Our business-oriented IP team has vast experience in all aspects of intellectual property covering copyright, patents and utility models, designs, trademarks and domain names, as well as trade secrets. We deliver efficient and pragmatic execution of assignments in matters ranging from trademark filings to the most demanding and complex IP-related agreements and disputes.

The importance of intellectual property is inevitably increasing. With our clients’ business in focus, we assist in transforming intellectual capital in the form of an idea into an intellectual property right in order to secure intellectual property assets. Having the privilege to co-operate with several leading firms in their fields, we have gained an extensive experience and understanding in several sectors, such as Life Sciences, food and beverage, fashion, retail, software, telecommunications, the automotive industry, industrial equipment and solutions, media, entertainment, and sports.

As intellectual property is often the most valuable asset, and in order to maximise the value and goodwill of intellectual property in the era of digitalisation, it is important to have a clear vision and strategy. Our IP Commercial team provides our clients with strategic IP advice on how to protect, manage, market, license, and commercialise their intellectual property, as well as how to monetise said key assets in transactions and at every stage of their life cycle. Our IP Litigation team frequently acts as an IP sounding board to assess the issue at hand and to create tactics and strategies on how to resolve the issue. Furthermore, in a digitalised world, our clients need global strategic assistance and advice. In order to provide our clients with international and seamless high-quality legal services, we have created excellent relationships with leading law firms throughout the globe to ensure that such services are available at once wherever needed.

Our clients' intellectual property is what matters to us. Our IP Litigation team understands the need to retain the freedom to operate and obtain the best possible outcome under the circumstances of each case. In order to achieve the business goals of our clients, our seasoned and business-oriented litigators suggest litigation and settlement strategies that may consist, for example, of obtaining a fast interim injunction or other relief, settlement negotiations to resolve the case out of court and before trial, or creative but thorough tactics for litigation or arbitration.

In each case, we form a dedicated team of experts to correspond to the type and extent of the case and work closely with our Technology, Dispute Resolution, and Competition & Regulatory as well as Public Procurement practices. We represent our clients in Swedish authorities and courts as well as in the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the Unified Patent Court (UPC). With regard to arbitration, we represent our clients in international arbitration institutes, such as the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, in addition to Swedish arbitration institutes.

Our IP Litigation team frequently acts, for example in:

• Patent litigation in many different fields, such as different technologies and Life Sciences
• Trade secret litigation
• Trademark and domain name litigation also covering anti-counterfeiting and unfair business practices
• Copyright and database disputes often relating to software, digital rights, media, or entertainment
• Complex contractual issues relating to intellectual property

We understand the importance and value of intellectual property, which is inevitably increasing. More than ever, intellectual property is worth fighting for.

We advise our clients in all kinds of matters relating to life sciences, including groundbreaking and complex regulatory assignments that require an innovative approach and a broad knowledge of the Life Sciences sector. Our team regularly assists clients in contractual arrangements that are on the forefront of the current practice in the Nordic countries and that require close co-operation with the public procurement experts of our Public Procurement practice.

Both national and international clients routinely turn to us for advice in relation to intellectual property enforcement actions, compliance issues, as well as disputes regarding ethical codes of conduct, both within the pharmaceutical sector and in relation to medical devices and technologies.

Our team advises on several different types of contractual matters, such as R&D, licensing, clinical trials, and different kinds of co-operation models. Our IP Litigation team assists and represents our life sciences clients in disputes and our Marketing, Media, and Online Business team advises clients on marketing, regulatory, and product liability issues.

Our specialists have a hard time understanding why all lawyers are not into media and marketing law – it is so much fun! Advising on legal issues relating to marketing campaigns on- and offline, sales promotions and consumer competitions, as well as on various matters relating to social media, online and traditional media, and the related contractual and regulatory issues, is a part of our everyday business. We also handle consumer complaints and provide regulatory advice relating to marketing and consumer law. We assist our clients in proceedings with the local authorities and, if needed, participate in proceedings before the local courts.

We analyse the situation and, where necessary, take measures against unfair business practices by our clients' competitors and assist our clients in questions relating to packaging and labelling requirements, customer data, environmental and health claims, as well as product liability and recalls.

