AWA

AWA is a leading IP consultancy firm with a presence in both Europe and Asia. AWA was founded in 1897 and has 17 offices across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, China, Hong Kong and the United States. In 2017 we reported net sales of €68.5 million.

We provide a full-service package, offering prosecution, litigation, legal advice and strategic services in all IP disciplines. Our clients are innovation-intensive companies, ranging from start-ups to owners of the world’s best-known brands and patent portfolios. We help them to turn their ideas and innovations into business opportunities.

AWA strives to be the first choice in intellectual property for clients and dedicated people everywhere by developing the market together. Over the years our work has been continuously recognised in different national and international rankings.

We are owned by the majority of our 300 employees, including 180 IP consultants – 65 of whom are European patent attorneys and 40 attorneys at law. We work together in extensive client teams of patent attorneys and attorneys at law to offer the combined strength of an IP law firm and a patent agency. This ensures the right combination of knowledge, experience and legal credentials.

Many of our qualified consultants once took part in our unique trainee programme, which has been running for over two decades. Another element that makes our consultants so successful is our internal training for the European Qualifying Examination.

One of AWA’s greatest achievement in recent years was the 2015 launch of our new offices in Beijing and Hong Kong under the brand of AWA Asia. We now offer clients worldwide a combination of IP law and local business knowledge in both Europe and Asia.

Further, we offer our clients IP strategy via AWA Strategy: a business area focusing on the strategic and commercial aspects of intellectual property. Our business area AWA Innovation helps clients with their business development.

Specialist areas

AWA operates in all technical industries; however, the following are some of our specialist areas:

• Telecoms – among our clients are several of the world’s largest telecommunications corporations, both technology developers and network equipment and consumer product manufacturers.
• Nanotechnology – from drug delivery systems to new materials and components for electronics, physics and chemistry, our specialists can handle the challenges of patenting in this growing field.
• Life sciences – our life sciences and chemistry specialists assist an array of companies, from pharmaceutical corporations with sales in 100 countries to research companies seeking venture capital.
• Cleantech – we are proud to support many clients which are developing technologies that will keep our planet healthy for generations to come, from power generation to fuel and energy-efficient lighting.
• Consumer brands – we advise the owners of a number of the world’s most valuable consumer brands in industries such as fashion, household appliances, consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals and food.

Core values

How we walk and talk forms the perception of who we are. That is why we have a distinct style that sets us apart and sets the expectation that we are a little different from the average IP firm.

Three core values guide us in our quest to live up to this expectation. These are not just words to us. They form the basis for taking the right action in everything we do – from managing client projects to the way we treat each other as colleagues:

• Courage – no one ever became a champion without a little courage. We dare to be different, make tough choices and blaze new trails.
• Openness – we always give new perspectives a fair shot. Everyone should feel comfortable speaking up. Otherwise, the next great idea could pass right by.
• Passion – the real reason champions go above and beyond is simple: they cannot help it. That drive does not just make us work harder – it makes work fun.

Sponsorships and partnerships

AWA engages with the world by supporting a variety of organisations and projects. This is a two-way process intended to benefit both parties. AWA can offer both financial assistance and skills support through its sponsorship and partnership undertakings.