Alexander Schnider is well known for his expertise in matters concerning trade marks, unfair competition and software development. In addition to trade mark clearance and other non-contentious issues, he represents clients in court proceedings and settlement negotiations. Schnider’s clients hail from a variety of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, food and drink, as well as IT and gaming. A client proclaims that „his qualities are definitely his analytical skills, his technical background, his enthusiasm for new technologies and his ability to put himself quickly in the position of a negotiating partner.“

Constantin Kletzer is a well-respected and experienced specialist for patent disputes. He assists international clients from various sectors with enforcement proceedings, often representing global life sciences corporations before Austrian courts as part of multi-jurisdictional litigation. Kletzer is also active on trade mark matters, including filing and clearing up non-used trade marks. Interviewees applaud his litigation skills, with one person asserting that he is „very thoughtful, strategically thinking and very goal-oriented in his advice on proceedings.“

Max Mosing is an active adviser with particular strength in trade mark and copyright matters. He regularly represents clients in domestic and international disputes, including before the Austrian Supreme Court. Clients are fond of his experienced and practical working style, stating that „Max Mosing knows the market and our needs very well and he is always punctual and reliable. All our problems are solved in such a way that the reasoning is comprehensible to our employees.“

Rainer Schultes improves his ranking thanks to strong market feedback and a high level of activity in leading high-profile IP proceedings. He advises both claimants and defendants before domestic and EU courts, with regard to patent and trade mark as well as trade secret and unfair competition disputes. Clients especially appreciate that „he has a technical background, which is exactly what we need. He always seems to be personally concerned with winning a case and approaches the matters with a lot of dedication.“

In the 12th Annual Global Law Experts Awards (2021), all GEISTWERT partners have been awarded as follows: Constantin Kletzer: Industrial Property Lawyer of the Year, Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year and Copyright Lawyer of the Year; Juliane Messner:  Data Protection Lawyer of the Year and Privacy Law Lawyer of the Year; Max Mosing: IT Lawyer of the Year and Data Protection Lawyer of the Year; Alexander Schnider: IP Lawyer of the Year and IT Lawyer of the Year; Rainer Schultes: Patent Lawyer of the Year and Copyright Lawyer of the Year.

“A go-to for any and all trademark matters, GEISTWERT changed the face of the Austrian legal landscape when it was set up. Its unique strength comes from its five highly experienced, innovative and ambitious founding partners, who are all absolute stars in their respective specialisations. Their entrepreneurial spirit, ultra-quick response times and the results they achieve instil clients with utmost confidence.” First on the team sheet, “Alexander Schnider is an extremely clever strategist, skilled negotiator and logical thinker, and his courtroom presence is absolutely striking. The great thing about Alexander is that he never sees problems – only solutions. He cuts straight through any white noise and gets right to the heart of the issue”. “Both Rainer Schultes and Constantin Kletzer are extremely knowledgeable, quick and easy to work with. They know what rights holders need even before they do.” Schultes is a technology whizz who handles high-profile cases with ease; while Kletzer “combines a thorough knowledge of statutory and case law with a great business acumen, all to the benefit of his clients”. Max Mosing also comes in for particular praise: “He is a renaissance man in the area of intellectual property and somehow still manages to surprise with the breadth of his knowledge and forward thinking. As a practical and commercially minded litigator, he knows all the tricks when it comes to enforcing marks, while providing a comfortable environment for his clients. He is super-friendly, easy to reach, dispenses with the legalese and is always fun to work with.” Completing the line-up is Juliane Messner: “An outstanding negotiator, she drafts bulletproof contracts and handles corporate matters with great diligence. Her advice gets to the crux of each issue and her solutions are hands-on and business oriented.” Juliane is the first-choice for start-ups as well as established companies in the life sciences and ITsectors.

Global IP Awards – IP Firm of the Year 2020 – Austria

All GEISTWERT partners were honored by the 2021 Corporate Intl Magazine Global Awards as follows: Juliane Messner: Privacy Law Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 & Data Protection Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 (together with max Mosing); Constantin Kletzer: Industrial Property Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021; & Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 & Copyright Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 (together with Rainer Schultes); Rainer Schultes: Patent Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 & Copyright Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 (together with Constantin Kletzer); Max Mosing: IT Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 (together with Alexander Schnider) & Data Protection Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 (together with Juliane Messner); Alexander Schnider: IT Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021 (together with Max Mosing) & IP Lawyer of the Year in Austria 2021

GEISTWERT has been included within the top 10 Austrian Patent firms

GEISTWERT wurde vom Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers für das Jahr 2020 in Österreich wie folgt ausgezeichnet: Kanzlei des Jahres für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz: GEISTWERT. Anwalt des Jahres für IT-Recht: Max Mosing. Unter den besten Anwälten für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz: Juliane Messner, Constantin Kletzer, Max Mosing, Alexander Schnider und Rainer Schultes. Unter den besten Anwälten für IT-Recht: Max Mosing & Alexander Schnider. Unter den besten Anwälten für Technologierecht: Juliane Messner & Alexander Schnider. Unter den besten Anwälten für Konfliktlösung: Constantin Kletzer

Nimble, aggressive and energetic, GEISTWERT brings the heat in Austrian patent litigation and cuts a dash at the deal negotiating table too. The partners in this outstandingly collaborative group link up well and play off each other’s strengths to carry the day in critical disputes. A team formed by Constantin Kletzer, Rainer Schultes and Alexander Schnider, for example, recently prevailed for TeleTan in a widely reported infringement claim against one of Austria’s largest banks, which had used TeleTan’s online banking authentication process on its own platform. Kletzer “works fast, thoroughly and effectively, with an intense focus on solutions. With him, you’re in the best of hands.” Schultes is hailed as an “extremely smart lawyer with excellent technical knowledge”; while Schnider is an authority on software and internet law. While these assured litigators all know how to cut a deal, the firm’s top transactional specialists are Max Mosing and Juliane Messner. Coming in for particular praise, Messner has a “deep understanding of business issues” and “only sees solutions, not problems”.

Constantin Kletzer was named an IP Star 2020 for Patents and Trademarks

Max Mosing was named an IP Star 2020 for Trademarks

Alexander Schnider was named an IP Star 2020 for Trademarks and Copyrights

Rainer Schultes was named an IP Star 2020 for Patents and Trademarks