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What you think is the summit is only a step up.
Lucius Aenneus Seneca, called Seneca the Younger

Dr. Dorothea Hofer

Dr. rer. nat., Dipl.-Phys. (Univ.),
Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney,
European Trademark & Design Attorney
Registered Representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)

+49 89 69 39 21-0hofer@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Dr. Dorothea Hofer has been with Prüfer & Partner since 1993 and has been a managing partner since 1998. She gained her Ph.D. in physics at the LMU Munich.
After studying physics at LMU Munich, she also worked for Siemens in the area of semiconductor physics.

LANGUAGES:
German, English, French

Specialist areas of activity:

ACTIVITIES:

  • conducting litigation proceedings:
    • patent and utility model infringement proceedings (before the District Courts of Munich, Düsseldorf, Mannheim and Hamburg and before the competent Higher District Courts)
    • opposition proceedings before the EPO and the GPTO, nullity proceedings before the Federal Patent Court and the Federal Court of Justice
  • cooperating with foreign associates in patent infringement proceedings in foreign countries such as Italy, France, Japan and the US
  • elaboration of patent applications, also with regard to the requirements of the USPTO
  • prosecution of patent application
  • advice on employee invention issues
  • elaboration of licence agreements
  • consultancy with regard to research and cooperation agreements
  • advice on trademarks and designs

SPECIAL FIELDS:

  • physics
  • medical technology
  • 2D and 3D print
  • semiconductors

Publications and memberships

Publications

D. Hofer et al., “Direct and multiple excitations in 96Zr from inelastic scattering experiments”, Nucl. Phys. A 551 (1993), 173-209

Hofer, D., Stocker, W., “A Dirac particle in a scalar potential depending on one spatial coordinate”, (1989), Phys. Lett. A, 138, 463-464

Memberships

epi – European Patent Institute
AIPPI – International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Chamber of Patent Attorneys
VPP – Association of Intellectual Property Experts
GRUR – German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property and Copyright

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Curiosity and attentiveness are the foundation of all knowledge and progress

Markus Adamczyk

Dipl.-Inf.,
European and German Patent Attorney,
European Trademark and Design Attorney
Patent Attorney/Attorney-at-law
Registered Representative before the Unified Patent Court

+49 89 69 39 21-0adamczyk@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Markus Adamczyk has been a partner at Prüfer & Partner since 2009 and has been working there as a legal and patent attorney.
Prior to that, he worked for Mannesmann Pilotentwicklung/Vodafone Group R&D.
After studying law at the LMU Munich, he passed his legal internship at the Bavarian Higher Regional Court. In addition, he completed a computer science course with a minor in mechanical engineering.

LANGUAGES:
German (mother tongue), English, French (basic knowledge)

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • Patent infringement proceedings before regional court of Mannheim, Higher Regional Court Karlsruhe, Regional Court/Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf, Regional Court Munich I, Higher Regional Court Munich
  • Nullity proceedings and cancellation proceedings before the German Patent Office (DPMA), the German Federal Patent Court (BPatG), and the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH)
  • Filing, opposition and appeal proceedings before the German Patent and Trademark Office and the European Patent Office.
  • Infringement reports

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • computer-implemented inventions (software development, data bases, data network technology, cryptography and security systems, audio and video coding, search engines, user interfaces)
  • automotive technology (air-conditioning/compressors, exhaust systems, engine and system control, brake systems, airbags, chassis, sensors)
  • measurement and process technology (weighing systems, bulk transport, packaging)
  • mechatronics, precision engineering (print systems)
  • mechanical engineering (machine tool control, manipulator management, cable/tube layout)

Publications and memberships

Publications

No publications

Memberships

epi – European Patent Institute
Chamber of Patent Attorneys

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If you put your mind to it, you can do it; If you do not, you cannot – that is true for all things. When something cannot be done, you are the one to blame for not putting your heart into it.
Uesugi Yozan (1751-1822)

Dr. Christian Einsel

Dr. rer. nat., Dipl.-Phys.,
Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney
Registered Representative before the Unified Patent Court

+49 89 69 39 21-0einsel@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Dr. Christian Einsel has been working at Prüfer & Partner since 2006.
He trained as a patent attorney in Munich, is a European Patent Attorney and has already worked as a development engineer for production control systems at Siemens AG (Semiconductor Group), and Infineon Technologies AG.
After his doctorate at the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, he was employed as a research assistant at ARI (Center for Astronomy, University of Heidelberg).
He studied geophysics/physics at the Georg-August University Göttingen.

