Practice Areas

Dual expertise in science and law

Our patents team includes lawyers, industrial property consultants, and European Patent Attorneys with dual legal and technological expertise.  

With proven experience before the European Patent Office (EPO) and French National Institute of Industrial Property (NIIP), we develop bespoke strategies across all sectors. We collaborate closely across August Debouzy’s practices to provide unique solutions to complex issues. 

Interventions

Our patent law team offers pre-litigation and litigation services, including nullity and infringement cases, and settlement negotiations. We strategically assess risks and benefits to explore all potential litigation options. We respond quickly to complex issues such as ownership claims, arbitration, mediation, and preliminary injunctions. We collaborate with other teams in the firm, as needed, to ensure optimal outcomes for our clients. 

We excel in EPO and NIIP patent litigation, covering opposition and appeal, third-party observations, intervention, limitations, monitoring, and provisional protection. Our litigation experience includes witness and expert handling, and we develop tactics for opposition cases. We utilize our experience in civil proceedings to anticipate potential recourses before the Court of Appeal. 

Our team specializes in patent litigation before national courts and the EPO. With our practical knowledge of both litigation practices and industry, we help clients: 

  • Develop effective patent portfolios that address business concerns and anticipate future judicial interpretation issues ​​​​​​
  • Investigate all possible protection measures, including other intellectual property rights and trade secrets protection 
  • Conduct proper due diligence on a product's freedom to operate, launch risks, and competitor patent validity 
We understand the financial stakes involved in patent litigation and strive to provide the best results for clients. We work with the best subcontractors for all administrative aspects of cases such as annuities and regional phase entry, while maintaining complete transparency with the client. 

The patent law team provides expertise in valuing, licensing, negotiating, and drafting industrial property contracts. They assist with contracts, including transfer, licensing, and FRAND licenses. The team advises clients on patent value, licensing policy implementation, and counterfeiting, utilizing their experience in industrial property contract disputes, including arbitration and FRAND litigation. 

August Debouzy is a key player in medicine and medical patent litigation. Our pharma lawyers, advisers, and agents have been involved in some of the most significant cases in this space in recent years. Our understanding of small molecules, biological products, formulations, medical devices, and second therapeutic applications, combined with our expertise in the regulatory landscape and close collaboration with the firm's Public and Regulatory team, enables us to advise on: 
  • Pharmaceutical and medical device patent filing/drafting 
  • Pharmaceutical and CCP patent litigation 
  • Seizure of infringing products from competitors or the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (ANSM) 
  • Cancellation of third-party marketing authorizations (temporary restraining orders, appeals for excess of power before the administrative court) 
  • Proceedings with the commission for access to administrative documents (CADA)
  • Regulatory expertise on substitution, opening of generic groups 
Our team coordinates patent litigation across multiple European countries, with a focus on clear reporting and simplifying complex issues. Our partners have experience working around the world in multiple jurisdictions, having served as legal experts in cross-border patent litigation.  

Our practitioners have both technical and legal expertise, and can communicate effectively with technical contacts on the client side. 
 

Our patent law team has extensive experience in employee invention law, offering services such as compensation programs, representation before CNIS and courts, fair pricing advice, and settlement agreements.  

We also collaborate with the firm's employment team to make strategic decisions during employment tribunal cases. 

With diverse scientific backgrounds and in-depth knowledge of technological sectors, our team is well placed to advise on industrial risks, professional liability, product liability, and insurance. In collaboration with the firm's Litigation team: 

We support clients in all areas of industrial risk, in collaboration with a network of technical and financial experts.

We defend companies and executives in cases of professional misconduct or faulty products (pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, automotive industry, telecommunications, technology, tobacco). 

We analyze risks and insurance coverage and support clients with their insurance contracts. 

To nurture individual and collective talent, we share our experience through interventions and training sessions at our premises, our clients' offices, professional associations, training organizations, or leading universities. 

We adapt to the specific target audience, offering a wide range of training sessions on a variety of topics: from awareness raising or more advanced interventions on intellectual property issues, to patent litigation and related disputes (unfair competition, parasitism, trade secrets), seizure-counterfeiting, negotiation, and contractual drafting. 

