Taylor Wessing has launched a dedicated patent litigation practice in Paris with the hiring of a group led by partner Jules Fabre from Pinsent Masons.

Fabre, who led Pinsent Masons’ IP practice group, brings with him counsel Marina Jonon and associate Louise Millot.

The third associate, Clémence de Marassé-Enouf, will arrive later in June from A&O Sherman.

The firm hopes that the new hires will enhance Taylor Wessing’s coverage of the increasingly popular Unified Patent Court (UPC).

It said that adding patent capability in Paris completes its coverage of all major patent litigation jurisdictions and further strengthens its position as a top-tier firm in the UPC.

Taylor Wessing already has an IP presence in Paris, but it mainly focuses on soft IP including trademarks and copyright.

Paris is an important venue for UPC work as it is home to not only a local division of the court, but also to one of the three courts of the Central Division. The Paris Central Division focuses on technologies, including chemistry, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. The other courts are in Munich and Milan.

Gilles Amsallem, managing partner of Taylor Wessing in Paris, said: “The calibre of Jules Fabre and his team significantly strengthens our ability to support our clients in strategic litigation, in line with market developments and the growing needs of businesses in terms of protecting innovation.”

Fabre specialises in patent and supplementary protection certificate litigation, both before French courts and the UPC, and is experienced in coordinating pan-European litigations and market access strategies. He and his team have particular expertise in the life sciences and healthcare sectors.

He started his career at Hogan Lovells and Linklaters as an associate. He then moved to an in-house position as senior counsel for European IP and regulatory litigation at Teva Pharmaceuticals. After that he returned to private practice at Pinsent Masons, where he was promoted to partner in 2023.

He said Taylor Wessing was one of the most active firms before the UPC. “We are extremely happy to further strengthen the firm’s patent capabilities with a team in Paris and to be able to offer our clients a first-class expertise in all of their key jurisdictions in Europe,” he said.

Jonon assists French and international clients with pre-litigation and litigation matters involving patents in various fields, notably in the life sciences sector. She represents clients before both French courts and the UPC.

She spent more than five years at Pinsent Masons having joined from Aramis Law Firm.

Millot advises French and international clients on IP-related issues in the fields of life sciences, medical devices, chemistry and mechanics, representing them before both French jurisdictions and the UPC.

Prior to joining Taylor Wessing, she was at Pinsent Masons, which she joined from August Debouzy, for just over a year. She has also worked at the European Patent Office.

De Marassé-Enouf, meanwhile, advises clients on pre-litigation and litigation matters in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors.

Her arrival brings the Paris partner team to 26 and comes shortly after the firm relocated to new premises in the city, which the firm said would allow for further expansion in line with its international growth strategy.

The UPC has proved a popular platform for patent litigation and invalidation proceedings. The latest figures up to the end of April reveal that since its opening nearly two years ago, the court has received a total of 836 cases.