WTR 1000: Dennemeyer & Associates ranks among top European IP law firms

The 2021 edition of the World Trademark Review 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals has named Dennemeyer & Associates among the preeminent IP law firms in Benelux, Croatia and Italy.

Over four months, a dedicated team of researchers for the WTR 1000 conducted hundreds of interviews and correspondences with IP lawyers and attorneys to spotlight those industry practitioners deemed outstanding by clients and peers. Together with considerations of market presence, expertise and services provided, these appraisals result in the “go-to” rating of world-leading specialists in this key field.

While the EU Trademarks Directive (2015/2436/EU) has brought some changes for law firms in Benelux, the overall stability of legal practice in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg remains unchanged. Nevertheless, new protocols present new opportunities, and Dennemeyer & Associates meets these with aplomb by continually developing and perfecting its impressive software suite to benefit clients and practitioners alike. With its trademark operations headed by Olivier Lombardo, who “perfectly marries his business understanding with his knowledge of Intellectual Property,” the Luxembourg office is just one of a vast network spanning six continents, recognized as “the perfect partner for around-the-clock brand protection” with its “exhaustive menu of prosecution services.”

Galvanized by the implementation of the Directive two years ago, the legal trend in Croatia has been to draft further amendments and legislation to bring local laws into harmony with Europe-wide standards. Leading the charge in this new climate of prospects and competition is Tomislav Hadzija, a prosecutorial expert renowned for his “fantastic trademark knowledge, quick thinking, reliability and personal approach.” From the Zagreb office, Dennemeyer & Associates leverages its “intimate knowledge of trademark processes internationally and cutting-edge IP management software DIAMS iQ” to handle local and cross-jurisdictional briefs with equal skill.

Though legal practice worldwide has suffered hardships in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the particular resilience and openness to innovation displayed by the Italian IP sector pay tribute to the fortitude and resourcefulness of practitioners in the country. Several topics have stirred the local IP community, including the adoption of marchi storici, marks that designate the national importance of culturally or historically relevant brand names. Open for public registration as of April 16, 2020, rights holders were cautioned to be mindful of the alarming number of fakes being advertised online. To help combat this fraudulent activity, the establishment of a new Counterfeit Crimes Unit by Amazon is a welcome move. Finally, the acquisition of De Simone & Partners, “a deep bench of practitioners that can tackle an incredibly wide range of trademark issues” by Dennemeyer, announced the arrival of the international IP group in Italy. Providing the full range of services to prominent Italian brands such as Fratelli Branca Distillerie and Sambuca Molinari, De Simone & Partners is trusted by some of the biggest local names. Already known as “highly skilled in all areas of brand protection and asset valuation,” the international reach and client base of Massimo Cimoli, head of trademark practice, will only expand with this cooperation.

The current edition of the WTR 1000 was published in February 2021, with research for the 12th edition beginning in March 2021 for an early-2022 release.