Biography • Life Sciences - IP

Christian, based in the Düsseldorf office, is partner and head of the German intellectual property group as well as co-head of the international intellectual property group.

Christian's excellent reputation makes him an ideal choice for leading global pharmaceutical companies. He is experienced in all areas of intellectual property (IP), but focuses on international patent litigation and particularly in the pharmaceutical area. Throughout his career, Christian has led and coordinated a number of actions on pharmaceuticals such as rofecoxib, trastuzumab, alpha-interferon, oxaliplatin, rituximab, quetiapin and budesonide. But he also successfully represents mid-cap companies including a German railway company for which he achieved, after three instances, the breakthrough decision of the Federal Supreme Court 'Laufkranz' in 2006.

For many years, legal publications have noted Christian as one of the leading patent lawyers in Germany and Europe. In 2001, Christian was recognised by JUVE in their 'Top 40 under 40' and, thus, one of the leading German lawyers of his generation.

Christian is deputy chairman of the German Intellectual Property and Copyright Association's (GRUR) section West and sits on the GRUR committees on patent and utility model law and on the protection of plants. He is also a member of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), the European Patent Lawyer Association (EPLAW) and the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).

He lectures and publishes regularly on various themes relating to the practice of intellectual property law and writes regularly as a columnist in the German newspaper Handelsblatt.

This year the major legal directory, Legal 500, praised Christian as an 'excellent litigator'.

Other Practice Areas

Christian Harmsen also features in the following practice areas:

• Who's Who Legal Germany: Patents