• Patentability research and study: research intended to find documents that are reletated to an invention and that may be detrimental for its novelty and/or its inventive step. The study helps to assess the chances of obtaining a valid and profitable patent for an invention.
  • Freedom-to-operate study: search for patents or patent applications belonging to third parties and which may hinder the marketing of a product. This study is intended to identify and assess a possible risk of litigation during the marketing of a product.
  • Validity study: analysis of the validity of a patent or patent application with prior art search and patentability analysis. This study determines the validity of a granted patent or the chances of success of a pending patent application in order to estimate the risks with respect to the freedom to operate.
  • Other prior art researches and studies: determine the patent landscape of a particular technical field and identify the players in the field and the areas of development that are saturated or available.

During the preparation of the patent application, our consulting engineers work with the inventors and developers to best understand the invention technically and determine the scope of the optimal protection taking into account the expectations and commercial objectives of the customers and the known prior art. Our patent attorneys work in French, English and German.

We are able to file patent applications in every country, and especially with the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property in Bern, the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. We take care of all the steps following the filing and in particular the search, examination and grant, whether those steps regard administrative issues (monitoring deadlines, payment of fees, etc.) or substantive issues (overcoming objections, responding to requests, etc.). We have extensive experience in proceedings in particular in Switzerland, Europe, China, Japan and the USA.

We handle changes that must be reported to the Offices (address, transfer, merger, registration of a license, etc.) and we take care of preparing and filing the necessary documents.

We take care of reminders and payment of annuities in good time and in all the countries of interest to our customers. Our monitoring system is robust and time-tested.

We have a solid experience in handling litigations, from preparatory measures and possible negotiations to the studies and searches for prior rights required to build up a case and the development of appropriate defence strategies. We advise and represent our clients before the Federal Patent Court, the European Patent Office and the Unified Patent Court.

The procedure leading to the grant of a marketing authorization for the active ingredients of a drug or phytosanitary product is long and does not suspend the period of validity of a patent. The holder of a patent may request the grant of a supplementary protection certificate (SPC) which extends the protection of an authorised product for a maximum of five years from the expiry of the maximum period of validity of the patent (20 years), thus making it possible to partially compensate for the time lost for the exploitation of the patented invention. We take care of the preparation of the necessary documents and the filing of the SPC application with the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property in Bern.

We support our clients in the drafting or proofreading of contracts relating entirely or in part to intellectual property titles and in particular to all aspects relating to patents and know-how.

We offer a monitoring service to keep track of any new filing in a specific technical field or for a particular holder. We analyze the impact of each case and advise on the appropriate response.

We can audit an existing portfolio,  the portfolio of a competitor, identify strengths, gaps, overlaps… We then advise our clients to develop a tailor-made strategy according to their needs and their defined framework (budget, activity, technical field). We take into account all aspects of intellectual property for effective protection, in particular by combining patents, trademarks and designs to form a complete portfolio.

Whether you are a company looking for an R&D strategy, an established SME or a new-born Start-Up, or just drew an idea on a corner of napkin, do not hesitate to contact us! We offer you a free initial meeting to discuss and target your needs regarding patents!

At the heart of the Swiss industry, watchmaking is a field where innovation abounds. It is also a very competitive sector in which protecting products is essential. Established since 1949 in Geneva – the second largest watchmaking region in Switzerland – our firm has acquired specific skills and a certain passion for this exceptional field. We support our clients in all aspects of intellectual property, from product protection to auditing the risk of conflict or counterfeiting.

We file dozens of patent and design applications in the field of watchmaking each year. Manufacturers, subcontractors, independents trust us. Our team’s skills range from traditional horological complications to the latest technological advances in manufacturing processes and materials.

Mechanics, machine industry and precision industry have always been a flagship of the Swiss economy. Although a traditional industry, it remains in constant innovation. The Lake Geneva region, between the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, is at the heart of this inventive momentum. Machine, mechanical component, manufacturing or machining process: our team is there to help you protect all mechanical innovations.

Alongside the big pharmaceutical groups, Switzerland also has a rich industry focused on medical and dental devices. Here again, as in watchmaking, “ Swiss made” evokes precision and reliability.

We have extensive experience in freedom-to-operate studies – crucial in this hyper competitive field – the drafting of patent applications and the handling of procedures. Our team has worked with the following topics in particular: injection systems, prostheses, dental instruments, surgical instruments, diagnostic aid or treatment planning processes, etc.

In these technical areas, the time and money invested in developing a solution can be very significant. An effective intellectual property strategy then ensures a comfortable return on investment. Our team includes, in addition to versatile engineers, a biological engineer and a physicist. We have experience in new materials used in watchmaking, surface treatments and machining processes.

The biotechnology field is characterized by a strong competition, rapid developments and high investment costs. All of these factors make an effective innovation protection strategy essential. Our team notably includes a biological engineer as well as versatile engineers who have acquired transverse skills.

In these fields, Switzerland comprises highly specialized companies whose high value-added developments are often intended for niche markets. To ensure the uniqueness of technologies and fight against counterfeiting, an effective innovation protection strategy is again essential. Our strong team of three specialized engineers have experience in high voltage devices, measurement systems (metrology),…

These areas are technologically complex and raise many questions as to the best protection available. Copyright only protects a particular writing of the code. Internationally, jurisdictions are divided as to the possibility of a software patent and case law is constantly evolving. Our team, made of four European and one American patent attorneys, strives to follow these legal developments in order to propose the best protection strategy according to the possibilities offered by each country.