The WTR 1000 focuses exclusively on trademark practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal trademark expertise.
Silver - Firms: enforcement and litigation
Silver - Firms: prosecution and strategy
Zurich-based Rentsch Partner provides holistic brand-related services, thanks to a model by which it handles prosecution and litigation and enforcement matters on an integrated basis. Another USP of the firm is a deep bench; it has 31 lawyers and patent attorneys, many of whom bring high-level trademark expertise to the table. Rentsch Partner is in a good groove at the moment; its filing numbers are up in terms of Swiss and international trademark applications and it has recently taken significant steps in its move towards a paperless future. The ensemble’s top brand specialist is Gregor Wild, a global IP thinker who makes light work of managing valuable worldwide trademark portfolios. The practice identifies four other partners as leading trademark experts – Maria Iskic, Matthias Städeli, Christian Hilti and Demian Stauber – all of whom also make the WTR 1000 cut. Iskic is an expert in the consumer goods, life sciences and computing fields and a talented transactional and disputes practitioner. Städeli is in his element in complex litigation involving multiple types of claim. Hilti is a thought leader who has published important works on IP and competition law; he is also a seasoned practitioner with a strong following in the luxury field. Stauber is a key contact for innovative companies in need of litigation and licensing support.
RENTSCH PARTNER is a leading Swiss IP law firm, founded in 2001 and based in the centre of Zurich, with specialists in all areas of intellectual property. RENTSCH PARTNER advises national and international clients on all areas of IP law and related legal areas, including the registration and enforcement of legal rights in Switzerland and abroad. A particularly established team of specialists has gained unique knowledge in the fields of cryptography, blockchain and fintech. The interdisciplinary team works particularly well at the intersection of technology and law.
The firm’s approach
From the beginning, the firm’s aim was to overcome the traditional separation in Switzerland between applications and prosecution of industrial property rights on the one hand, and judicial and legal enforcement of industrial property rights on the other. As the first law firm of its kind in Switzerland, RENTSCH PARTNER has, since its inception, combined the entire spectrum of industrial property services provided by attorneys at law and patent attorneys in one legal firm using one common infrastructure.
Today, RENTSCH PARTNER employs 62 practitioners, including 32 attorneys at law and patent attorneys, all specialists in the current most important fields of technology. Five partners have been elected as non-permanent judges at the Swiss Federal Patent Court, the Commercial Court of Zurich and the Federal Arbitration Board for Exploitation of Authors’ and Neighbouring Rights. RENTSCH PARTNER is among the few specialised law firms in Switzerland focused on IP rights that handle not only legal disputes in the field of intellectual property, but also the entire range of issues involving industrial property rights – including prosecution of national, European and international patents, designs and trademarks.
Network and services
Zurich, with its economic and innovative strength, has offered the ideal environment for growth. With a strong base of domestic clients, RENTSCH PARTNER has been one of Switzerland’s top Patent Cooperation Treaty filers in the past years and figures among the largest Swiss filers of international trademark applications through the Madrid system. The firm can assist a wide range of companies and individuals in developing their innovative capacity and protecting their intellectual property. The attorneys at law and patent attorneys at RENTSCH PARTNER are particularly experienced in advising on strategic development of IP portfolios worldwide. RENTSCH PARTNER has professional contacts and manages cases in more than 120 jurisdictions, particularly in the field of patent and trademark law. The trademark team has handled more than 1,100 oppositions in over 40 jurisdictions worldwide.
Trademarks, company names, designs, unfair competition and copyright law
RENTSCH PARTNER offers specialised services, where applications and registrations for trademarks and designs are concerned. Due to the firm’s integrated model, experience gained from disputes and litigation conducted under civil law also flows into non-litigious advice on applications and strategic advice on portfolio building. Similarly, the expertise acquired during prosecution of applications and the constant maintenance of its network ensure fast action in infringement cases, not only in trademark and design law, but also in related areas such as company name disputes, unfair competition claims and copyright matters.
The trademark team of RENTSCH PARTNER has extensive experience in both the protection and enforcement of designs, trademarks, company names and unregistered marks. The firm’s attorneys advise on IP strategy, contract drafting and represent clients in disputes and infringement proceedings before courts and authorities. The attorneys advise clients prior to filing the application, carry out searches and filing applications on their behalf, and support them in all matters of IP administration following the successful filing of a trademark application.
Technology law and digital economy
The firm has a dedicated group dealing with contracts and general terms and conditions, counselling and best practices, and litigation in the fields of information technology, data protection and blockchain. For disruptive technologies, a multidisciplinary legal approach is required. RENTSCH PARTNER therefore has created a team of specialists with backgrounds in regulation, taxation, incorporation, intellectual property, technology and data protection.
Jurisdiction