartnerGermanyBronze

Methodology

The list is composed of the most recommended patent law firms for services around patent prosecution and patent strategy consultation in Europe.

It is based on an online survey of patent attorneys working in patent law firms and as experts in the patent departments of companies (peer-to-peer survey); and clients who have consulted with or commissioned a patent law firm.

Survey and sample

More than 10,000 patent attorneys and clients were invited to take part in the survey. The sample was collected via research conducted by Statista on company websites, in publications, and from the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office, the professional body representing European patent attorneys. Patent attorneys and clients could also participate via a link on FT.com.

Participants could recommend patent law firms in general, as well as for six selected sectors: Chemistry & Pharmaceuticals; Electrical Engineering & Physics; Mechanical Engineering; Biotechnology, Food & Healthcare; Materials & Nanotechnology; IT & Software.

The survey was conducted February 8-March 17 2023. The recommendations of more than 3,300 clients and peers were considered.

Self-recommendations and attempts to participate multiple times were prohibited and not taken into consideration.

Top lists

Firms are selected based on the number of recommendations. In total, 177 firms made it into the overall top list.

Firms that were highly recommended for their services in one of the six selected sectors were ranked in three classes: gold (very frequently recommended), silver (frequently recommended), and bronze (recommended).

All lists were created through a complex process. However, the quality of firms that are not included is not disputed.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
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