Dr. Nico Riffel advises clients – from university spin-offs and biotech startups to international pharmaceutical companies – on a wide range of patent and IP matters. His focus areas include strategic IP counseling, IP due diligence, freedom-to-operate analyses, and the management of contentious proceedings, in particular opposition, nullity, and infringement proceedings before the European Patent Office and German courts, including the Federal Court of Justice.

He was also involved in one of the few compulsory licensing cases in Germany and has extensive experience coordinating international patent disputes. In addition, he has been actively engaged in an industry-wide working group on the reform of German patent law, working in close cooperation with the responsible ministries.

From 2006 to 2010, he worked at a renowned law office in Munich. From 2012 to 2019 he was “In-house Global Patent Counsel” at Sanofi S.A.. Since 2020 he has been “Of Counsel” for the firm.

Dr. Riffel places great emphasis on strategically oriented and commercially meaningful advice throughout the entire innovation lifecycle. He supports inventors and companies from university research and the start-up phase through to successful business development. As a reviewer for the Science4Life competition and a lecturer at several universities, he is particularly committed to introducing inventors early to the fundamentals and requirements of patent law.

He assists numerous national and international companies in developing and implementing patent strategies, managing global grant and opposition proceedings, and conducting comprehensive due diligence projects.