Alexander Ritter

Partner

Baker McKenzie Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH von Rechtsanwälten und Steuerberatern

Munich

T + 49 89 5 52 38 142

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Biography

Alexander Ritter is a German qualified attorney at law (Rechtsanwalt) and heads Baker McKenzie's German Patent Litigation Practice. He has more than 10 years of litigation experience and is one of the few patent litigators in Germany who also have a technical background (master's degree in computer science).

Alexander has represented clients before the German patent infringement courts at the district court and appellate level, in EPO opposition and appeal proceedings, and in nullity actions before the German Patent Court and the Federal Supreme Court.

Practice Focus

Alexander’s practice focuses on patent litigation. He further advises on technology transactions. His experience in patent litigation includes clients and technologies of various industries (high-tech, mechanics, chemical, medical devices, biotech) as well as coordinating lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions. He especially has in-depth knowledge in the field of computer implemented inventions including operating systems, communication protocols, embedded systems, and security and payment technology.

Representative Legal Matters

Representing a leading supplier of IoT technology in a dispute with its main competitor in patent infringement and validity proceedings relating to six SEPs.
Consulting the Japanese government on rules about SEP negotiations.
Representing a leading US healthcare company in infringement and validity proceedings in a pan-European dispute and coordinating the proceedings abroad.
Representing a Japanese manufacturer of audio products in a case relating to the MP3 standard, the case including complex questions of licensing, antitrust and patent law.
Representing a European specialty chemical company against a competitor in a case relating to membrane technology.
Represented a producer of consumer goods in inspection proceedings in a case relating to chemical engineering.
Representing a manufacturer of printer accessories in infringement and several EPO opposition proceedings (mechanical engineering).
Representing a mobile communication company in several patent infringement proceedings relating to operating systems and image compression (software).

Professional Associations and Memberships

German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property & Copyright (GRUR) - Member
Licensing Executives Society (LES) - Member
Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP) - Member

Admissions

German District Courts and Higher Regional Courts~Germany (2012)
German Federal Patent Court~Germany (2012)
German and European Patent Office~Germany (2012)

Education

University of Trier (Diplom Informatik) (2010)
Oberlandesgericht (Zweites Staatsexamen) (2009)
University of Trier (Erstes Staatsexamen) (2006)

Languages

English
French
German

Publications

Co-author "Infringement Hunting in Times of Digitalization and Industry 4.0," on obtaining evidence for software patent litigation together with Harald Heiske (Head of Software IP at SIEMENS), Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte, January 2022
Co-author "Germany Chapter" in "The Patent Litigation Law Review," Law Business Research Ltd., November 2017

Presentations

Alexander has given the keynote at the 2022 VPP spring symposium speaking about asserting software patents and discussed the topic in a panel with judges and industry representatives.
Seminar together with i.a. an EPO BoA member and a leading lawyer from the EPO comparing EPO case law with decisions from the German validity courts.

Geschäftsführer: Dr. Matthias Scholz, Dr. Thomas Schänzle, Dr. Christian Vocke
Baker McKenzie Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH von Rechtsanwälten und Steuerberatern is registered with the Local Court of Frankfurt/Main (registered seat) HRB 123975. It is associated with Baker & McKenzie International, a Verein organized under the laws of Switzerland.