LANGUAGES:
German, English, Japanese (basic knowledge)

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • Patent applications: Drafting and prosecuting up to grant including appeal proceedings
  • Advice on licensing agreements
  • Participation in patent litigation (infringement, nullity and opposition proceedings), including: Brother ./. Pelikan

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • physics, in particular semiconductor crystals including photolithographic structuring and LEDs
  • construction physics, energy technology
  • optics (visual aids)
  • computers and peripherals, including printers (inkjet, laser, label printers)
  • automation (process control), process engineering and apparatus engineering, weighing technology
  • automotive engineering
  • metrology and network technology (including interfaces, connectors, cables)
  • generative layer construction methods including laser sintering and stereolithography
  • medical technology (including+B4 implants and surgical instruments)
  • EDP and software

Publications and memberships

Publications and memberships

Einsel et al., “Chemically consistent evolution of galaxies: broad band colours and Mg2”, Astronomy & Astrophysics 296 (1995), p. 347

Einsel et al., “Dynamical evolution of rotating stellar systems – I. Pre-collapse, equal-mass system”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astron. Society 302 (1999), p. 81

Kim et al., “Dynamical evolution of rotating stellar systems – II. Post-collapse, equal-mass system”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astron. Society 334 (2002), p.310

Memberships

Chamber of Patent Attorneys
epi – European Patent Institute
GRUR – German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property and Copyright
DJJV – German-Japanese Association of Jurists
Examination Commission of Patent Attorneys (2009-2015)
Board of Trustees of the Aid Foundation of the Chamber of Patent Attorneys

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Patent processes are like puzzles – fun and complexity increase with the number of parts.

Dr. Ulrike Henneböhle

Dr.-Ing., Dipl.-Ing. (Univ.)
European Patent Attorney

+49 89 69 39 21-0henneboehle@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Ulrike Henneböhle has been working in the field of intellectual property since 2006 and became European Patent Attorney in 2010 amd has been working as European Patent Attorney at Prüfer & Partner since 2017.
She worked as head of intellectual property for TRUMPF Medizin Systeme GmbH + Co. KG prior joining Prüfer & Partner. Until 2011 she also worked several years for TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG in the field of IP.
Frau Dr. Henneböhle studied mechanical engineering with a major in production technologies at the RWTH Aachen. She holds a PhD degree from the RWTH Aachen in cooperation with EADS Deutschland GmbH.

LANGUAGES:
German, English

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • Patent prosecution
  • Opposition and appeal proceedings
  • Infringement and validity opinions

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • Production technology, in particular joining technologies
  • Laser technologies and processes
  • Generative processes
  • Optics
  • Medical engineering
  • Aerospace technology (processes and materials)

Publications and memberships

Publications and memberships

No publications

Memberships

epi – European Patent Institute

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Each case is different, each idea is worth being treated individually

Dr. Peter Klein

Dr. rer. nat., Dipl.-Phys.
German Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney,
European Trademark & Design Attorney
Registered Representative before the Unified Patent Court

+49 89 69 39 21-0klein@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Dr. Peter Klein has been working as a patent attorney at Prüfer & Partner since 2004. He joined Prüfer & Partner as trainee in 2004.
Prior to this, he worked as a project coordinator at the University of Dortmund for the microsensor technology alliance NRW.
He received his Ph.D. in physics from LMU Munich. Dr. Peter Klein worked as research assistant at the semiconductor laboratory of the Max Planck Institutes for Physics and Extraterrestrial Physics. Previously, he worked as a system programmer at Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG.
He studied physics and computer science at LMU Munich.

LANGUAGES:
German (mother tongue), English, French

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • Many years of experience in advising clients on the protection of technical innovations
  • Patent drafting
  • Patent prosecution, opposition and appeal proceedings before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the German Federal Patent Court (BPatG), and the EPO
  • Expert opinions on validity and infringement

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • semiconductor devices (design, simulation, manufacturing technology, etc.)
  • additive manufacturing
  • medical technology (especially ophthalmic devices and orthopaedic technology)
  • sensor technology
  • computer-implemented inventions

Publications and memberships

Publications

“Design and Performance of Semiconductor Detectors with Integrated Amplification and Charge Storage Capability”, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A305 (1991) 517…

“Study of a DEPJFET pixel matrix with continuous clear mechanism”, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A392 (1997) 254…

“First Measurements on a DEPFET Active Pixel Matrix for X-Ray Imaging Spectroscopy”, Proc. SPIE Vol. 4013 (2000), p. 605-611

i.a.

Memberships

Chamber of Patent Attorneys
epi – European Patent Institute
FICPI – International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys
VPP – Association of Intellectual Property Experts
AIPPI – International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property

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Never stop asking.
Albert Einstein

Alexander Lehmann

Dipl.-Phys. (Univ.), Master of Laws
Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney,
European Trademark & Design Attorney
Registered Representative before the Unified Patent Court

+49 89 69 39 21-0lehmann@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Alexander Lehmann has been working in intellectual property law since 1991, as a patent attorney since 1995 and as a partner at Prüfer & Partner since 2008. Before training to be a patent attorney, he gained practical experience in the automobile industry. He studied physics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and gained his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in European intellectual property law at the University of Hagen.

