The partners and attorneys at our office provide comprehensive advice in all matters of commercial intellectual property rights. In terms of technology, we focus mainly on mechanical engineering, physics, electronics, medical engineering and materials engineering, but do take a look at our “Areas of expertise” section – we’d love to be inspired by your ideas!
Founder | WAGNER & GEYER
Professional development
Degree in electrical engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) from the Technical University of Munich TUM
German patent attorney since 1970
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since it opened in 1978.
Professional representative before the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO in Alicante since it opened in 1995
Between 1970 and 1972 Karl H. Wagner worked for the Eastman Kodak patent department in Rochester/USA. After his return to Germany in 1972, he established our office in Munich. In 1983, he and Dr Ulrich F. Geyer merged to form the eponymous WAGNER & GEYER.
Legacy | inspiration
Karl H. Wagner shaped our office in many significant ways. As well as establishing an idiosyncratic colour scheme for correctly identifying the level of invention in a technical drawing, he also had plenty to teach us about diligence and a good work ethic. He was always open-minded to visitors from all over the world, and we could never forget his generosity, his modesty and his love of good wine. We are grateful for everything he gave us – and we strive to live his legacy.
Founder | WAGNER & GEYER
Professional career
Diploma and doctorate of physics from Heidelberg University
German patent attorney since 1973
Professional representative before the European Patent Office since it opened in 1978
Professional representative before the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO in Alicante since it opened in 1995
Expertise
Dr Ulrich F. Geyer has many decades of experience and extensive knowledge in all areas of intellectual property rights, and he generously continues to share this expertise with our office. As well as general physics, he is an expert in electrical engineering, knitting machines, pumps, environmental technology and musical instruments. He has also worked on trademarks and designs, and he continues to advise both national and international clients in related matters.
Partner AT WAGNER & GEYER 2002 – 2022
Professional career
B.Sc. in physics/electronics from the University of Bath/GB
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since 1994
Studied law at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität LMU in Munich. Became an attorney at law in 1997, and is registered as such before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office DPMA, the German Federal Patent Court BPatG, the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO and the United Patent Court UPC
Expertise
Eric C. Emde specialises in examination procedures, opposition procedures and grievance proceedings before the EPO and the DPMA. At WAGNER & GEYER he has successfully obtained, defended and asserted a large number of patents. His key areas of expertise are mobile communications technology, construction machinery, automotive and engine technology, mechanical engineering and musical instruments. He also works on trademarks and designs and creates expert reports.
Between 2000 and 2010 he worked on adversary proceedings in the field of construction machinery (infringement actions, opposition proceedings and invalidation proceedings) before the patent offices, the courts and even the German Federal Court BGH. Between 2010 and 2020 he worked on an extensive multinational dispute relating to mobile technology, which once again involved infringement actions, opposition proceedings and invalidation proceedings before the patent offices and the courts and also reached the BGH.
Partner AT WAGNER & GEYER SINCE 2006
Professional career
M.Sc. in physics from the University of Edinburgh/GB
German patent attorney and professional representative before the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO since 2002
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since 2005
Professional representative before the United Patent Court UPC since 2023
Expertise
Dirk W. Carstens joined WAGNER & GEYER in 2000 and became a partner in 2006.
He has extensive experience of examination procedures before the DPMA and the EPO, adversary proceedings before the patent offices and courts, and in the preparation of patent applications. Most of his work centres on the field of mobile technology and artificial intelligence.
Partner AT WAGNER & GEYER SINCE 2011
Professional career
Holds a degree in electrical engineering and information technology (Dipl.-Ing.) from the Technical University of Munich TUM.
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since 2009
German patent attorney since 2010
Professional representative before the United Patent Court UPC since 2023
Expertise
After university Hubert Wimmer spent four years working in hardware development for Siemens AG in the “Cordless Products” section. He joined WAGNER & GEYER in 2006.
