Klaus Haft
“Attorney at law Klaus Haft is one of the country’s foremost litigators in the high-tech space. With a physics background, Haft gets up to speed on matters quickly, giving him more time to prepare skilful strategic interventions.”
IAM Patent 1000, 2023
Partner
As a German qualified attorney (“Rechtsanwalt”) and physicist (master degree), Klaus is a trial lawyer in the field of intellectual property law with a particular emphasis on patent litigation. In addition, he is advising on license agreements, research and development agreements, the law on employee inventions and issues relating to the protection of trade secrets. Based on his physics background and a corresponding in-depth understanding of complex technology he is holding a particular track record in litigating high-tech patents and patents on medical devices. He acts for his clients before the Unified Patent Court, national German courts, collaborates on opposition proceedings, and plans and coordinates multi-national litigation cases.
Klaus studied in Würzburg and Munich. He wrote his diploma thesis at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, CERN, in Geneva. Parallel to his studies, he worked as a freelancer in a Munich based patent attorney firm for more than 10 years.
Klaus has been a member of the Board of the European Patent Lawyers Association (EPLAW) for seven years, the last two years as its President and currently serves as a member of the advisory board. In addition, he is President Elect of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) Germany and member of the Executive Board of the Munich IP Dispute Resolution Forum. He regularly publishes on questions of intellectual property law and gives presentations at lecture events on patent law topics.
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REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Numerous, extensive and largely international litigations in the areas of industry standards, telecommunications, electronics, semiconductors, computer hardware and software, optics, medical products and general mechanics.
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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- European Patent Lawyers Association (EPLAW), President
- Licensing Executives Society Germany (LES, former Secretary)
- International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
- Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (German Physics Society)
- German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR)
- Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)
- Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP)
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PUBLICATIONS
- Haft/Agé/Otten in: The Unified Patent Court – A case law overview II, GRUR-Patent 09/2024, (pp. 358 ff.)
- Haft/Otten in: The first year of the UPC – a case law overview, GRUR-Patent 06/2024, (pp. 223 ff.)
- Haft/Lohr in: The inspection procedure according to Düsseldorf style – A retrospective on a successful chapter of legal development in German patent law, Festschrift for Thomas Kühnen, 2024, (pp. 375 ff.)
- Haft/Lohr in: Court Experts in front of the UPC – guides through evidentiary complexity or an effective means to streamline proceedings?, GRUR-Patent 07/2023 (pp.69 ff.)
- Haft in: An international guide to patent case management for judges, chapter 5 Germany, WIPO, 04/2023
- Haft in: Cepl/Voß, Procedural commentary in the field of intellectual property rights, §§ 883-894 (commentary on enforcement proceedings), C.H Beck, 2022
- Haft in: On the material scope of the right of prior use, Festschrift for Peter Meier-Beck on his 65th birthday, 2021, (pp. 219 ff.)
- Haft in: Technical standardization in light of article 101 TFEU and its significance for patent infringement proceedings, in: 80 years of patent jurisdiction in Düsseldorf, Festschrift , 2016, (pp. 157 ff.)
- Haft in: Ehlers/Haft/Königer, “The person skilled in the art in relation to the requirement of inventive step in patent law”, Q213 of the AIPPI, GRUR Int. 2010, (pp. 815 ff.)
- Haft in: Haft/Hacker/Baumbgärtel/Grabienski/Grabinski/Heusch/Joachim/Kefferpütz/Kühnen/Lunze, “Border Measures and other means of Customs Intervention against Infringers”, Q208 of AIPPI, GRUR Int. 2009, (pp. 826 ff.)
- Haft/Hahn et al, “Litigating standard-essential patents – FRAND and antitrust implications”, Managing IP, 2009
- Haft/v. Samson-Himmelstjerna: Core theory regarding exhaustion of patents, in particular “standard-essential” “high-tech” patents, Festschrift for Thomas W. Reimann, 2009
- Haft in Haft/Baumgärtel/Dombrowski/Grzimek/Joachim/Loschelder, Exhaustion of IPRs in cases of recycling or repair of goods, GRUR-Int. 11/2008, (pp. 944 ff.)
- Haft, Infringement of Patents and Utility Models, Effects of Patent Protection, Scope of Protection; Berlin Verlag, 2007
- Haft in: Haft/Donle/Ehlers/Nack, “Punitive damages, a contentious issue of Intellectual Property Rights”, AIPPI Q186, GRUR Int. 2005, (pp. 403 ff.)
