Freshfields

Firm overview:

International firm Freshfields has a well respected trade secrets practice that is principally located across the UK, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and the US. It has a strong focus on trade secrets litigation, and handled the first Supreme Court cases in Austria and Germany concerning the EU Trade Secret Directive.

The team advises clients on how best to protect their know-how in complex cooperation, licensing and R&D projects, and on the implications of the EU’s digital legislation on trade secret protection.

Examples of the corporate firm’s characteristic mix of transactional trade secrets advice include an award–winning role acting for the London Stock Exchange Group on its multibillion-dollar strategic tech transformation partnership with Microsoft; advising Mars on its acquisition of the public company Hotel Chocolat Group; and advising Aston Martin Lagonda on its transformational collaboration to develop electric vehicles.

Team overview:

Freshfields’ trade secrets work tends to be led out of the IP group, with attorneys collaborating with employment lawyers, and white collar and commercial litigators. Some of the firm’s experts on trade secrets include:

London: Christopher Stothers, an experienced cross-border patent litigator; and Giles Pratt, head of the global IP and technology group, and co-head of the cross-practice, international AI group.

Düsseldorf: Frank-Erich Hufnagel is head of the patent litigation group; patent litigator Wolrad Prinz zu Waldeck und Pyrmont; and Tobias Timmann, an intellectual property and tech litigator.

Amsterdam: Rutger Kleemans, a patents and trade secrets adviser; Jelle Drok, a technology litigator; and Mark Egeler, a data and technology regulatory and litigation matters partner.

Vienna: Lutz Riede, an adviser on complex tech and IP matters in the global Dispute Resolution group; and Matthias Hofer, an adviser on complex transactions and disputes in technical industries.

New York: David Livshiz, who represents clients in complex commercial disputes, criminal and civil fraud actions, and bankruptcy litigation; and Kristen Riemenschneider (Washington, DC), who represents life sciences companies on significant transactions and collaborations.

Key matters:

Clients:

London Stock Exchange Group, Mars, Aston Martin Lagonda