Harmsen Utescher

Firm overview:

One of the best-known German boutiques, Hamburg firm Harmsen Utescher has one of the largest trademark prosecution departments in the country and represents some of the most widely recognized national and international trademark owners. Founded in 1895, the firm proudly asserts the holistic benefits from all of its lawyers working in prosecution as well as litigation. Besides trademarks, HARMSEN UTESCHER advises clients in all other IP-fields, too, like Unfair Competition Law, Patent Law, Utility Model Law, Copyright Law, Design Law, Domains, IT and Data Protection Law, Antitrust and Distribution Law, Licensing, Pharmaceutical Law, Food Law, and Cosmetics Law and Life Sciences. The attorneys of HARMSEN UTESCHER represent their clients before the German and European Courts as well as the German Patent and Trademark Office, the EUIPO and the EPO. Says a peer: “Harmsen Utescher is a really great firm, good colleagues who are good to have on the other side.”

Team overview:

For more than 20 years Dr Karin Sandberg has focused on Intellectual Property and Unfair Competition Law on how brands and products can best be protected, defended and advertised. Sandberg has advised clients from the creation to the enforcement of their trademark and design portfolios and represented their interests before the German and European courts. Peers rate Sandberg as “Outstanding” and as one of the top leading trademarks lawyers in Germany. Says an international referral lawyer: She is one of my preferred lawyers in Germany.” Raine Kaase practices German and International Trademark Law, Unfair Competition Law, Patent and Design Law, Pharmaceutical and Medical Products Law, Food and Cosmetics Law, Litigation in all IP matters.

Key matters:

• Stada Arzneimittel AG, a leading manufacturer of high-quality pharmaceuticals (generics, special pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter consumer health care products) with sales in 120 countries and a group turnover of more than Euro 3bn and more than 12,000 employees worldwide, is a core client of the firm following a successful pitch in 2021.
• A Harmsen Utescher team led by Rainer Kaase and Dr John Plate, supported by Dr. Franziska Friske and Katharina Schmid-Burg, regularly advises STADA in trademark and other IP matters as STADA expands its international brand portfolio, via acquisitions and global biosimilar projects.
• For decades Harmsen Utescher has represented the Intersnack group of companies, well-known producers of salty snack products, in trademark, design, copyright and unfair competition matters. The firm advises Intersnack on: warning letters and preliminary injunctions proceedings against trademarks infringers; provides strategic advice on Intersnack´s worldwide trademark portfolio; and advises Intersnack in cooperation with attorneys from the firm’s international network on infringement proceedings in Denmark, Poland and the Czech Republic.
• Harmsen Utescher represents all European trademarks for FORMULA ONE and  actively enforces the group’s trademark rights in numerous opposition proceedings before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), but in warning letters and out-of-court settlements.

Clients:

Ferrero International, Formula One, IKEA, Intersnack Group, real, STADA