- Osterrieth/Haft in: Cross-border patent infringement proceedings in Europe, Festschrift 50 Years of VPP, 1955-2005
- Köhler/Haft/Birde/Butler/Sigworth, The damages test – Comparing damages for Infringement in the US and Germany, Patentworld, 2005
- Haft/Reimann in: On the calculation of the Infringer’s profit according to the “Overhead cost share” decision of the Federal Court of Justice of November 2, 2000, Communications of German Patent Attorneys, 2003, (pp. 437 ff.)
- Haft, co-author with Adams et al. (Spin Muon Collaboration) in: Measurement of the SMC muon beam polarisation using the asymmetry in the elastic scattering off polarised electrons, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, Vol. 443, 2000,
- Haft, co-author with Adeva et al. (Spin Muon Collaboration) in: Polarised quark distributions in the nucleon from semi-inclusive spin asymmetries, Physics Letters B, Vol. 420, 1998, (pp. 180 ff.)
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WHAT OTHERS SAY
- “outstanding in enforcing our claims, intelligent, knows his stuff, canny arguments”, client; “strong in both written and oral arguments” JUVE 2024/2025
- Leading Individual: Lawyers in patent litigation JUVE 2024/2025
- Global Leader IAM Patent 1000 2024, since 2016
- Klaus Haft is “an excellent litigator who is responsive, flexible and thorough in his approach. He always keeps the business objectives of the client in mind and is very easy to work with as a result.” IAM Patent 1000 2024
- “Klaus Haft is a very experienced lawyer in IP infringement matters who, due to the technical background knowledge he acquired during his physics studies, is also ideally suited to complex technical issues and knows how to break down complex technical issues to a technical level that an infringement court can understand.”
“Klaus Haft is an excellent patent litigation strategist who knows what is appropriate at every stage of the litigation and in various patent litigation jurisdictions. In addition, he is very efficient and cost-conscious as well as very professional in his demeanor.” Legal 500 2024 - Patent Star Managing Intellectual Property 2024-2014
- Thought Leaders – Global Elite Who is Who Legal 2024
- Leading Individual: Lawyers in patent litigation JUVE 2023/2024
- “always good, very professional” JUVE 2023/2024
- “Klaus Haft is the team’s leading figure for protecting clients’ interests in patent infringement proceedings, focusing on the technology and telecommunications sectors. His expertise extends to complex SEP and FRAND litigation.” Chambers Europe and Global 2024
- “Attorney at law Klaus Haft is one of the country’s foremost litigators in the high-tech space. With a physics background, Haft gets up to speed on matters quickly, giving him more time to prepare skilful strategic interventions.” IAM Patent 1000 2023
- Leading Individual Legal 500 2024, since 2014
- “exceptional expertise, especially in life sciences, “well versed and always well prepared” JUVE 2022/2023
- Thought Leader (Patents) Who is Who Legal 2022, since 2013
- Klaus Haft is “an outstanding lawyer,” and “he is experienced in technology patent litigation and very thoughtful.” He is the team’s leading figure for protecting clients’ interests in patent infringement proceedings, design right enforcement and employee invention law disputes. Chambers Europe and Global Guide 2022
- Klaus Haft is “vastly experienced in high-tech patent case thanks to his in-depth understanding of physics and IP law.” Global Guide, IP (Patents), Who is Who Legal 2022
- Klaus Haft “is held in high esteem by interviewees who commend his expert handling of national and international patent litigation cases.” National Guide, Germany (Patents), Who is Who Legal 2022
- Often recommended, “exceptional expertise, world-class team leadership and coordination of complex patent disputes” JUVE 2021/2022
- Leading advisor among patent law litigators JUVE 2021/2022
- “IP Star” (Patent, Germany) Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars 2021
- “He is intimately familiar with worldwide legal systems and commands the attention and respect of judges. He is an excellent strategist, is very personable and can quickly grasp the technology.” IAM Patent 1000 2021
- “He is an expert in German patent litigation and a highly skilled litigator in court” Chambers Europe and Global 2021
- “a brilliant patents lawyer” who comes highly recommended by peers. “He wins cases with very well-presented and profound arguments”, “an outstanding practitioner who impresses respondents with his well-thought-out and profound arguments in court”. (Global Leader: Patents / National Leader Germany: Patents) Who is Who Legal 2020
- „smart, competitive, very good lawyer“ JUVE 2020
- „Top Lawyer for Patent“ WirtschaftsWoche 2020
- Thought Leader in Germany (Patents) Who is Who Legal 2020
- “excellent litigator” with dual qualifications in law and physics IAM Patent 1000 2020
- Listed as “IP Star” (Patent, Germany) 2020 Managing Intellectual Property 2020
- “He is not just a lawyer, he is also a physicist. In complex tech matters, it is very easy to communicate with him.”; “an outstanding legal attorney.” Chambers Europe and Global 2020
- Leading Individual for IP – Patent and Recommended for IP – Patent – Litigation Legal 500 2020
- “precise and clearly structured”, “has excellent technical and legal understanding”, “good in processes” JUVE 2019/2020
- “Klaus is the best patent litigator in Germany – he’s performed flawlessly for us since day one. His judgement of arguments is elite and he knows judges and jurisdictions back-to-front.”