For many years he has now advised clients during examination procedures before the EPO and the DPMA. His main area of focus is the preparation of patent applications relating to smartphones and the varied field of mobile communication systems; topics include SoCs, video and audio processing, antenna design and RF front end. However, he also enjoys working in different fields, such as knitting machine technology and audio engineering.
Partner AT WAGNER & GEYER SINCE 2011
Professional career
Holds a degree in electrical engineering and information technology (Dipl.-Ing.) from the Technical University of Munich TUM.
German patent attorney and professional representative before the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO since 2006
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since 2007
Professional representative before the United Patent Court UPC since 2023
Expertise
After completing his degree, Andreas K. Schmidbauer worked as a research associate to the Chair of Communications Engineering at the TUM in Munich. He also worked as an engineer at the Institute of Communications and Navigation at the DLR German Aerospace Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, and was involved in the signal design for GALILEO. He joined WAGNER & GEYER in 1998 and trained as a patent attorney there from 2003.
His areas of expertise are communications engineering, mobile communications, LED technology, semiconductor structures, discrete construction elements and vehicle technology as well as design and trademarks. He has been involved in design disputes before the German regional (LG) and higher regional (OLG) courts, and in patent disputes and invalidation proceedings reaching all the way to the German Federal Court BGH. He also advises on delimitation and license agreements as well as potential infringement proceedings, which can even include product seizures at trade fairs.
PartnerIN AT WAGNER & GEYER SINCE 2023
Professional career
Obtained a doctorate of musicology from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität LMU in Munich in 2018.
Obtained a degree in mechanical engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) from the Technical University of Munich TUM in 2010.
In 2010 and 1012 she obtained diplomas in music and music education as well as a concert diploma from the University of Music and Theatre Munich HMTM; she studied historically informed performance, with her main instruments being the flute and the transverse flute.
She obtained an additional qualification on the recorder at Augsburg University in 2011.
Postgraduate studies as a patent attorney at the FernUniversität in Hagen in 2010
German patent attorney and professional representative before the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO since 2022
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since 2022
Professional representative before the United Patent Court UPC since 2023
Expertise
Dr Stefanie L. Pritzlaff joined WAGNER & GEYER in 2013. She obtained a doctorate of musicology in the field of organology, using modern measuring technology to explore the technical development of historical flutes in the 17th century. After completing her doctorate she trained as a patent attorney at WAGNER & GEYER. Her areas of expertise include general mechanical engineering, medical technology, and the development of musical instruments and sports equipment. She focuses on the process of turning an idea into an invention and then a patent, enjoys personal contact and conversation with clients and inventors, and provides advice on all matters of intellectual property.
Partner AT WAGNER & GEYER since 2026
Professional career
M.Sc. in electrical engineering and information technology from the Technical University of Munich TUM
German patent attorney since 2025
Professional representative before the European Patent Office EPO since 2025
Professional representative before the European Union Intellectual Property Office EUIPO since 2026
Expertise
Korbinian L. Wachutka joined WAGNER & GEYER in 2014. After studying electrical engineering, he completed his training as a patent attorney at WAGNER & GEYER.
He specialises in computer technology, telecommunications, audio and video coding, virtualisation, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, machine learning and network technology, as well as mechanical engineering and physics. When drafting patent applications and in grant proceedings before the DPMA and the EPO, he believes that effective communication with clients is essential to representing their interests in the best possible way.
DPMA (für Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt, Sitz München)
EPA (für Europäisches Patentamt, Sitz München/Berlin/Den Haag)
EUIPO (Europäisches Amt für Marken und Geschmacksmuster, Sitz Alicante)
EPG (Einheitspatentgericht, Sitz Paris, München, Mailand)
LAW FIRM | WAGNER & GEYER
The office of Wagner & Geyer Intellectual Property Attorneys has an international network of colleagues based outside Germany, and is thus able to offer individual patent advice to clients from all over the world. Our dedicated team is always happy to assist you with your IP issues.
