Legal 500 2024
Schwarz Schönherr Rechtsanwälte OEG represents a broad range of clients a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, fashion, and food and beverages. The group is known for its expansive knowledge of trade mark prosecution and litigation, patent disputes, copyrights and unfair competition issues. The IP aspects of international advertising campaigns, and the management of clients’ global IP portfolios are areas of expertise for the team. Practice co-head Georg Schönherr is a trade marks specialist whose practice also encompasses unfair competition, while co-head Markus Grötschl focuses on anti-counterfeiting proceedings for fashion industry clients among others. Patent litigator Thomas Adocker left the practice to join Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH in April 2023.
Practice head(s):
Georg Schönherr; Markus Grötschl
Testimonials
‘Schwarz Schönherr is our go-to law firm in Austria. Georg Schönherr and Markus Grötschl are very experienced trade mark lawyers, always reliable, “hands-on” and highly recommended. It is a pleasure working with them.’
‘Best IP boutique in Austria! Georg Schönherr and Markus Grötschel are outstanding, know the market, are responsive and successful.’
‘They are a small boutique, but focused on IP law. This makes communication very easy and their work very efficient.’
Link: https://www.legal500.com/c/austria/intellectual-property/
Chambers 2023
What the team is known for
Schwarz Schönherr Rechtsanwälte represents an impressive range of luxury brands and pharmaceutical companies in matters relating to trade mark infringements, unfair competition and anti-counterfeiting. The practice is particularly recognised for its substantial involvement in contentious mandates, including patent litigation, prosecution and opposition proceedings. The team also manages trade mark portfolios and design registrations. Its further clientele comprises companies from the food and beverages, technology and automotive sectors as well as the world of art and film.
Strengths
"The team understands complex technical problems."
"The firm is solution-oriented and fast and houses real specialists who complement each other well."
"In addition to legal expertise, Schwarz Schönherr never neglects the business aspect."
"The lawyers really understand complex and very nuanced situations and explain everything well in court."
Work highlights
Represented Hexal in cancellation proceedings regarding its trade mark Clindac.
Notable practitioners
Markus Grötschl is an expert in trade mark matters, regularly representing prominent clients from the automotive, fashion and pharmaceutical sectors in infringement proceedings, portfolio management mandates as well as trade mark prosecutions. He also assists with unfair competition and licensing matters and is a specialist in design law. "He runs the cross-border side of mandates very well."
Georg Schönherr acts for well-known players from the music, healthcare and luxury fashion industries. His expertise includes licensing agreements, unfair competition and patent and trade mark infringements as well as anti-counterfeiting. "Georg Schönherr provides very strong commercial awareness and top engagement with the mandate."
Thomas Adocker advises on a variety of IP mandates, including unfair competition, trade mark prosecution and nullity proceedings as well as patent infringements. He is a visible player in the life sciences and telecommunications sectors.
Link: http://chambers.com/department/schwarz-schonherr-rechtsanwalte-kg-intell...
“World Trademark Review” The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2023
“Schwarz Schönherr is our top choice firm for trademark matters in Austria, and the team is essential to our success. They do an excellent job of applying the law to our unique situation, their advice is straightforward and commercially sound, and they are extremely professional to deal with. They are truly one of the best firms in Austria.” These are the words of one client, and the premier boutique has attracted the attention of some of the largest global brands. One example of this is the work for the Novartis Group, which is keeping every ranked practitioner occupied. They are among the top five applicants for national Austrian trademarks, and the team represents them while also managing the entire Austrian trademark portfolio. Georg Schönherr sets the tone from the top and is a master strategist who always thinks two steps ahead. Not one to squander his patrons’ time or resources, he is short and to the point. By his side, Markus Grötschl and Thomas Adocker are trusted advisers for complex matters. They think creatively and develop sophisticated solutions that maximise the value of their clients’ intellectual property.
Iam Patent 1000 2022
At specialised IP boutique Schwarz Schönherr, the thriving patent litigation practice is complemented by a wealth of auxiliary expertise in related fields, such as corporate, finance and labour law. Its domestic caseload is stacked with pharmaceutical mandates, and Sandoz is one of the companies that recently benefited from the astute counsel of Thomas Adocker and Georg Schönherr. The “tried and true IP lawyers” represented the industry heavyweight in proceedings brought by Merck, which may further develop case law relating to the extent combination products are covered by Supplementary Protection Certificates. Adocker is hailed as “a superb litigator” and has been involved in a litany of multi-jurisdictional disputes over the course of his career. “An eminent figure in the Austrian IP landscape”, Schönherr is also an expert in cross-border settings and leverages his extensive network of foreign associates to bring home big wins.
