Dr. Tobias Hahn

Partner

Tobias Hahn has worked as an attorney since 2004 and advises German and international clients in all matters of intellectual property. He specialises in national and international patent litigation as well as subsequent proceedings for damages. He also has longstanding experience in unfair competition and design right. He mainly litigates in the areas of telecommunications, electronics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive and mechanics and has extensive experience in coordinating parallel US and European litigation.

A significant part of his practice focuses on litigation involving standard-relevant patents. He advises and represents several international companies regarding “FRAND” and antitrust defences. He further represents clients in opposition, revocation and nullity proceedings before the German and European Patent Offices, the German Patent Court and the German Federal Court of Justice and advices clients in arbitration proceedings. Moreover, he has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating licence agreements, R&D contracts, software agreements and know-how agreements.

His PhD, which he obtained from the Free University Berlin, dealt with the liability of companies for acts of unfair competition by third parties. Tobias regularly publishes on current issues of intellectual property and procedural law and has written a procedural commentary on inspection proceedings. He is a co-author of the e-learning module on patent litigation of the European Patent Academy of the European Patent Office for the Judicial Training of, inter alia, future judges of the Unified Patent Court. He is also a frequent speaker at conferences on patent law and licensing.

He acts for his clients before the Unified Patent Court and the national German courts.

  • REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
    • Permanent representation and advice to a major mobile network provider in comprehensive portfolio litigation based on several standard-essential patents, in particular with regard to antitrust law and FRAND as well as license negotiations (2015-today)
    • Patent representation of a global tobacco company and advice on e-cigarettes and coordination with numerous foreign jurisdictions (2018 – today)
    • Representing one of the largest companies in the field of mobile communications in a multi-country patent infringement case relating to standard-essential and other patents as well as border seizure proceedings at a leading global trade show (IFA) (2014-today)
    • Representing one of the leading Japanese electronics corporation in a litigation series concerning navigation devices
    • Representation of a mobile phone manufacturer in arbitration proceedings concerning a patent licensing agreement, taking into account important competition law issues as well as the determination of FRAND license fees (2012-2016)
    • Representation of a nationwide automotive supplier in patent nullity proceedings and coordination with parallel European and US proceedings (2017-2019)
    • Representing a leading global automotive technology manufacturer in a comprehensive patent infringement litigation in several countries concerning navigation systems up to the Federal Supreme Court (2011-2012) as well as concerning windscreen wipers (2014) and engine technology (2018-today)
    • Representation of a Japanese multinational in the field of printing technology (patent infringement and nullity proceedings) (2016-today)
    • Representing and advising a world-renowned household goods company regarding freedom-to-operate, patent infringement and opposition proceedings (2014-today)
    • Representing and advising a global pharmaceutical company in preliminary injunction proceedings regarding second medical use claims (2013) and supplementary protection certificates (2017-2018)
    • Representation of a German medical device manufacturer against several competitors in patent, trademark and design proceedings (2012-2016)
  • PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
    • Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), Member of the Antitrust and European Practice Committees
    • European Patent Lawyers Association (EPLAW)
    • Licensing Executives Society (LES)
    • Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP)
    • German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR)
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • Hahn in: Cepl/Voß, Prozesskommentar zum Gewerblichen Rechtsschutz, §§ 484 – 494a (Verfahrenskommentar zum Inspektionsverfahren), C.H Beck 2nd ed. (2018)
    • Reimann/Köhler/Hahn in: „International Patent Litigation: Developing an Effective Strategy”, 2nd ed. (2018)
    • Hahn/Breuer (2015), „Ausstellen auf internationaler Leitmesse im Inland”, GRUR-Prax 2015, 187
    • Hahn, Überprüfung des Urteils Bundesgerichtshofes (BGH), XZB 19/12 – Kommunikationsrouter, GRUR-Prax (2014), 458
    • “A powerful tool (Preliminary injunction proceedings in Germany)”, The Patent Lawyer (2014)
    • Hahn/Richter, Patent- und Gebrauchsmusterverletzung, BWV, 4th ed. (2016)
    • Hahn, „Nach der BGH-Entscheidung ‘MPEG-2-Videosignalcodierung‘: Verschärfte Anforderungen an mittelbare Patentverletzung“, GRUR-Prax (2013), 261
    • Hahn, Überprüfung des Urteils Bundesgerichtshofes (BGH), decision of 20.12.2011 – Installiereinrichtung II, GRUR-Prax (2012), 167
    • Hahn, “Ändert der BGH seine “Voreinstellung” zur Haftung des Unternehmensinhabers für Wettbewerbsverstöße Dritter”, GRUR-Prax (2011), 412
    • „Reimann/Hahn, Orange-Book – Ratgeber oder Buch mit sieben Siegeln?“ Festschrift for von Meibom (2010)
    • Haft/Hahn et al, “Litigating standard-essential patents – FRAND and antitrust implications”, Managing IP (2009)
    • “Die Haftung des Unternehmensinhabers gemäß §. 8 Abs. 2 UWG, Carl Heymanns Verlag (2007)
  • SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
    • Regular speaker at the Fordham IP Conference (NYC) on SEPs, FRAND and privateering (2012 – present)
    • Symposium PatentForum, Munich, 21. November 2019: “Die FRAND-Verteidigung des Beklagten außerhalb der Mobiltelefonie”
    • Association of Danish Intellectual Property Attorneys (ADIPA), Kopenhagen, 5. September 2019: “Right of exemption from the duty to give evidence / Client-Attorney-Privilege”
    • Fair Standard Alliance (FSA), Brüssel, 13. März 2019: “FRAND case law in Germany (Europe)”
    • Groupe Rhone-Alpes des proprieté industrielle (GRAPI), Lyon, 22. Januar 2019:
    • Academy of European Law (ERA), Brüssel, 25. Oktober 2018: “FRAND litigation in the European Union and the USA”
    • LES FRANCE, Paris, 3. Juli 2018: “FRAND in Germany”
    • DIS 40 Rhein-Ruhr, Düsseldorf, 31. Mai 2017: “Standard-essentiel patents und FRAND since Huawei ./. ZTE”
    • IPO European Practice Committee Conference, Frankfurt, 12. Mai 2016: “Admissibility of evidence in Europe obtained through U.S. litigation”
    • Licensing Executive Society (LES): Licensing Projects, Presentation of Module I: Introduction to the exploitation of intellectual property rights, 19.02.2016, Stuttgart
    • IBC Biotech & Pharmaceutical Patenting 2014, Munich: Second medical use & dosing regimens
  • WHAT OTHERS SAY
    • Recommended Individual – JUVE, 2023/2024
    • “The German team acts in numerous high-profile patent disputes for major clients across the telecoms and life sciences spectrum and maintains its excellent reputation thanks to the expertise of leading partners such as Klaus Haft and Tobias Hahn […]” – JUVE, 2023
    • “good lead negotiator, clever and strategic” – JUVE, 2022/2023
    • Global Leader: Life Sciences-Patent Litigation / National Leader Germany: Life Sciences and Patents – Who is Who Legal, 2022
    • Often recommended, “efficient, reliable, knowledgeable” – JUVE, 2021/2022
    • “efficient, reliable, knowledgeable” – JUVE Patent, 2021
    • „[Tobias] Hahn’s fine-grained understanding of FRAND and unfair competition law proves invaluable for numerous telecommunications, high-technology and automotive companies.” – iam Patent 1000, 2021
    • Global Leader: Life Sciences-Patent Litigation / National Leader Germany: Life Sciences – Who is Who Legal, 2020
    • “excellent in pharmaceutical processes” – JUVE, 2020
    • „Top Lawyer for Patent“ – WirtschaftsWoche, 2020
    • very impressed in proceedings”, “very extensive know-how in contentious proceedings and other negotiation situations”- JUVE, 2019/20
    • “SEP and FRAND dynamo Tobias Hahn’s all-sector litigation and transactional capabilities are renowned: “His skills are highly developed, extraordinary even,” in the words of one satisfied client.” – iam Patent 1000, 2019
    • “Rising Star” for Patents, ExpertGuide – The World´s leading Lawyers chosen by their peers, 2018 
    • (Martin Köhler) “and Tobias Hahn are telecoms whizzes who have published widely; Köhler has upended plenty of critical cases with inspired pleadings, while Hahn has complementary knowledge of unfair competition law.” –  iam Patent 1000, 2018
    • “Superb litigator”, Patents – Who’s Who Legal Germany, 2018
    • Tobias Hahn is a standard-relevant patents pro whose advice on FRAND defences plays well with telecoms outfits – iam Patent 1000, 2017
    • Often recommended for Patent Law – JUVE Handbuch, 2016/2017
    • “Often recommended” – Juve Handbuch, 2015/2016
    • “Brilliant technically and tactically”, Tobias Hahn “is a pleasure to deal with and a joy to work with.” – iam Patent 1000, 2014
    • “Efficient and reliable” – Client JUVE Handbook, 2014/2015

Assistant details

Visit us

Visiting address:

Steinstraße 20
40212 Düsseldorf
Germany

Postal address:

Steinstraße 20
40212 Düsseldorf
Germany

The facts

Languages

German, English, French, Spanish

Education

Free University of Berlin (PhD, 2006)

Higher Regional Court of Cologne (Law, 2003)

University of Heidelberg (Law, 2000)

University of Leeds (Law, 1998)

Admission

2004