Dr. Martin Köhler, D.E.S.S

Partner

Martin Köhler has been an attorney since 1998. He is specialised in patent infringement litigation and is regularly active in trademark and design rights enforcement as well as in unfair competition litigation. Outside court, his other work includes providing advice on licensing, research and development agreements as well as on employee invention matters.

Martin regularly represents clients in the areas of electronics, telecoms, mechanical and chemical engineering, automotive technology, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

In addition to his legal studies at the Universities of Saarbrücken/Nancy and Trinity College Dublin he has completed a foundation degree (D.E.U.G.) and postgraduate studies (D.E.S.S.) in French law.

Martin publishes regularly on intellectual property issues and is a speaker at conferences on patent law issues. He is also a lecturer at the Hagen Law School.

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

  • REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
    • Representing a major German medical device company in extensive patent litigation against multiple competitors (2014 – present)
    • Representing a market leader in mobile telecommunications in numerous multi-jurisdiction patent litigation proceedings relating to standard-essential and implementation patents (2012 – present)
    • Representing a US medical device company in extensive patent and IP litigation against a major European competitor (2012 – present)
    • Advising and representing a leading network infrastructure provider in patent matters against several competitors (2011 – present)
  • PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
    • International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
    • American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
    • Association des Praticiens du Droit des Marques et des Modèles (APRAM)
    • International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property (ATRIP)
    • European Patent Lawyers Association (EPLAW)
    • German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR)
    • Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)
    • Licensing Executives Society (LES)
    • Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP)
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • Reimann/Köhler/Hahn, „International Patent Litigation, Global Law and Business, 2nd ed. (2018)
    • Köhler/Gehlke, in: Nicholas Fox (ed.), Intellectual Property in Electronics and Software: A Global Guide to Rights and Their Applications – Germany, August 2013 (Intellectual Property in Electronics and Software).
    • Köhler, Unitary Patent: Complexity or simplification, Contratto e impresa Europa, Luglio-Dicembre 2012, p. 557-568
    • Köhler, A la recherche d’une protection juste des inventions: le point sur la contrefaçon en Allemagne, Propriétés intellectuelles no. 44 (Juillet 2012), p. 371-374
    • Osterrieth/Köhler/Haft (Herausgeber), Patentrecht, Festschrift für Thomas Reimann zum 65. Geburtstag, 2009
    • Köhler, in: Industrial Property Law – Copyright Law – Media Law, Commentary, Carl Heymanns Verlag 2008 (patent law; co-author)
    • Köhler, License Agreements and Anti-Trust Law, Berlin Verlag 2007
    • Köhler, Enforcement of patents for electronic inventions, Patent World, World Focus: IP & High Technology, October 2006, 17-19
    • Ehlers/Bausch/Köhler Amendment of Patent Claims after Grant, AIPPI Q189, published in: GRUR Int., 2006, p. 679 ff.
    • Köhler, Standard related patents: between fast track litigation and competition dead end, Patentworld, July/August 2005, p. 22 ff.
    • Köhler/Haft/Birde/Butler/Sigworth, The damages test – Comparing damages for Infringement in the US and Germany, Patentworld 2005, Issue I 77, p. 10 ff.
    • Köhler/Cohen, Disclosure in European Patent Litigation: Towards an Efficient Protection of Patent Owners, in: IP Litigator 2005, Vol. 11, number 2, p. 1 ff.
    • Köhler, Disclosure in European patent litigation – Towards an efficient protection of patent owners, IP Litigator 10/2004 (co-author: Cohen)
    • Köhler, Der Schutzbereich von Pharma-Patenten: Mehr Rechtssicherheit bei Grenzwerten und Bereichsangaben, Pharmarecht 2003, 37-39
    • Köhler, Patente für Medizinprodukte – Chancen und rechtliche Umsetzung, Medizinprodukterecht 2003, 114-117