Link: www.iam-media.com/rankings/patent-1000/profile/firm/schwarz-schonherr-rechtsanwalte-kg
IP Stars 2022
IP boutique firm Schwarz Schönherr is experienced in handling commercially important IP cases, especially patent disputes in the pharmaceutical sector. Partner Thomas Adocker and, Georg Schönherr and Markus Platzl are key contacts for patent work. During the research period, the team represented Sandoz in a patent litigation case against Merck regarding the Ezetimibe-Simvastatin drug.
Schwarz Schönherr is often seen in strategically important IP disputes. It is also experienced in trade mark protection work. The firm continues to act for longstanding clients in several sectors, particularly those in the pharmaceutical sector. The standout practitioners are Thomas Adocker, Georg Schönherr and Markus Grötschl. Case studies show the firm advised companies such as Novartis on trade mark protection and disputes.
Link: https://www.ipstars.com/Firm/Schwarz-Schonherr/Profile/101571#rankings
Trend Anwaltsranking 2023
Am 28. April 2023 ist das Trend Anwaltsranking erschienen. 100 Anwaltskanzleien aus ganz Österreich haben aus ihrer Mitte die besten 250 in 24 Kategorien ausgewählt.
Georg Schönherr hat in der Kategorie „Die Experten im Marken-Urheber- und Patentrecht“ den vierten Platz belegt und damit – sowie in den vergangenen Jahren auch heuer wieder – eine Spitzenplatzierung erhalten.
Markus Grötschl zählt zu den besten Anwälten im Bereich des Wettbewerbsrechts und hat auch dort eine Spitzenplatzierung erhalten.
JUVE 2021
Die IP-Praxis der Wiener Kanzlei gehört sowohl im Marken- u. Wettbewerbs- als auch im Patentrecht zu den Herausforderern der Marktführer. Das Team um den anerkannten Namenspartner Schönherr besteht aus bekannten Anwälten in allen Altersklassen und ist vor allem in Prozessen stark vertreten. Ein wichtiges Standbein der Praxis ist darüber hinaus das Vorgehen gegen Produktpiraterie für zahlreiche prominente Modemarken wie Armani, Dior oder Gucci. Mandanten wie Moose Knuckles und Puma vertrauen Schwarz Schönherr neuerdings auch regelmäßig ihre Fälle an. Zuletzt ist dieses Geschäft insgesamt gewachsen, da durch verstärkte Onlinebestellungen in der Pandemie Hunderte kleinvolumige Zollbeschlagnahmen vom Team abgewickelt wurden. Im Markenrecht vertrauen dem Team laufend Großkonzerne wie das Pharmaunternehmen Novartis mit seinen Töchtern Sandoz und Hexal sowohl in der Markenverwaltung als auch bei Streitfällen. Wie gefestigt die Beziehungen der IP-Praxis zu den informellen Partnerkanzleien in den europäischen Nachbarstaaten, insbesondere mit Deutschland sind, belegt seine Arbeit für Stada. Das Pharmaunternehmen mandatierte Schwarz Schönherr auf Empfehlung seiner deutschen Berater aus einer Partnerkanzlei erstmals für ein Verfahren. Auch im Patentrecht gehören wirtschaftlich wichtige Prozesse für Pharmaunternehmen zu den Highlights der Praxis. So vertritt das Team um den etablierten Thomas Adocker Sandoz im österreichischen Teil der internationalen Litigation gegen Genentech und Roche um das Krebsmedikament Rituximab. Außerdem stand er Sandoz auch gegen MSD um das SPC über Ezetimib/Simvastat zur Seite. In Pharmaverfahren hatte die Kanzlei vormals auch in Kooperation die etablierte Anwältin Michaela Petsche eingebunden. Auf diese erfahrene Unterstützung muss Schwarz Schönherr nun verzichten, da sie sich Wettbewerberin Baker McKenzie angeschlossen hat.
Link: www.juve.de/juve-rankings/oesterreich/geistiges-eigentum/schwarz-schoenherr/
Handelsblatt kürt Schwarz Schönherr zur Kanzlei des Jahres im Gewerblichen Rechtsschutz!
Das renommierte deutsche Handelsblatt hat in seinem Ranking „Best Lawyers“ dieses Jahr neben Deutschland auch die besten Kanzleien und Anwälte für Österreich gekürt. Schwarz Schönherr schaffte es, einen sensationellen Erfolg zu erzielen und als beste Kanzlei Österreichs im Gebiet des gewerblichen Rechtsschutzes geführt zu werden. Schwarz Schönherr ist damit auch die einzige Boutiquekanzlei, die es neben diversen Großkanzleien in dieses Ranking geschafft hat.
Besonders erfreulich ist, dass darüber hinaus auch noch gleich drei unserer Kanzleipartner zu „besten Anwälten Österreichs“ gekürt wurden: Georg Schönherr und Markus Grötschl im Bereich Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz, Thomas Adocker im Bereich Biotechnologierecht (als einziger gelisteter österreichischer Anwalt in diesem Fachgebiet).