“He’s a fantastic litigator, with great technical understanding. He can turn cases around at a critical stage through his outstanding ability to communicate with judges.”
“He’s absolutely phenomenal, incredibly talented and a compelling advocate. His physics background enables him to understand complex technology at a level most attorneys cannot reach.”
“He’s 15/10, our main lawyer in Germany. If we cannot instruct him, it’s a sad day for the company.” IAM Patent 1000 2019 - “brilliant patents lawyer” who comes highly recommended by peers. “He wins cases with very well-presented and profound arguments” Who is Who Legal 2019
- Clients praise Klaus Haft as “probably one of the best patent litigators in Europe” and enthuse that he “is excellent at strategic thinking and out-litigates the other side.” Chambers Global 2019
- ‘Especially convincing at court’, also an ‘excellent project manager’ and ‘always fully informed’ Legal 500 2018
- “Pre-eminent lead patent trial counsel in Germany” MIP IP Stars 2018
- “He’s a spectaculary good patent litigator – one of the few who understands how to convey complex issues simply while remaining precise. Both his technical and legal knowledge are great, maybe because he has not just a degree in law but also one in physics. Overall he´s certainly up there with very best, especially when it comes to telecoms matters.” IAM Patent 1000 2018
- “Excellent attorney” Klaus Haft enjoys a stellar reputation in patent litigation matters, where he makes use of an academic background in physics to advise on highly complex disputes in the electronics and mechanics fields. He represents a range of leading multinationals, and is lauded for being “extremely diligent” and for having a “convincing way of pleading in court.” Chambers Global 2018
- “Stands out” in the international market place thanks to his well-established patent litigation practice, “particular well known for handling IT and telecoms cases”, Patents Who’s Who Legal Germany 2018
- “Haft is an excellent litigator who has great legal and technical knowledge, and he is highly responsive” MIP IP Stars 2017
- “Klaus Haft is one of Germany’s best patent litigators. He always keeps an eye on the ultimate objective. Perhaps his biggest strength is his oral presentation in court. He can always win judges round with his tremendously skilful, knowledgeable, fact-driven and friendly pleadings. Few other patent litigators have both a legal and technical degree.” IAM Patent 1000 2017
- “very thorough, keen and hard-working. He works well in court and is a good advocate.”, Chambers Global 2017
- “…known for his “highly sophisticated” patent litigation practice in relation to electronics, optics and software” Who is Who Legal Germany 2017
- “When it comes to patent cases (…) the German team around Klaus Haft, Martin Köhler and Christine Kanz has been playing in the Champions League for a long time” JUVE Awards 2016 (“Law Firm of the Year for IP” and “Patent Firm of the Year”)
- Recommended as “Leading Partner (until 50 years); litigation for Patent Law” JUVE 2016/2017
- Often recommended for Patent Law JUVE 2016/2017
- “numbers among the best in Germany” Legal 500 2016
- “Interviewees single out leading lawyer Klaus Haft’s technical background as one of his key attributes, noting: “I would say his most outstanding strength, from the point of view of a hi-tech company, is his dual education.” Clients add: “He is outstanding. He is very attuned to a client’s concerns, always thinks several steps ahead and is one of the best strategic thinkers in litigation. He zealously represents the client’s interests, but is excellent at providing us with unbiased, candid advice.” Chambers Global 2015
- He “is recommended for his highly strategic method of handling cases, his exceptional communication skills and his absolutely perfect understanding of the interface between the technical and legal fields. He takes a composed attitude to his work, which he carries out with precision. He is the very best.” One in-house counsel reveals: “I have seen the quality of his product and he is of an outstanding caliber. I am always trying to get him to come and work for me!” IAM Patent 1000 2014
- “Klaus Haft has ‘excellent technical knowledge, profound negotiation techniques and facilitates a communicative way of working” Legal 500 2014
Assistant details
Visit us
Visiting address:
Theatinerstraße 7 /
Entrance Maffeistraße
80333 Munich
Germany
Postal address:
Steinstraße 20
40212 Düsseldorf
Germany
The facts
Languages
German, English
Education
Higher Regional Court Munich (Law, 2002)
Universities of Würzburg and Munich (Law, 2000)
Diploma in Physics at the European Center for Particle Physics, CERN (1997)
Admission
2002