Fieldfisher snaps up digital IP teams in Germany
SKW Schwarz team switches to UK-based firm’s new German operation | Top media lawyers Sascha Pres and Martin Diesbach lead | Fieldfisher’s AI positioning and “dynamism” a factor in move | Diesbach always ‘a target’ says firm’s international entertainment group head.
European law firm Fieldfisher has opened a new four-person German practice led by IP litigation specialist Sascha Pres from SKW Schwarz.
Lawyers Christina Kufer, Tien Nguyen and Laura Krug will also switch from SKW Schwarz to Fieldfisher’s new Berlin operation, joining on July 1.
The hires come shortly after the firm appointed another ex-SKW Schwarz partner, Martin Diesbach to its media and entertainment group.
In addition to Diesbach, the firm has also brought in new partner Gerd Hansen (media and entertainment), who was the first new partner to join the Munich office on 1 April. After working as a lawyer and as legal director content production at ProSiebenSat.1, he most recently worked at Sky as Head of Legal Affairs Sky Studios Germany.
The other new partners are Elisabeth Noltenius (media and digital business) and lawyer Julia Schafdecker (media and digital Business) from SKW Schwarz.
Philipp Plog, managing partner of Fieldfisher in Germany, said the hires were “an important step” to help the firm’s digital market ambitions.
“We are focusing on growth in the digital media segment, but also on the interfaces with technology and litigation, where we are already successfully working in fields such as privacy, AdTech, legal tech and cloud. The new teams have outstanding expertise that will complement our advisory offering very well.”
The team will be complemented by an experienced in-house lawyer, copyright and media law expert, and two more associates from international units, Fieldfisher said in a statement.
Media and entertainment group totals 45 people
Pres is a highly experienced IP lawyer who advises international clients from the consumer goods, retail and sporting goods industries on trademark, design, competition, and copyright law.
He has particular experience in competition law disputes concerning alleged counterfeit products.
The new additions join a 45-strong international media and entertainment group with lawyers from London, Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Milan, Amsterdam, and Vienna.
The group advises on media financing, video games, e-sports, film and television production and exploitation, advertising and marketing, publishing, rights licensing, corporate finance, content and services regulation and media tax law.
The new teams will develop the firm's range of advisory services, working closely with the broader tech and data group and Fieldfisher X, the firm's mass litigation team.
Diesbach said Fieldfisher’s positioning towards artificial intelligence (AI) was a factor in the moves. “The international positioning of the firm, its culture and the dynamism of Fieldfisher in Germany convinced us to make the move.
“We discovered many points of contact in the client portfolio during our discussions. Fieldfisher is better positioned than almost any other law firm for the upheavals caused by AI that the market is currently experiencing".
Pres added: “As an agile and forward-thinking team, we perfectly complement Fieldfisher's strong European IP practice in the area of IP litigation—and this is a fully integrated international unit whose modern corporate culture suits us perfectly.
“Above all, the proximity and the resulting direct exchange with Fieldfisher X creates ideal conditions for us to continue to pursue our out-of-the-box approach to IP advice with technology and to continue to break new, sustainable ground."
Stephen Salzman: ‘Diesbach always a target’
The head of Fieldfisher's international entertainment group, Stephen Salzman, said that recruiting Diesbach had been a long-term goal.
"When I transitioned to Fieldfisher's London office in the fall of '21, building out a pan-European media and entertainment practice was always part of the firm's vision, so my very first call was to Martin, knowing how highly respected he is in Germany and internationally, as well as having historically shared clients with him across jurisdictions.
“Having him, Gerd, Elisabeth, Sascha and their teams join us in Germany is more than we could have ever hoped for, and is the first step in realising this vision with top-tier practitioners across Europe.”
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