Hogan Lovells appoints IP litigator as board chair
International law firm Hogan Lovells has appointed IP litigator Leopold von Gerlach as chair of its board, effective from May 1, 2018.
He will be taking over from Nicholas Cheffings, who is concluding his second term as chair. Von Gerlach joined the board in 2014 as its representative for continental Europe, and is also a partner in the IP, media, and technology group.
Incoming chair Von Gerlach, based in the firm’s Hamburg office, has more than 20 years of trial experience. His practice has centred on protecting clients’ brands, designs, and technologies from infringement, and he has particular expertise in managing counterfeits, parallel imports, and grey market goods.
Von Gerlach’s clients include pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and electronics companies. He has advised a multitude of well-known brands including Lego, eBay, PayPal, and Estee Lauder. Von Gerlach has assisted many of them in developing corporate enforcement programmes and strategies in different jurisdictions.
Von Gerlach said: “As the elected board member for continental Europe it has been very impressive to see just how cohesive we are as a firm and how well we collaborate and innovate for the benefit of our clients—something which they see as truly distinctive for us.”
Cheffings added: “Leo taking on the role of chair is a natural step for him and for Hogan Lovells. Leo has been an excellent contributor to the board as the elected representative for continental Europe and he has a very deep sense of the culture, ethos and heritage of our firm.”
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