Patent Law
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
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Patent Disputes in National Courts
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Patent Litigation Before European and French Regulators (EPO and NIIP)
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Patent filing and drafting strategies, freedom-to-operate analysis
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Valuation, licensing, negotiation and drafting of contracts
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Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Legal Advice and Litigation
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International Patent Litigation Coordination
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Employee Invention Counseling and Litigation
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Industrial Risks and Insurance
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Intellectual Property Training
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
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.
- 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 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.
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.
Team
- Partners
- Senior Associates
- Associates
- Counsels
- French Patent Attorneys
- European patent attorneys
- Working languages: French, English, German and Spanish
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.
“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
- Presentation
- Interventions
- Team
- Rewards
- Articles
Articles
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