Protection for ideas that move technology forward.
From our Munich-based firm we are pleased to offer IP-related services on a global scale. We provide individual advice and solutions, taking special personal pride in the quality of our work and in the attention we pay to detail.
The Firm
Franke & Partner is an intellectual property law firm located in Munich, Germany. We provide legal support and services for obtaining, defending and enforcing intellectual property rights.
Every sustainable strategic planning starts with the right first step. We support you comprehensively from the beginning and in accordance with your specific needs in the area of intellectual property law, and we help you build up and secure your portfolio of IP rights.
In this way, you can free up resources to continue developing your inventive products and marketing the results of your investment, without any fear of plagiarism.
An interdisciplinary team across all areas of IP law.
One of the main strengths of Franke & Partner is the ability to provide clients with an interdisciplinary team comprising patent attorneys, attorneys at law and technical experts working successfully together in all areas of intellectual property law.
Technical Fields
Our technical areas range from general physics, nanotechnology, electronics and chemistry to pharmaceuticals and medical technology.
More →Legal Fields
We focus on the prosecution and defense of patent and trademark rights before the patent offices, and on enforcement before the competent civil courts.
More →Security
The confidentiality of all client documents is paramount. In the interest of our clients we take special security measures.
More →We are your strong partner for obtaining, defending and enforcing your patents and trademarks in Europe and on a global stage.
Technical Fields
Franke & Partner handles technical IP rights across the entire spectrum of applied technology. Our particular focus lies in medical technology and diagnostics as well as in agricultural, harvesting and livestock technology:
- Medical technology and diagnostics: imaging (PET, MRI), neurostimulation, infusion, ventilation and fluid-transfer systems, implants and biomaterials (including bone cements)
- Agricultural, harvesting and livestock technology: harvesters and combines, livestock-handling and housing systems, seeding, fertilising and crop-protection technology
Further technical focus areas:
- Mechanical and manufacturing engineering: machine tools and sensor systems, welding processes (including friction stir welding), powder metallurgy and composite materials
- Materials, chemistry and process engineering: advanced materials and nanotechnology, polymer chemistry and plastics recycling, chemical process engineering
- Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals: genetic engineering and RNA-based therapeutics, pharmaceutical formulations and active ingredients
- Energy and electrical engineering: wireless charging, e-mobility charging infrastructure, photovoltaics (including perovskite solar cells), high-frequency connectors
- Construction and railway engineering: track superstructure and vibration damping, prefabricated components and lightweight construction
Legal areas in the fields of IP law:
- patent and trademark law
- law on competition
- antitrust
- employee’s invention law
- tax and accounting law
Legal Fields
The practice covers all aspects of intellectual property rights, including procuring, enforcing and licensing of patents worldwide. Our patent attorneys coordinate and direct European patent litigation, prosecution and conduct enforcement proceedings.
We represent clients before the following courts and offices:
- all German civil courts, including the German Federal Court of Justice (in nullity proceedings)
- the German Federal Patent Court (FPC)
- the European Patent Office (EPO)
- the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
- the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO)
- the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)
- the German Federal and European Community Plant Variety Offices
- the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
In particular we carry out the following work for our clients:
- oppositions (patents and trademarks)
- appeal briefs
- legal opinions
- litigation and arbitration
- valuations of patents and trademarks; due diligence
- tax optimization of patent and trademark portfolios
Security
Secure communication
Franke & Partner pays special attention to the security and confidentiality of all documents obtained from our clients. For a safe electronic transmission of sensitive data, we recommend prior encryption with PGP/GPG or any other suitable system.
The public key of our firm (2,048-bit RSA) is available on request.
Additionally, we send all communications to the patent offices exclusively by encrypted electronic transmission, i.e. either using EPO online filing or DPMAdirect.
Enhanced material security
In order to meet the highest safety standards while handling inventions in these fields, we offer our clients to carry out the necessary steps for protecting their inventions on the clients’ own premises. We will represent you before the relevant national authorities.
