US-based law firm Fish & Richardson has hired a team of five in its office in Munich, Germany.
Herbert Kunz (right) has joined the firm as managing principal in Munich and a principal in its patent group. He was previously a partner and head of patent prosecution in Munich for Olswang. He advises on patent prosecution, oppositions and infringement for clients including New Balance, Astyx and Merz Dental. He was appointed an honorary judge of the Social Court Munich in 2012.
Kunz is accompanied by an attorney, a technology specialist, a paralegal and an administrative assistant. Fish opened its Munich office in 2007.
In the Netherlands, V.O. Patents & Trademark has recently added two European patent attorneys (left). Alexnder van Loon, a specialist in molecular biology, joined from Octrooibureau LIOC in February this year. He is based in The Hague and Amersfoort.
Jasper Groot Koerkamp specialises in electronics and joined V.O.’s office in The Hague last month. He was formerly with AOMB Consultants and prior to that worked for Zacco, NXP and Philips.
In the UK, barrister Henry Carr QC (right) has been appointed as a High Court judge with effect from October 1. An IP specialist who has acted in many high-profile cases, he will be the third judge specialising in complex patent cases in the Patents Court, alongside Mr Justice Arnold and Mr Justice Birss.
Meanwhile, four other barristers have been made appointed persons. Philip Johnson and James Mellor QC will hear trade mark and design appeals from the UK IPO, while Martin Howe QC will only hear design cases and Tom Mitcheson will hear trade mark cases.
