Prinz & Partner

What Prinz & Partner does

Prinz & Partner is a German boutique intellectual property law firm operating as a Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB under German law, headquartered in Munich with a second office in Berlin. Founded in 1928 and operating continuously under the same name for nearly a century, the firm provides comprehensive IP legal services spanning patents, trademarks and domains, designs, copyright and software, unfair competition law, and enforcement (including border and trade fair seizures), supported by a dedicated strategic advisory and startup consulting practice.

The firm delivers these services through a multidisciplinary team of more than 50 qualified professionals — including 6 partners, patent attorneys, attorneys-at-law, patent engineers, and support staff — whose technical backgrounds cover mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, electronics, medical technology, telecommunications/multimedia, and biotechnology/pharmacy. This combination of legal and deep technical expertise enables prosecution and representation before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), European Patent Office (EPO), EUIPO, and WIPO, as well as opposition, appeal, and litigation proceedings.

Prinz & Partner monetizes exclusively through professional, fee-for-service legal engagements with quotes customized per matter, and acquires clients via referrals, professional networks, industry recognition in legal directories (Financial Times, IAM, Chambers, WTR 1000, Legal 500, Juve, Handelsblatt), and its AIPEX international network partnerships. The client base is horizontal and enterprise-led — including BMW, Valeo, Faurecia, Sartorius, Rohde & Schwarz, Becton Dickinson, DEHN SE, LEDVANCE, Kennametal, and ZF Active Safety — supplemented by a startup support program operated in cooperation with UnternehmerTUM. The firm operates as an independent partnership with no parent company and no disclosed funding, M&A, or external capital structure.

Name

Prinz & Partner

Legal name

Prinz & Partner mbB

Website

https://prinz.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Prinz & Partner is a German boutique intellectual property law firm, founded 1928, with Munich and Berlin offices and 50+ professionals providing patent, trademark, design, copyright, and IP litigation services to enterprise clients across automotive, medical devices, electronics, and industrial sectors, plus a startup program via UnternehmerTUM.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Patent Prosecution: Professional fee-based services for patent filing, prosecution, and management before German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), European Patent Office (EPO), and international offices. Services include preparation of first applications, examination proceedings, opposition proceedings, and appeal proceedings.
2. Legal Services - Trademark and Design: Trademark registration, design protection, domain registration and dispute resolution services before DPMA, EUIPO, and WIPO.
3. Legal Services - Litigation and Enforcement: Representation in infringement proceedings, nullity proceedings, border seizures, and trade fair seizures. Strategic advice on IP enforcement.
4. Legal Services - Strategic Consulting: IP portfolio management, patent strategy analysis, competitor analysis, technology field analysis, and startup consulting services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prinz & Partner is a boutique IP law firm providing intellectual property legal services across patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, unfair competition law, and IP litigation/enforcement. Services cover patent filing and prosecution before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), European Patent Office (EPO), and international offices, as well as trademark and design registration, domain dispute resolution, border and trade fair seizures, and strategic IP consulting. The firm serves national and international enterprises and startups through offices in Munich and Berlin, supported by patent attorneys, lawyers, and patent engineers with deep technical expertise.

Product overview

Prinz & Partner is a boutique IP law firm providing comprehensive intellectual property legal services. The firm offers a unified portfolio of legal services organized around patents, trademarks, designs, copyright, and unfair competition law, supported by specialized technical expertise across nine engineering and scientific fields (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry, physics, electronics, materials science, medical technology, telecommunications/multimedia, and biotechnology/pharmacy). Services are delivered through attorneys, patent attorneys, and patent engineers who handle prosecution, litigation, strategic advisory, and enforcement matters. The firm also operates a dedicated startup support program in partnership with UnternehmerTUM.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patents Comprehensive patent filing, prosecution, and enforcement services including preparation of first applications, national and international prosecution, opposition proceedings, and representation before the German Patent and Trademark Office, European Patent Office, and courts. For businesses seeking patent protection across multiple jurisdictions.
• Trademarks and Domains Trademark registration, search, and enforcement services including national and international filings, domain dispute resolution, and proceedings against domain grabbers. For brand owners seeking global trademark protection.
• Design Law and Design Protection National and international design registration services including preparation of registration strategies, representation before patent offices, portfolio management, and infringement proceedings.
• Copyright and Software Legal services for creative works protection including contract preparation, infringement proceedings, and product piracy enforcement.
• Unfair Competition Law Pursuit of competition law violations including warning letters, infringement proceedings, defense, and advisory services on advertising compliance.
• Seizure of Infringing Goods Border seizure and trade fair seizure services including registration with customs authorities, monitoring seizure and destruction of infringing goods, and proceedings to stop importation.
• Strategic Advice Patent strategy analysis, competitor analysis, and technology field analysis to identify business opportunities and monitor competitive landscape.
• Startup Consulting Comprehensive IP support program for founder teams and startups developed in cooperation with UnternehmerTUM, providing preferential patent filing support and education on patent and trademark law basics.

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AIPEXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean IP network with presence at numerous European locations through partner firms. Prinz & Partner cooperates with this network for international IP matters, enabling comprehensive coverage across Europe through established partner relationships.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cohausz & Florack: Düsseldorf-based IP boutique offering patent prosecution, opposition, and litigation in electrical engineering, physics, and IT. Comparable mid-size German IP boutique competing in same client verticals.
• Hoffmann Eitle: Munich-based IP boutique with a large technical bench covering mechanical, electrical, chemistry, and biotech patent work. Competes head-to-head with Prinz & Partner for EPO oppositions and German prosecution mandates.
• Maiwald Patentanwalts- und Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbB: German IP boutique with strong pharma/chemistry and mechanical engineering patent prosecution. Directly competes with Prinz & Partner for life sciences and chemistry mandates.
• Grünecker Patent- und Rechtsanwälte: One of Germany's largest IP boutique firms, headquartered in Munich with deep patent prosecution, opposition, and litigation capabilities across all technical fields. Most direct comparable to Prinz & Partner by scale, focus, and German-EPO footprint.
• Vossius & Partner: Munich-based IP boutique with strong patent prosecution and opposition practice before EPO and DPMA. Closely comparable firm by size, technical specialization, and client roster.
• Bardehle Pagenberg: German IP boutique with offices in Munich, Düsseldorf, Paris, and Barcelona, offering patent prosecution, litigation, and trademark services. Comparable boutique model with international reach through own offices rather than network.
• Dörries Frank-Molnia & Partner (df-mp): Munich-based IP boutique specializing in chemistry, pharma, and biotech patent prosecution. Comparable boutique with similar technical depth and enterprise client base.

Broad incumbents

• Hogan Lovells: Global law firm with a top-tier IP practice in Germany and across Europe. Competes for major enterprise IP portfolios as a broad incumbent; overlaps with Prinz & Partner's automotive and life sciences clients.
• Bird & Bird: Global full-service law firm with a strong IP practice across Europe and Asia. Competes with Prinz & Partner for cross-border IP mandates but offers much broader corporate, regulatory, and litigation services as part of a wider portfolio.
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Global magic-circle firm with growing IP litigation and patent prosecution presence in Germany. Competes with Prinz & Partner for high-stakes EPO oppositions and cross-border patent litigation, though as part of a much broader practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1344888

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prinz & Partner