The people behind your IP rights
One of the main strengths of Franke & Partner lies in the fact that all attorneys and specialists have spent several years doing research abroad, thereby building up a deep technical understanding in their respective fields as well as linguistic competence. Only with a thorough understanding of the technology can we offer solutions tailored to our clients’ projects.
European Patent Attorney
European Trademark & Design Attorney
Dr. Dirk Franke combines a rigorous scientific education with many years of an exceptionally broad technical practice in intellectual property.
A chemist by doctorate, he handles mandates across almost the entire spectrum of applied technology – from medical technology and mechanical and plant engineering to agricultural technology – acting for clients across Europe, North America and Asia.
His particular strength lies in translating between disciplines: inventions that combine chemistry, mechanics, electronics and software are ones he grasps with technical precision and turns into robust, enforceable rights.
- Medical technology and diagnostics: imaging (PET, MRI), neurostimulation, infusion, ventilation and fluid-transfer systems, implants and biomaterials (including bone cements)
- Agricultural, harvesting and livestock technology: harvesters and combines, livestock-handling and housing systems, seeding, fertilising and crop-protection technology
- Mechanical and manufacturing engineering: machine tools and sensor systems, welding processes (including friction stir welding), powder metallurgy and composite materials
- Materials, chemistry and process engineering: advanced materials and nanotechnology, polymer chemistry and plastics recycling, chemical process engineering
- Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals: genetic engineering and RNA-based therapeutics, pharmaceutical formulations and active ingredients
- Energy and electrical engineering: wireless charging, e-mobility charging infrastructure, photovoltaics (including perovskite solar cells), high-frequency connectors
- Construction and railway engineering: track superstructure and vibration damping, prefabricated components and lightweight construction
Dr. Franke completed his doctorate with a focus on process engineering and chemistry at the Jülich Research Centre and the Institute of Technical Chemistry at the University of Bonn (summa cum laude). From 2001 to 2004 he carried out research at the renowned Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the USA, including in the groups of two-time Nobel laureate Prof. Barry Sharpless and Wolf Prize laureate Prof. Chi-Huey Wong.
He completed his training as a patent attorney at two international Munich firms in German and European patent law. He subsequently practised as an attorney at a prominent US business law firm, working on prosecution, litigation and opinions in Munich, Boston and Atlanta. This transatlantic experience continues to shape his advice to international clients today – including the strategic use of the European Unitary Patent.
Dr. Franke is fluent in English, German and French.
dfranke@franke-ip.com
European Patent Attorney
Of Counsel
Dr. Dr. Kristina Becker is a European patent attorney, German patent attorney (Patentassessorin) and a licensed medical doctor with extensive experience in intellectual property law. She combines a dual qualification in medicine and the natural sciences with sound legal expertise and advises clients in particular in the life sciences and medical technology.
Her advisory focus lies in pharmaceuticals, dental technology and sensor technology. Especially at the interface of medicine, materials and electronics – for example pharmaceutical formulations, dental materials or diagnostic sensor systems – she translates complex scientific subject matter into robust and enforceable IP rights with technical precision.
- Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical technology: active-ingredient formulations, dosage forms and drug release, pharmaceutical process engineering
- Dental technology: dental implants and prosthetics, dental materials and composites, devices and methods for diagnosis and treatment
- Sensor technology: medical and biomedical sensors, diagnostic measurement and analysis systems, biosensors
- Medical technology and diagnostics: imaging and diagnostic methods, implants and biomaterials, biocompatible prostheses
- Biotechnology and biochemistry: biomedical process engineering, biomechanics and neurotechnology
- Medical informatics: diagnostic data processing and medical software systems
After her doctorate (M.D.) at the Universities of Bochum and Chicago, Dr. Dr. Becker completed a Ph.D. programme in Neurobiology at Harvard University in Boston, graduating magna cum laude. For several years she worked as a scientific consultant and lecturer at the University of Erlangen.
She studied international intellectual property law at the MIPLC (Munich Intellectual Property Law Center) of the Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property in Munich, where she obtained an LL.M. She is an internationally respected scholar and the author of numerous publications in the field of life sciences.
