Dr. Henrik Holzapfel Joins McDermott Will & Emery in Düsseldorf

International law firm McDermott Will & Emery has announced that Dr. Henrik Holzapfel, a leading intellectual property partner, has joined the Firm as a partner in its Düsseldorf office. The addition of Dr. Holzapfel, who joins McDermott from a full-service German law firm, adds strength to the Firm’s European Union patent litigation practice while further enhancing McDermott’s presence in Germany. Dr. Holzapfel is the first intellectual property partner to reside in the Firm’s Düsseldorf office.

Dr. Holzapfel counsels clients on all aspects of intellectual property law and has extensive experience litigating patents and providing strategic advice. He regularly advises on IP licensing agreements, including the intricacies of European competition law, and on drafting R&D agreements. Other key areas of his practice include advising clients on employees’ inventions, unfair competition law and general contract law. Dr. Holzapfel’s clients span a wide variety of industries such as pharmaceutical, biotech, medicinal products, chemicals, automotive, engineering and IT.

“We are delighted to welcome Henrik to the Firm,” said Sarah Chapin Columbia, global head of McDermott’s Intellectual Property Practice. “Germany is an important and exciting market for intellectual property. With the impending introduction of Unified Patent Court (UPC) in Europe, patent litigation will become even more complex but it will also bring new market opportunities to our clients. Henrik’s arrival will further strengthen our thriving European IP litigation team, positioning us as an advisor of choice in this dynamically changing practice area.”

“Henrik has an outstanding grasp of intellectual property issues,” said Norbert Schulte, partner-in-charge of the Firm’s German practice. “His appointment will enable us to further expand our comprehensive offerings and advise our clients on very specialized issues.”

Over the past few years, McDermott ‘s German practice has seen a consistent growth, in line with its strategy of providing all aspects of commercial law from a single source. Most recent appointments include a partner and two counsel in its Frankfurt and Munich offices.

With approximately 150 lawyers and professionals from around the world, McDermott’s Intellectual Property practice is renowned for its broad trial, appellate, prosecution and transaction experience. Members of the practice hold degrees in a wide variety of technical fields and are uniquely capable of handling intellectual property matters in virtually every technical or scientific discipline. Some 110 members of McDermott’s intellectual property team hold technical and/or scientific degrees and nearly 100 are registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

About McDermott Will & Emery

McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.