Hoffmann Eitle is strengthening its high-tech patent practice in Munich with the addition of Ronak Kalhor-Witzel. The German and European patent attorney joins as partner from Norton Rose Fulbright, where she had built up the firm’s European patent prosecution offering since 2023.
Ronak Kalhor-Witzel began her career in 2012 at Bardehle Pagenberg, where the physicist specialised in electrical engineering matters concerning mobile devices, computers and medical technology.
At Bardehle Pagenberg, she was active in both patent prosecution and litigation. In 2018, Kalhor-Witzel moved in-house to Infineon, where she served as director corporate patents, managing portfolios for MEMS semiconductors and quantum technology in the automotive department.
In January 2023, she then joined Norton Rose Fulbright in Munich as counsel, tasked with building up the firm’s European patent granting practice. At Hoffmann Eitle, Kalhor-Witzel will advise on a broad range of technologies including semiconductors, quantum technologies, medical technologies, autonomous systems, and digital technologies in the life sciences.
Related: JUVE Unveils Patent Law Firm In-house Team Nominees
Her practice covers prosecution and opposition proceedings before the EPO, litigation before national courts and the UPC, as well as strategic patent portfolio advice. Axel Esser, partner in Hoffmann Eitle’s digital technologies group, says, “Ronak brings a unique combination of expertise and experience that will further strengthen our European and transatlantic focus on technology-driven IP matters.”
The move comes after Hoffmann Eitle expanded its Munich team with Simmons & Simmons’ Thomas Gniadek in December. As co-chair of Hoffmann Eitle’s patent litigation group, Gniadek’s task is to reorient the practice towards additional technical areas.
To date, this has focused mainly on life sciences disputes. The further arrival of Jonas Smeets from Bird & Bird in Düsseldorf in March brought the litigation team to eleven lawyers. The team traditionally maintains a strong focus on life sciences and on Asian companies.
Hoffmann Eitle’s recent growth was not limited to its lawyer team. Gniadek’s arrival was preceded by the recruitment of a large team of patent attorneys from König Szynka Tillmann von Renesse. The team led by Gregor König has particular expertise in pharmaceutical litigation.
Related: Osborne Clarke adds Jan Pot to Amsterdam team
Hoffmann Eitle is active in UPC proceedings across a broad spectrum of technologies, for example representation of Sanofi against Amgen, and for Moderna against Arbutus regarding mRNA patents in the past.
The mixed firm currently represents Ericsson, Rakuten, and Dai Nippon Printing amongst others in UPC cases. Kalhor-Witzel’s departure marks a setback for Norton Rose Fulbright’s efforts to establish a patent prosecution practice in Germany.
She was the first patent attorney in the German patent team, which otherwise comprised lawyers around partner Clemens Rübel. The remaining patent team is based in Munich.