Parties:

Equip Capital, Stenbolaget Sverige AB

Transaction:

Equip Capital’s investment in Stenbolaget

Deal value:

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to Equip Capital

Parties:

Riverside Company, Monias Torkduk AB

Transaction:

Vita Verita acquired by Riverside Company

Deal value:

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to Riverside Company

Parties: 

IK Small Cap III Fund, Responda Group

Transaction:

IK Small Cap III Fund’s investment in Responda Group

Deal Value:

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to IK Partners

Parties:

Ahlström Capital BV and Nidoco AB (buyers), Ahlstrom-Munksjö (seller), Decor Solutions business area (target)

Transaction:

The buying consortium comprising Ahlström Capital BV and Nidoco AB, in the investment in the majority share of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Decor Solutions business area.

Deal Value:

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to the buying consortium (Ahlström Capital BV and Nidoco AB)

Parties 

Kingdom of Sweden (Seller), Metria AB (Target), Sikri Holding AS (Buyer)

Transaction 

Counsel to the Kingdom of Sweden in the sale of Metria AB to Sikri Holding AS

Deal Value 

Value not public

Role

Counsel to the Kingdom of Sweden

Parties 

Virala Acquisition Company Plc, Purmo Group Ltd

Transaction 

Virala Acquisition Company Plc's merger with Purmo Group Ltd.

Deal Value 

EUR 685 million

Role

Counsel to Virala Acquisition Company Plc

Parties

PPG Industries, Inc. (Bidder), Tikkurila Oyj (Target)

Transaction

Recommended public cash tender offer for all of the shares in Tikkurila by PPG Industries, Inc.

Deal Value

EUR 1.5 billion

Role

Counsel to Tikkurila Oyj

Parties 

TrønderEnergi AS, Scandinavian Biogas

Transaction

The Norwegian energy company TrønderEnergi has become the largest shareholder in Scandinavian Biogas, a leading producer of biogas in the Nordics.

Deal value 

Value not public 

Role

Swedsih counsel to TrønderEnergi AS

• "Hannes Snellman's lawyers have very valuable specific knowledge."

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• "They are extremely nice people who are easy to work with. They have strong English language skills, and a great ability to handle the applicable law in a practical way."

• "Service minded and personable."

• "The Hannes Snellman IP (& Tech) team can handle a wide range of matters from traditional problems to very current and new aspects of the law."

• "In particular, I like their expertise in retail and e-commerce/digitalisation matters."

• "As a client or colleague you can rest assured that you get the right associate resourcing and that the matter will be handled by the right person. It also seems that the associates are very well supervised and led by their partners."

• "As IP & Tech team, Elisabeth Vestin, Caroline Sundberg and Anna Ribenfors are hard to beat. Their quality is outstanding – not just as lawyers but also as teams leaders. They work very hard but also take good care of their team."

• "Elisabeth Vestin’s skill to communicate with clients and colleagues is truly amazing."

• "Hannes Snellman has a very impressive all-round team that assists an impressive portfolio of Media clients with complex issues including IP and commercial."

• "Elisabeth Vestin is very thoughtful, skilled and attentive."

• "The lawyers of Hannes Snellman have speedy response times, and the comprehensive content of their responses is second to none."
• "They have very good industry knowledge and excellent problem-solving capabilities."
• "The team of Hannes Snellman is very proactive, available and responsive to our needs.
• "Hannes Snellman responds quickly to our questions, and they have provided solutions to our very demanding questions."

• "Hannes Snellman has a strong understanding of issues and the differences between local standards and international ones."

• "The lawyers are very experienced and business-minded, which shows in the quality of their advice."
• "The lawyers are quick and communication with the client is great."
• "The lawyers have shown real interest to understand our business, our goals and the logics of our business areas."

• "Wide and deep experience with a proven concept – what more can you say?"

• '"We use Hannes Snellman in cross-border actions," reports a client, adding: "Their strength is the high knowledge of international and EU-level legislation."'
• 'One source comments: "Hannes Snellman has high-calibre expertise in-house and their network is of very good quality," as another adds: "I have been pleased with the firm's ability in multiple countries."'

• ‘They are very professional and knowledgeable and customer-oriented. Very good response times and ability to give brief and to-the-point advice. Particularly strong in patent and trade secret issues.’