Since 2018, we’ve organized yearly "Patent Workshops" at our offices, where our IP practitioners and professionals from related sectors meet to share best practice. 

Rewards

August Debouzy has established itself as one of the leading law firms in the French patent litigation scene thanks to the leadership of Grégoire Desrousseaux and François Pochart, both of whom are qualified as patent attorneys and lawyers. Both partners have a background in engineering but Pochart has carved out a patent practice in the pharmaceutical sector while Desrousseaux handles disputes in a range of technical fields, including electronics and mechanics. The firm is also recommended for patent office proceedings and IP transactions.

IP Stars (MIP) Reviews

“Exceptional team advising on all aspects of IP cases. Notable expertise in patent issues before the French courts and the European Patent Office, in addition to experience in trademarks and unfair competition. Recent mandates also include handling copyright infringement cases. Instructed by an array of international names from the pharmaceutical and fashion industries. Also handles IP issues arising in the telecommunications and transport sectors.”

Chambers & Partners Europe 2023

Intellectual Property

Band 1

Chambers & Partners Europe 2023

Intellectual Property: Grégoire Desrousseaux

Band 1

Chambers & Partners Europe 2023

Intellectual Property: François Pochart

Band 2

Chambers & Partners Europe 2023

Pharma/Life Sciences: François Pochart

Band 2

“François Pochart frequently acts for major pharma and energy corporates on a variety of French and cross-border patent matters. Impressed clients report: "He is an excellent strategist and litigation advocate with a strong grasp of underlying technical issues."

“Grégoire Desrousseaux maintains his position as a leading practitioner in the French IP market, as well as in cross-border mandates. He demonstrates impressive skill in contentious matters, chiefly patent infringement proceedings and appeals as well as unfair competition and copyright disputes. Impressed sources say: "He is very technically competent and is an excellent communicator."

Chambers & Partners Global 2023

Intellectual Property

Band 1

Chambers & Partners Global 2023

Intellectual Property: Grégoire Desrousseaux

Band 1

Chambers & Partners Global 2023

Intellectual Property: François Pochart

Band 2

"A standout independent outfit on the French market, August Debouzy demonstrates exceptional capability when prosecuting patents, bringing contentious matters to a successful close and dis­pensing strategic advice. This versatility is reflected in positions on all three tables in the rankings. Despite its relatively small size, it makes light work of multinational proceedings, earning it the loyalty of industry titans such as Teva, Orange and Total. One enthusias­tic client declares: “In short, there is no better patent attorney or patent law firm in the whole of Europe than them. I learned that I needed August Debouzy on my side. I definitely did not want them to be on the other side of the table.” François Pochart and Grégoire Desrousseaux are the dynamic duo at the heart of the practice. Pochart’s guidance on regulatory issues, supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) and plant protection products is always on point; while Desrousseaux benefits from qualifications in both law and engineering. “There is no doubt of Grégoire’s extraordinary intelli­gence. However, what makes him truly stand out without equal is his fierce application of that intelligence and subject-matter expertise to achieving clients’ business objectives. He does not hesitate to take measured risks in the pursuit of total victory.” “He is a brilliant profes­sional, able to handle a huge amount of data in a very short period of time and to extract itsessence.”"

IAM patent 1000 France 2022

Litigation : François Pochart

Gold (Tier 1/3)

IAM patent 1000 France 2022

Prosecution : François Pochart

Recommended

IAM patent 1000 France 2022

Transactions : François Pochart

Recommended

IAM patent 1000 France 2022

Transactions : Grégoire Desrousseaux

Recommended

IAM patent 1000 France 2022

Litigation : Grégoire Desrousseaux

Gold (Tier 1/3)

 « At August Debouzy, practice heads Grégoire Desrousseaux and François Pochart lead a deep bench of patent specialists, including both lawyers and patent attorneys, which allows for a particularly broad sector scope. Clients from the medical device, chemicals, energy, telecoms and agri-food sectors rely on the team with particular frequency, both for advisory work and disputes. The group is well versed in transactional work and licensing matters, including the transfer of technology and know-how, and holds its own in cross-border litigation, with particularly strong experience in coordinating multi-jurisdictional disputes in the pharmaceutical and telecom sectors. Leveraging its full-service positioning, the practice is able to draw on colleagues from other departments for optimal case staffing, with the competition teams a key asset for matters involving FRAND issues. Counsel Lionel Martin is dual-qualified as both a lawyer and a European patent attorney ».

