Nicola Benz’s practice is focused on technology and life sciences transactions. She assists technology companies of all sizes, from start-ups to established players, as well as investors, suppliers and customers across a broad range of industries and sectors. Nicola Benz’s expertise covers outsourcing, licensing, joint ventures and collaborations and associated intellectual property issues. She also has considerable experience advising on all types of commercial contracts, competition and regulatory issues and data protection. Nicola Benz is recognised as a globally leading patent and technology licensing lawyer, as well as a leading practitioner in the field of intellectual property. Chambers Europe (2018) ranked her as leader in the fields of Intellectual Property and Life Science, and she was recommended in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA for Intellectual Property as well as TMT matters. She has also been named as a thought leader for data law in the publication "Who's Who Legal 2018". Born in Scotland, Nicola obtained her law degree from the University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons) in 1997. She joined our firm as an associate in 2002 and became a partner in 2010. Since 2017 she has been the managing partner of our firm. Her working languages are English and German. Nicola is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the International Trademark Association (INTA), the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the International Technology Law Association (iTechLaw).
Daniela Wälchli's practise focuses on intellectual property law, commercial contracts and data protection. She has particular expertise in the negotiation and drafting of agreements in the life sciences sector and other contracts relating to intellectual property. Prior to joining Froriep, Daniela Wälchli worked for several years as a legal counsel in a leading global healthcare company in Basel and thereafter as an associate in an international law firm in Zurich. Daniela Wälchli studied at the Universities of Freiburg i.Ue, Copenhagen (Denmark) and Berne, and graduated with a Master of Law degree in 2008. She was admitted to the Berne Bar in 2011. In 2014 she obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law from King's College, London. Her working languages are German and English.
Even if a contract designates "Swiss law" as the governing law, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (the "Vienna Convention" or "CISG") could in principle apply. Where it applies, the CISG takes precedence over the ordinary national laws. This is often overlooked by the parties at the time they negotiate and sign the contract, and at the point they find themselves in dispute.
Topics: Corporate & Commercial , Intellectual Property , TMT
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Nicola Benz’s practice is focused on technology and life sciences transactions. She assists technology companies of all sizes, from start-ups to established players, as well as investors, suppliers and customers across a broad range of industries and sectors. Nicola Benz’s expertise covers outsourcing, licensing, joint ventures and collaborations and associated intellectual property issues. She also has considerable experience advising on all types of commercial contracts, competition and regulatory issues and data protection. Nicola Benz is recognised as a globally leading patent and technology licensing lawyer, as well as a leading practitioner in the field of intellectual property. Chambers Europe (2018) ranked her as leader in the fields of Intellectual Property and Life Science, and she was recommended in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA for Intellectual Property as well as TMT matters. She has also been named as a thought leader for data law in the publication "Who's Who Legal 2018". Born in Scotland, Nicola obtained her law degree from the University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons) in 1997. She joined our firm as an associate in 2002 and became a partner in 2010. Since 2017 she has been the managing partner of our firm. Her working languages are English and German. Nicola is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the International Trademark Association (INTA), the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the International Technology Law Association (iTechLaw).
Cornelia Mattig specialises in data protection and intellectual property law, as well as corporate and commercial law issues. Cornelia Mattig joined Froriep as an associate in 2018. Before joining Froriep, Cornelia Mattig trained with firms in Ireland, Germany and Switzerland as well as at the District Court of March in the Canton of Schwyz. After she passed the Bar exam in the Canton of Schwyz, she worked as a notary public and lawyer in an accounting and auditing firm. She graduated from the University of Zurich with a Master of Law (Business Law) in 2014 before obtaining her LL.M. in European Law at Queen Mary University of London in 2017. She was admitted to the Bar in 2018. She also holds a Data Protection Officer Certificate from the University of Maastricht. Her working languages are German and English.
A potential reality coming to Switzerland may see every photo or snap protected by copyright; does this mean that there is now remuneration due for every picture on my website or social media site?
Topics: , Intellectual Property
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The professional activity of Gregor Wild focuses on copyright, trademark and design law and related contractual and procedural questions. His expertise primarily extents to Swiss and international Intellectual Property Law, in particular to the representation before the Federal IPI, Swiss Courts and the WIPO. Gregor Wild has global experience under more than 70 jurisdictions where he constantly collaborates with local experts. He has acquired special knowledge in relation with transnational registrations and IP-portfolios. Questions of publicity and registers are building the focus of his academic activities. After his thesis in copyright law and his employment in the trademark division of the Swiss IPI Gregor Wild has joined RENTSCH PARTNER IN 2002. He is a member of the Special Commission of Intellectual Property Rights of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (sia) and lecturer for Private Law at the University of Lucerne. By 1 January 2012 he was elected by the Swiss Federal Council as a member of the Federal Arbitration Board for Exploitation of Author’s and Neighboring Rights (ESchK).
It lies in the nature of the blockchain technology that the control and securing of blockchain transactions have a non-proprietary character. The decentralisation of the system shall furthermore guarantee the stability and consistency of this decentralised trust “sphere”. Starting with this characterisation, it seems at first sight to be paradox to openly think about the question, whether trademark rights could play a valuable role in the “blockchain community".
Topics: Disruptive Technologies , Intellectual Property
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Demian Stauber is working as attorney at law in the fields of intellectual property and ICT law. Contract drafting, litigation and transactions in all areas of intellectual property and ICT law are the core of Demian Stauber’s practice. Additionally, Demian is particularly experienced in unfair competition and in general contract law.
With the growing universe of blockchain based systems and applications, legal questions associated with this technology emerge and require consideration (ideally) before substantial sums are invested. In this blog series related to blockchain, we have covered a number of legal aspects (such as Starting an Initial Token Offering (ITO, also called Initial Coin Offering or ICO) - Things to consider and Blockchain for Patents - Patents for Blockchain) already.
This blogpost is about copyright in the blockchain environment.
Topics: Disruptive Technologies , Intellectual Property
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Dany Vogel works as a patent attorney focusing on electrical, computer and information technologies. He has particular expertise in computer software which covers a broad spectrum including telecommunications, digital signal, image and information processing, medical and control engineering, cryptography, Blockchain, Fintech, and computer-implemented business methods.
Much has been written and discussed about how blockchain technology would bring about fundamental changes to the financial industry which could actually threaten the very existence of banks as intermediary trust centers. At the latest after the major central banks met about a year ago in Washington at a three-day event, hosted by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the US Federal Reserve, to discuss blockchain and crypto currencies, it probably dawned on a wider public that the hype around blockchain must be more than just that.
Topics: Disruptive Technologies , Intellectual Property
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