IP boutique Bonabry is set to expand its ranks. From 1 January 2027, the firm will merge with Hamburg-based patent attorney outfit Hamm & Wittkopp. The combined entity will operate under the Bonabry brand as an integrated mixed IP litigation boutique with a strong pharmaceutical focus.
The merger will not alter Bonabry’s focus on IP litigation. Hamm & Wittkopp will also continue to concentrate on opposition, revocation, and infringement proceedings rather than the traditional patent filing business. With the deal, patent attorneys Alexander Wittkopp and Malte von Seebach will join Bonabry mbB as partners. In addition to the two name partners, four further patent attorneys and their support team will move across. In total, the combined firm will comprise more than 20 fee earners in IP litigation.
The new set-up strengthens Bonabry’s position in the pharmaceutical sector in particular. Hamm & Wittkopp has established itself over the years as a go-to advisor for generics manufacturers in patent disputes with originators. Its client roster includes Stada, Aliud, and Mylan, with the team acting regularly in EPO oppositions, often as straw men representatives.
Bonabry’s own client base in the generics sector overlaps considerably with that of Hamm & Wittkopp. The firm advises Stadapharm, Aliud, Betapharm, and Accord Healthcare, among others. Beyond pharma, Bonabry acts for a range of medium-sized companies across various technical fields, including Primetals Technologies Austria against Danieli and Decathlon in a series of UPC lawsuits against Schwarz Group subsidiaries such as Lidl and Kaufland.
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The Hamburg-based patent attorney firm rounds off Bonabry’s existing life sciences practice, which has been active for clients such as Tandem Diabetes Care in disputes with Roche Diabetes Care.
Move to new premises and Milan
The newly combined Hamburg office will move into new premises in the port city. The firm will relocate to the Bornhold Haus at Neuer Wall 80, with the move scheduled for early December 2026. In addition, Bonabry plans to establish an address in Milan, referencing the city’s significance as a seat of a UPC central division. The firm has stated that no further organisational or personnel changes are currently planned in connection with the Milan presence.
Bonabry launched in January 2025 following a spin-off from Preu Bohlig. The firm’s founding partners include Daniel Hoppe, Jan Peter Heidenreich, and Carl-Alexander Dinges. Partners Konstantin Schallmoser and Isabell Werner joined from Paris, while Alexander Harguth opened a Munich office for the new outfit. Since then, the firm has grown across all its locations.
Daniel Hoppe says the merger is aimed at positioning Bonabry “at the very highest level in professional, technical and organisational terms” and at establishing the firm as a leading player in the patent litigation and UPC markets. According to the firm, further expansion of resources on both the legal and patent attorney sides is planned.
