The updated 2020 version of the report is available here.
Let us shed the light on the law firms in Europe who represent PCT filings for their clients. We analyzed all filings since 2014.
The largest PCT representatives are significantly different from the overall largest patent law firms in Europe. PCTs are mostly represented for domestic clients while foreign clients tend to find their PCT representative in their own home country. In other words, this analysis tells you a lot about the strength of the local/domestic business rather than the overall business of a patent law firm.
The Top 10 are dominated by French law firms. Three law firms, LAVOIX , REGIMBEAU and CABINET PLASSERAUD, are on top of the ranking and another one follows on rank 6 (CABINET BEAU DE LOMÉNIE).
Several British patent law firms can be found in the top 10: MARKS & CLERK is on position 4 and HGF LIMITED, DEHNS and D. YOUNG & CO. rank eighth to tenth.
Surprisingly, Germany – although the country with most PCT filing law firms in the Top 300 – has only one law firm among the Top 10: EPPING HERMANN FISCHER PATENTANWALTSGESELLSCHAFT MBH. The largest German Law firms in terms of overall filings, HOFFMANN EITLE and GRÜNECKER PARTG MBB, are found only on rank 25 and 28.
The dutch firm V.O. (VEREENIGDE OCTROOIBUREAUX) complements the Top 10 on rank 7.
Around 750 PCT representations are necessary to belong to the Top 10. In order to be part of the Top 100, a firm has to have at least 230 PCT filings since 2014. 120 PCT filings are sufficient to appear in the Top 200 and 78 representations are necessary for being among the Top 300 list at all.
Overall, we find that about one third (105) is located Germany. Great Britain (39) and France (35), the countries on rank 2 and 3, have far less PCT law firms in the Top 300 although dominating the Top 10.
Italy comes in fourth with 25 entries. Switzerland (13), Sweden (11) and Austria (10) complement the countries with a two-digit number of patent law firms within the Top 300. All other countries combined have 61 listings within the Top 300.
In a nutshell, patent law firms from the three major IP countries in Europe – France, Germany and Great Britain – are dominating the statistics for PCT filings in Europe. However, we find significant PCT activity everywhere in Europe. Some major players are especially active in Southern Europe, Benelux and Scandinavia.
No. of Top 300 Law Firms per Country
| Country | No. Law Firms |
| Austria | 10 |
| Belgium | 9 |
| Switzerland | 13 |
| Germany | 105 |
| Denmark | 8 |
| Spain | 9 |
| Finland | 6 |
| France | 36 |
| Great Britain | 39 |
| Ireland | 4 |
| Italy | 25 |
| Netherlands | 7 |
| Norway | 5 |
| Sweden | 11 |
| Turkey | 5 |
| Other countries | 8 |
