Freshfields to merge IP and IT with corporate and dispute practice

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer announced on March 19 that it will merge its intellectual property and information technology practice into its corporate and dispute group.

The merger will allow the teams to work together more closely, and brings the firm in line with the way clients want to do work, a spokesperson told WIPR.

Matthias Koch, global head of IP/IT at Freshfields, said: “Our IP/IT partners are already largely integrated into our corporate and dispute resolution practices as a result of the nature of their day to day work so this is really about the way we organise ourselves internally.

“Yet, it’s also about organising ourselves in a way that we feel will further enhance our IP/IT offering to our clients which is in growing demand, particularly around major IP/brand protection litigation cases, critical data protection regulatory issues, and around major contracts, including carve-outs, technology and complex outsourcing issues,” he added.

“The roll out of the UPC (Unified Patent Court) presents definite opportunities for the future development our international IP group,” a spokesperson at Freshfields said.