Dr. Dr. Becker is fluent in German, English, French and Russian.
kbecker@franke-ip.com
Dr. Franke is a lawyer and a specialist in international contract law as well as national and international tax and accounting law. Dr. Franke studied at Trier University, graduating summa cum laude, and thereafter participated in a joint PhD programme between the University of Trier and Yale University.
Dr. Franke is the author of several scientific publications in the field of tax law. He is also an international observer of the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères of the Luxembourg government and a member of the pool of experts of the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Dr. Franke speaks fluent English and German.
bfranke@franke-ip.comIntroductory and continuing education in IP law
We offer the following introductory and continuing education seminars in the field of intellectual property law:
1. Introduction to patent law
Topics: basic principles of patent law, funding opportunities (KMU programme and Signo), drafting and prosecuting patent applications, applicable strategies in case of a filed opposition or nullity action, and extending patent protection to foreign countries.
2. Evaluation of IP rights and patent portfolio management
Topics: qualitative and quantitative evaluation of single patents and of patent portfolios as part of intangible assets, use of the apud model, measures for optimizing a portfolio, legal classification of IP rights on the balance sheet, and models of damage assessment in the event of an ascertained infringement.
3. European patent law and PCT
Designed to prepare candidates for the European Qualifying Examination (EQE), generally scheduled immediately before the preparation phase. Participants are expected to be familiar with the basic provisions of the EPC, enabling hands-on, in-depth preparation for the D-part of the EQE.
All seminars are held on the premises of Franke & Partner in Munich.
Join our team
As an intellectual property law firm with international clientele, we rely on healthy growth. To provide our clients with ongoing creative and high-quality concepts for the protection of intellectual property rights, we are looking to expand our team with highly qualified people. We are currently searching for:
Junior Partner
Ideally you have completed education as a qualified German patent attorney with a focus on mechanical science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or physics, and have several years of experience with international clients. You are a European patent attorney and, in addition to your first language German, fluent in English. As a junior partner you join our small but powerful team on an equal footing and help shape the future direction of the firm.
Patent Attorney
We are looking for a patent attorney specialised in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics or computer science. You speak English fluently and confidently in business discussions and have an outstanding personality with the skill for creative, unconventional solutions and a sense of justice, fairness and team spirit. We offer an internationally oriented, varied position in a small, very capable team with an enjoyable work atmosphere and a high degree of personal freedom.
Paralegal
We are hiring a part-time paralegal assistant. In addition to your first language German, you are fluent in English and preferably one or more additional European languages. Your responsibilities include the independent administration of the office, the monitoring of time limits and fee payments, as well as incoming and outgoing mail. Good knowledge of PatOrg, Espacenet, Epoline, MyPage and MS-Office is expected.
Unsolicited applications are particularly welcome. We look forward to your convincing application, which we will of course handle confidentially. Please address it to:
Franke & Partner Intellectual Property Law Firm
Attn.: Dr. Dirk Franke
Widenmayerstr. 25
80538 Munich
info@franke-ip.com
How to reach us
Address
Franke & Partner
Intellectual Property Law Firm
Widenmayerstr. 25
80538 Munich
Germany
How to find us
From the Airport (MUC)
- S-Bahn S8 (direction Herrsching) or S1 to Ostbahnhof station (ca. 35 min.)
- change to bus line 100 (direction Hauptbahnhof Nord) to Reitmorstr. (ca. 7 min.)
- on foot along Widenmayerstr. to No. 25 (ca. 3 min.)
From Munich Main Station
- U-Bahn U4/U5 to Lehel (ca. 4 min.)
- on foot eastwards to the Isar, then north along Widenmayerstr. to No. 25 (ca. 11 min.)
By Car
- From the German Patent and Trademark Office, drive north along Widenmayerstraße following the Isar to reach No. 25 (corner Maximilianstr., opposite the golden “Friedensengel”).
Franke IP Information
On our blog Franke IP Information we share current developments, decisions and practical know-how from the field of intellectual property.
Let’s talk about your invention.
We look forward to hearing from you – personally, confidentially and tailored to your technology.
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