Powell Gilbert expands into Germany with Andreas Kramer to head new office
IP boutique Powell Gilbert is establishing its presence in Germany through a new Düsseldorf office, with Andreas Kramer (PICTURED) taking the helm as the leading partner. Kramer, a distinguished German patent attorney, previously served as a partner at Vossius before making the move.
The new venture will see Kramer collaborate with two former Vossius colleagues: Hannes Obex in an of counsel capacity and Andreas Ditler as an associate. The German operation is scheduled to commence in September, expanding Powell Gilbert’s footprint beyond its current London and Dublin locations while strengthening its Unified Patent Court capabilities. The strategic choice of Düsseldorf reflects its significance as the host city for one of Germany’s four UPC local divisions.
According to the firm, its Dublin office has already handled over 40 UPC matters during the court’s initial two-year period, with appearances across nine different divisions including local, regional, and central divisions, plus the appellate level.
Kramer brings extensive experience from his seven-plus years at Vossius, where he achieved partnership in 2018. His career trajectory includes a two-year stint at Düsseldorf boutique Arnold Ruess and six years at fellow Düsseldorf litigation specialist Krieger Mes. His expertise spans high-stakes international patent litigation across electronics, telecommunications, SEP/FRAND matters, mechanical engineering, life sciences, and medical technology.
Obex contributed over seven years of service at Vossius, having started his legal career through training positions at Arnold Ruess and Freshfields. Ditler spent four years with Vossius following a year at Germany’s patent and trademark office. The three attorneys have collectively represented clients in prominent UPC proceedings across German and international divisions, as well as in German national courts and EPO proceedings.
Founding partner Penny Gilbert characterized the expansion as a “landmark moment” for the London-headquartered firm, noting that Germany represents one of the world’s most dynamic patent jurisdictions with Düsseldorf at its center. She emphasized that the location provides a natural foundation for their first continental European office while enhancing their UPC capabilities and client service capacity in this crucial market.
Co-founder Alex Wilson highlighted Kramer’s track record in significant UPC SEP cases before German local divisions, noting how this complements their strong performance across UPC divisions. Wilson praised Kramer’s international perspective combined with deep German market knowledge.
Recent data from the European Patent Litigators Association indicates that German firms currently handle the majority of UPC patent matters, with predominantly German IP specialists and major European corporate firms appearing on the court’s docket. Meanwhile, Ireland’s UPC ratification remains pending, with a referendum originally scheduled for June having been postponed indefinitely.