    • Köhler, Die Haftung nach dem UN-Kaufrecht im Spannungsverhältnis zwischen Vertrag und Delikt, Studienreihe des Max Planck Instituts zum ausländischen und internationalen Privatrecht, vol. 111; Mohr Siebeck (Tübingen) 2003
    • Köhler, Tissue Engineering: Rechtliche Grundlagen und neue Entwicklungen, Pharmarecht 2002, 325-333 (co-authors: Dieners, Sonnenschein)
    • Osterrieth/Köhler, Aktuelle Fragen des gewerblichen Rechtsschutzes (II) – Patente erfolgreich durchsetzen, Medizinprodukterecht 2002, 57-61
    • Reimann/Köhler, Der Schutzbereich europäischer Patente zwischen Angemessenheit und Rechtssicherheit, GRUR 2002, 931-935
    • Köhler, Litigation on infringement of European Patents on medical devices, Regulatory Affairs Focus, 2001, 22-24
    • Köhler, Brevetabilité et contrefaçon des logiciels en Allemagne, PIBD 2001, n°721-II-85
  • SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
    • Visiting lecturer for licensing law, Hagen Law School
  • WHAT OTHERS SAY
    • Leading Individual: Lawyers in patent litigation – JUVE Patent, 2023/2024
    • Recommended Individual – JUVE, 2023/2024
    • “The 25-years-experienced Martin Köhler is a skilled disputer who brings litigation abilities to bear in a wide range of sectors.” iam Patent 1000, 2023
    • “proactive, highly service-oriented and creative”, JUVE 2022/2023
    • Recognized as “Notable Practitioner”, Martin Köhler has an impressive client list that includes companies from the technology, life sciences and financial services industries. His litigation practice covers patent infringement, design rights and product imitation issues. – Chambers Europe and Global Guide, 2022
    • “Martin Köhler garners praise for his leading expertise in infringement cases and enforcement proceedings.” Global Guide, IP (Patents), Who is Who Legal 2022
    • Recommended, Global Guide, IP (Patents) and National Guide, Germany (Patents), Who is Who Legal 2022
    • Often recommended, “proactive, highly service-oriented and creative”, JUVE 2021/2022
    • Leading advisor among patent law litigators, JUVE 2021/2022
    • “IP Star”, Managing Intellectual Property 2021
    •  “Leading the charge is Martin Köhler, who has spent more than 20 years defending the interests of his sector-diverse clientele to the hilt in court.” iam Patent 1000, 2021
    • “a highly experienced litigator” with extensive experience of working on infringement proceedings. (Global Leader: Patents / National Leader Germany: Patents), Who is Who Legal 2020
    • “first-class coordination”, JUVE 2020
    • Managing Intellectual Property – IP Star (Patent, Germany), 2020/21
    • “He is able not only to litigate but to bring disputes to a good end for everyone.”, Chambers Europe and Global 2020
    • Recommended for IP – Patent – Litigation; Legal 500 Deutschland 2020
    • “first-class team leadership and coordination in complex patent proceedings”, JUVE 2019/20
    • “… he is, as one overseas peer says, “a real asset to have on your side” when matters become contentious.” iam Patent 1000, 2019
    • “very pragmatic, to the point and easy-going.” Chambers Global 2019
    • ‘excellent‘, Legal 500, 2018
    • “Martin Köhler and Tobias Hahn are telecoms whizzes who have published widely; Köhler has upended plenty of critical cases with inspired pleadings.” iam Patent 1000, 2018
    • Martin Köhler is “always very impressive.” He focuses on largescale patent infringement cases, and frequently represents clients from the electronics and telecommunications sectors. Chambers Global 2018
    • He has “a great wealth knowledge and experience in managing diverse IP issues”, a client favourite thanks to his “responsiveness and practical approach”, Patents, Who’s Who Legal Germany 2018
    • “Having Martin Köhler on your side is a real asset. He develops so much enthusiasm for every case. His pleadings are extremely convincing and, even when he is under pressure, he comes up with the perfect argument.” iam Patent 1000, 2017

Assistant details

Visit us

Visiting address:

Steinstraße 20
40212 Düsseldorf
Germany

Postal address:

Steinstraße 20
40212 Düsseldorf
Germany

The facts

Languages

German, English, French, Italian

Education

Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf (Law, 1998)
University of Saarbrücken (PhD, 2002)
Universities of Saarbrücken/Nancy (Law, 1998)
University of Toulouse (DESS, 1995)
Trinity College Dublin (Law, 1991)

Admission

1998