LANGUAGES:
German (mother tongue), English (business fluent), French (basic knowledge)

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • Filing and examination processes for patents, trademarks, designs (registered designs)
  • litigation procedures in patent, trademark and design matters (appeal, opposition, cancellation, nullity, invalidity and infringement proceedings)
  • representation of clients before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office, the Federal Patent Court, the Federal Supreme Court (in nullity proceedings), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
  • Cooperation in IP litigation proceedings before the German civil courts
  • expert opinions
  • (licence) contracts and agreement

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • mechanical engineering and mechanics of all kinds
  • automotive technology
  • electrical engineering, electro-mechanics
  • physics (including optics and semiconductor technology)
  • power engineering and energy technology

Publications and memberships

Publications and memberships

No publications

Memberships

Chamber of German Patent Attorneys
Federal Association of German Patent Attorneys
VPP – Association of Intellectual Property Experts
epi – European Patent Institute
FICPI – International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys
INTA – International Trademark Association

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Building bridges – between technology, law, people and cultures.

Naoko Ritter

Dipl.-Phys., Bachelor of Science
Patent Professional

+49 89 69 39 21-0ritter@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Naoko Ritter has been working for Prüfer & Partner since 2011.
Before that, she worked as a patent engineer at a patent attorney’s office in Tokyo.
After studying physics at the University of Hamburg, she also worked as a research associate at the Institute of Laser Physics in Hamburg. Before working as a development engineer at the Research Centre for Semiconductor Technology at Toshiba Co. in Japan, she studied physics at the University of Sophia in Tokyo.

LANGUAGES:
Japanese (mother tongue), German, English

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • patent issue proceedings before the EPO and DPMA
  • participating in opposition proceedings and infringement proceedings

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • Patent prosecution in the fields of:
    • semiconductor technology (components, manufacturing processes, manufacturing machines)
    • electronic components
    • optics, laser technology
    • medical technology
    • mechanics/mechanical engineering (automotive engineering, industrial equipment)
    • computer-related inventions

Publications and memberships

Publications

“Hot Electron Injection Characteristics in Asymmetrically Structured Submicron MOSFETs“, Jap. J. of Appl. Phys. Let., Vol.28, No.1, p.21, 1989

“A Surrounding Gate Transistor (SGT) Cell for 64/256 Mbit DRAMs“, IEEE Proceedings of the IEDM (International Electron Devices Meeting), p.23, 1989

Memberships

No memberships

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Bringing patents to grant is more enthralling than any detective story.

Bernhard Scheuvens

Dipl.-Ing. Electrical Engineering
European Patent Attorney

+49 89 69 39 21-0scheuvens@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Bernhard Scheuvens has been working at Prüfer & Partner in intellectual property rights protection since 2002 and has been a European Patent Attorney since 2006.
Prior to that, he pursued a teaching career and was also involved in electronics development and documentation.
He studied electrical engineering at RWTH Aachen University.

LANGUAGES:
German, English, French, Italian, Spanish

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • Preparation of new applications and notices of opposition
  • Responding to office actions and oppositions
  • Oral proceedings
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Patent granting, opposition and appeal proceedings in the fields of:

  • electrical engineering (in particular semiconductor technology and semiconductor circuits)
  • high frequency technology (circuits and components)
  • sensors and measurement technology
  • optoelectronics
  • medical technology
  • additive manufacturing processes
  • computer-related inventions

Publications and memberships

Publications and memberships

No publications

Memberships

epi – European Patent Institute

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My motivation is always to have something new on the table.

Sophia Steinmüller

B.Sc. Physics, M.Sc. Geophysics
European Patent Attorney

+49 89 69 39 21-0steinmueller@pruefer.eu

Professional career

BIOGRAPHY:
Sophia Steinmüller has been working for Prüfer & Partner since 2013.
In addition, she worked at the German Alpine Club in the field of applied research on safety issues from 2013-2015.
She studied physics and geophysics at Ludwig-Maximilians and Technical University of Munich.
During her studies, she completed an industrial internship at TÜV Süd AG in the field of radiation protection and environmental engineering.

LANGUAGES:
German, English, French (basic knowledge), Italian (basic knowledge)

Specialist areas of activity

ACTIVITIES:

  • patent issue proceedings
  • participating in patent litigations

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • physics
  • geophysics
  • additive manufacturing

Publications and memberships

Publications

No publications

Memberships

No memberships