Team

Frank studied electrical engineering and information technology at the Technical University of Munich.

He handles cases in all areas of telecommunications, communication networks, control and microprocessor engineering, analogue and digital circuits, information encoding and decoding, man-machine communications and processor architectures. A particular focus of his work is on computer-implemented inventions, also known as software inventions. Frank frequently lectures on this topic in Germany and abroad and represents clients in nullity proceedings before the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH).

Frank is fluent in German and English. He is a member of VPP.

He is a partner of the firm.

Publications:

• Kleimann, Tobias/Schmid-Dreyer, Michael/Waitzhofer, Frank/Weisse, Peter-Michael,
  Datengenerator – Anträge im Nichtigkeitsverfahren, Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte 2017, 27.
• Schmid-Dreyer, Michael/Waitzhofer, Frank,
  Recent developments in the field of indirect patent infringement based on the decision "Nespresso", Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte 2015, 101.

Michael studied mechanical engineering as well as law. He is one of a handful of attorneys in Germany who are admitted both as an attorney-at-law and as a German and European patent attorney.

He has more than 13 years of experience in patent matters, including proceedings before the German Patent Office, the German Federal Patent Court, the German High Court, the European Patent Office and its Boards of Appeal as well as German infringement courts. Having trained in one of the patent chambers at the Munich District Court (Civil Court) for five months, he knows about many of the do's and don'ts of patent litigation from the judge's perspective. Michael also has a focus on employee's invention law. He received his degree in law from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

Michael has in-depth knowledge in aerospace technology, fiber-reinforced composite materials, bicycle technology, lithography systems and household appliances. He also follows developments in electromobility with great interest. During his master's degree at the Technical University of Munich, Michael focused on production and automation technology. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

In addition to German, he is fluent in English.

He is a partner of the firm.

Publications:

• Kleimann, Tobias/Schmid-Dreyer, Michael/Waitzhofer, Frank/Weisse, Peter-Michael,
  Datengenerator – Anträge im Nichtigkeitsverfahren, Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte 2017, 27.
• Schmid-Dreyer, Michael/Waitzhofer, Frank,
  Recent developments in the field of indirect patent infringement based on the decision "Nespresso", Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte 2015, 101.
• Schmid-Dreyer, Michael/Schombacher, Hanno,
  Patent strategies in the area of electromobility, Industrieanzeiger Nr. 2/2012.

Stefan studied medical and mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich.

Prior to his training as a patent attorney, Stefan worked as an engineer in industry for some years. He has in depth knowledge in the areas of plastic processing, medical technology, fiber-reinforced composite materials and aerospace engineering.

Stefan is fluent in German and English.

He is a senior associate at HKW.

Tobias Ernst studied Physics at the Universities of Karlsruhe and Stuttgart. He worked as a student trainee in the IBM R&D lab in Böblingen and later wrote his thesis at the Stuttgart Institute for Computer Applications in the field of geophysical simulations on massively parallel high performance computers.

Tobias Ernst also has a degree in Translation Studies from the University of Sheffield and is an experienced patent translator.

Tobias Ernst is fluent in German, English, Russian and Ukrainian.

He is an associate at HKW.

Viki Joergens studied physics at the University of Regensburg (focus on solid state physics and astrophysics). She prepared her PhD at the Max-Planck-Institute (MPI) for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching und received a Habilitation from the University of Heidelberg. She worked at several science institutes (e.g., MPI for Astronomy Heidelberg, MPI for Astrophysics Garching, Leiden University Netherlands), where she studied extrasolar planets and planet-like objects by means of high precision measurements (e. g., Echelle spectroscopy, interferometry, astrometry, adaptive optics imaging) at large-scale astronomical observatories (e. g., Hubble and Herschel space telescope, ALMA Large Millimeter Array, Very Large Telescope in Chile).

Viki Joergens speaks German and English.

She is an associate at HKW.

Ulrich Meyle studied mechanical engineering at the university of Karlsruhe. He focused on development methodology for medium and large enterprises as well as on mechanical systems simulation.

Ulrich stayed in the field of mechanical systems simulation during his diploma thesis and during his work an international automotive enterprise. Afterwards, he underwent his patent attorney training in a wellknown patent law firm, at the Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf, the German Patent Authorities.

Ulrich is especially experienced in mechanical engineering and power train engineering, as well as in the fields of hydraulics and optics.

He is an associate at HKW.

Michael Sturm received a Master‘s degree in physics from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) as well as in business informatics from the FernUniversität in Hagen. He further holds a Ph.D. in physics in the interdisciplinary field of particle physics and quantum optics. His expertise includes medical technology, optics, lithography, telecommunications and software patents (e.g., artificial intelligence).

Besides being active in IP, Michael Sturm is a lecturer for physics, maths and computer science at various universities. Michael Sturm speaks German, English, French and Romanian.

He is an associate at HKW.

Mathias Neumüller has been active in the field of intellectual property for 20 years. His main focus is on helping innovative multi-national companies obtain the best possible patent protection in Europe and abroad.

He received two different Master titles in physics and applied physics as well as in information technology systems, followed by a doctorate degree in computer science at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (UK), where he lived from 1999 to 2004. Before joining HKW, Mathias Neumüller trained and worked as a patent attorney for two large IP firms, including the Munich office of a British firm.

Mathias Neumüller's specialty areas include digital communication networks (3G/4G/5G), computer implemented inventions, including AI, digital and analog control electronics, Standard Essential Patents (SEPs). Clients frequently request him to handle validity opinions incl. coordinating complex prior art searches.

He speaks German and English.

He is an associate at HKW.