Five Taylor Wessing partners launch Pentarc in landmark German IP spin-off

A major departure from a rising practice

Taylor Wessing has spent the past few years cementing its position as a European patent powerhouse. With strategic hires in Paris and Amsterdam, and a strong showing before the Unified Patent Court (UPC), the firm has positioned itself as a key competitor to established leaders like Hogan Lovells and Bird & Bird.

In Germany, the Munich patent team was at the core of this growth, boasting a strong bench of homegrown talent and high visibility in UPC disputes. Yet the autumn will see the departure of five equity partners - Christian Lederer, Dietrich Kamlah, Anja Lunze, Thomas Pattloch and Jan Phillip Rektorschek - along with several associates, who will form Pentarc. Reports suggest at least five additional lawyers will follow them to the new venture.

Clients in focus

The split inevitably raises questions around client relationships. The departing partners have long been central to Taylor Wessing’s work for major life sciences and technology companies, particularly in multi-jurisdictional UPC disputes.

For example, Lederer has been defending Samsung against multiple Maxell suits, while Dietrich is leading for Disney in high-profile streaming technology litigation with InterDigital. Lunze represents Zentiva against Sanofi, and Rektorschek has been acting for Oppo in proceedings brought by Asus and Innovative Sonic. Pattloch, meanwhile, is known for a broader IP practice with strong ties to Chinese clients.

These cases illustrate the pivotal role the Munich team has played within Taylor Wessing’s wider UPC strategy. While the London and Dutch offices hold anchor relationships with some international clients such as Abbott, Pfizer and Ericsson, the Munich partners have handled a substantial share of the firm’s German caseload.

Impact on Taylor Wessing

Pentarc’s creation inevitably reshapes Taylor Wessing’s German operations. The Munich patent litigation team will now be led by Gisbert Hohagen, supported by colleagues in Düsseldorf, Vienna, Benelux and Paris. The firm recently reinforced its Paris office with a high-profile hire from Pinsent Masons and expanded in Amsterdam with a team from Simmons & Simmons, ensuring it retains significant pan-European capacity.

Commenting on the move, Oliver Bertram, Taylor Wessing’s Managing Partner in Germany, expressed gratitude to the departing partners and underlined that the firm “continues to have one of the largest patent law practices in Europe, with a strong UPC focus.” He confirmed that efforts are already underway to rebuild headcount in Munich.

A record-setting spin-off

With five equity partners at launch, Pentarc immediately ranks as one of the most substantial IP spin-offs in the German legal market in the past 20 years. Its establishment echoes earlier milestones, such as the creation of Hoyng ROKH Monegier out of Clifford Chance in 2004, Arnold Ruess’s formation by former Freshfields lawyers, and the rise of boutiques like Kather Augenstein and Bonabry from teams leaving Preu Bohlig.

Pentarc will be headquartered at Munich’s Herzog-Max-Areal on Karlsplatz and is already planning to open a Hamburg office. With its founding team’s experience and client roster, the boutique looks set to become a formidable new player in both national patent disputes and UPC litigation.

Sophie Vanheeghe Stevenard, Head Editor DACH