« Representing leading pharmaceutical companies and clients specialised in medical devices, August Debouzy is highly regarded for its expertise in pharmaceutical patent litigation before the domestic and European courts. Joint practice head François Pochart, who is described as 'very knowledgeable, confident and experienced', leads on these matters alongside co-head Grégoire Desrousseaux. A further area of expertise for the team is assisting insurers of medical device manufacturers which are the subject of product liability proceedings. Co-head Alexandra Cohen-Jonathan is the key contact for these cases ».

‘The team is fully devoted to its client. They look at each file from all possible angles of attack/defence. They present a realistic view of the outcome of the case. Their knowledge of IP is second to none.’

‘Very focused team with deep expertise. Team works in a very pleasant atmosphere. Flexibility.’

‘A competent and powerful team, with high technical and legal skill and always responsive and clear.’

‘In general, the people from August & Debouzy with whom we are in contact are characterised by their listening skills, and therefore by their very great understanding of the issues for their clients.’

‘The flexibility of the team stands out, they are always ready to take into account our requests and our perspectives, to think about the most appropriate strategy. Also, their ability to adapt their thinking according to the elements that we bring to them, and to propose the most adapted solutions according to the needs of the company.’

Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Patents

Tier 1/4

Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences

Tier 2/4

Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Patents: François Pochart

Hall of fame

Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Healthcare and LifeSciences: François Pochart

Leading individual

Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Patents : Grégoire Desrousseaux

Leading individual

Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Patents : Lionel Martin

Next Generation Partner

"The IP practice of this national full-service firm is among the market leaders in patent litigation. August Debouzy boasts a large number of dual-qualified lawyers, allowing it to handle both French proceedings and the associated EPO proceedings for its clients. This effective strategy as a one-stop shop combined with in-depth technical understanding are what impress clients. (…), this is one of the few teams with an impressive track record in high-stakes cases, such as Peugeot Citroen Automobiles against NPE Papst Licensing. Practice head Grégoire Desrousseaux is one of the most experienced litigators with a deep technical understanding of mobile communications patents. He successfully litigated this year, for example, for Asus in a suit against Philips regarding graphical user interfaces, as well as for Huawei against Intellectual Ventures over SEPs. The second, also dual-qualified partner, François Pochart, is renowned for his in-depth pharma sector expertise. He conducted the proceedings for Fresenius Kabi against Amgen concerning Humira, which were much observed across Europe". 

"The leading patents team has strong client contacts, partly because both dual-qualified partners frequently represent their clients before both the national French courts and the EPO. If the UPC arrives, this experience will be a trump card that few European firms can play. This makes August Debouzy an interesting partner for lots of international firms, especially those with a similar full-service approach".

Juve Patent 2022

Litigation: Lawyers France

Tier 1/5

Juve Patent 2022

Grégoire Desrousseaux et François Pochart

Advisors in patent litigation

Juve Patent 2022

Abdelaziz Khatab

Ones to watch

Global IP Awards (IAM & WTR)

2019

Patent Law Firm of the year

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Patent litigation

Tier 1/3

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Grégoire Desrousseaux

Patent star

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

François Pochart

Patent star

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Managing IP’s EMEA Awards

French Patent Contentious firm of the year

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Lionel Martin

Rising star

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Mahasti Razavi

Trade mark star & Top 250 Women in IP

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Pierre-Olivier Ally

Rising star

Managing intellectual property (MIP) 2022

Pierre Pérot

Rising star

• Gregoire Desrousseaux
• Francois Pochart
• Abdelaziz Khatab

Who's Who Legal 2023

• Grégoire Desrousseaux :
Patents (Thought Leader) ; Life Sciences - Patent Litigation

• François Pochart :
Life Sciences (Thought Leader) ; Life Sciences-Patent Litigation 

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Electronic health

Excellent

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Patents – Litigation

Leading

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Patents litigation in healthcare, biotechs and pharmaceuticals

Leading

Le Monde du Droit 2020

Patents

Golden Trophy

Le Monde du Droit 2020

Copyrights

Golden Trophy