In-depth reporting and analytical commentary on intellectual property disputes and debates. No legal advice.

ARNOLD RUESS Rechtsanwälte PartmbB

Attorneys-at-law

21 UPC Representatives Â· 22 SEP Litigators

 Germany Â· And other UPC member states

Firm Website

Short self-description

IP boutique law firm. Highly motivated, dynamic, and engaged team. Fun to work with. Active in UPC as of day 1 and German courts. Particularly experienced in international litigation, teaming up with the best firms. Well-versed in complex and high-volume cases. Often shapes case law in new areas.

Main practice areas: IP law including designs, trademarks, unfair competition, patents, copyright, and related competition law advice.

Industry/technology focus: mechanical engineering; physics and general engineering; electrical engineering; electronics; information and communication technology; computer software, artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain and web3; virtual and augmented reality; automotive; aerospace; green tech and sustainable technologies; optics, optoelectronics and laser technology; food technology (thermodynamics etc. related to food production); material science; chemistry; pharmaceutics; life sciences including biotech; medical devices and e-health.

Very experienced in standard-essential patents and pharma litigation. Focus on international litigation with parallel proceedings in various countries worldwide.

UPC-related services: patent enforcement; defense against infringement claims; proactive revocation claims; defense against revocation claims; bring and pursue notice of opposition in EPO; defense in EPO opposition proceedings; unitary patent appeals from EPO; opt-outs and withdrawals.

Arnold Ruess Rechtsanwälte PartmbB has practiced in five CFI divisions and before the CoA.

SEP-related services: advice on FRAND negotiations for SEP holders; advice on FRAND negotiations for implementers; advice related to participation in standards development; SEP enforcement; defense against SEP infringement claims; bring revocation claims against SEPs (including EPO opposition, PTAB, etc.); SEP prosecution and defense against revocation claims targeting SEPs; bring antitrust-based FRAND claims; defense against antitrust-based FRAND claims; bring contract-based FRAND claims, defense against contract-based FRAND claims; pursuit of antisuit injunctions and interim licenses; defense against antisuit injunction and interim license motions; pursuit of anti-antisuit injunctions; defense against anti-antisuit injunction motions.

Rankings and awards

  • IAM GOLD for Germany / recommended UPC firm
  • JUVE ***** for Germany / UPC Firm of the Year 2026
  • LEGAL 500 Band 2
  • IP STARS Band 2

Individual rankings:

  • Bernhard Arnold: IAM Silver, JUVE Leading individual, IP STARS Patent Star 2025, LEGAL 500 Leading partner, LEXOLOGY Thought Leader.
  • Cordula Schumacher: IAM Gold, JUVE Leading individual, LEGAL 500 Leading partner, LEXOLOGY Global Thought Leader, IP STARS 250 Top Women IP.
  • Arno RiĂźe: IAM Gold, JUVE Leading Individual, IP STARS Patent Star 2025, LEGAL 500 Leading partner, LEXOLOGY Thought Leader.
  • Marina Wehler: IAM Bronze, IP STARS Notable Practitioner.

UPC achievements

Defended first-instance final judgements or provisional measures decisions on appeal

  • Nokia Technologies Oy v. Amazon.com, Inc. u.a. (December 16, 2024 – CoA, first Instance Munich LD).

Successful infringement assertions (main proceedings)

Obtained provisional measures (preliminary injunctions)

Settlements

SEP achievements

Defended SEP/FRAND wins on appeal

  • SISVEL International S.A. v. Haier Deutschland GmbH u.a. (November 3, 2015 – Duesseldorf Regional Court; March 30, 2017 – Higher Regional Court of Duesseldorf; May 5, 2020 – Federal Supreme Court, KZR 36/17 FRAND-Einwand I).
  • SISVEL International S.A. v. Haier Deutschland GmbH u.a. (November 3, 2015 – Duesseldorf Regional Court; March 30, 2017 – Higher Regional Court of Duesseldorf; November 21, 2020 – Federal Supreme Court, KZR 35/17 FRAND-Einwand II).

Won permanent SEP injunctions

Defended against requests for permanent SEP injunctions

  • Nokia Co. v. Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Munich I Regional Court, Duesseldorf Regional Court – Nokia being third party intervener for Telekom Deutschland GmbH and Vodafone GmbH).

Won antisuit/anti-antisuit injunctions

Litigated FRAND determination claims

Conducted FRAND arbitrations

  • Mediation ASUS v. Lenovo (before the Mediation Center of the Munich I Regional Court).

Invalidated SEPs (not UPC-related)

  • Nokia vs. Intellectual Ventures ( Federal Patent Court of Germany – Nokia being third party intervener for Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone).

Defended SEPs against invalidity contentions (not UPC-related)

Won technical infringement rulings over SEPs

Defended against SEP-based infringement allegations

  • Nokia Co. vs. Intellectual Ventures (Munich I Regional Court, Duesseldorf Regional Court, Mannheim Regional Court – Nokia being third party intervener for Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone).

Settlements prior to decisions

Other SEP-related achievements