Osborne Clarke has expanded its German patent litigation practice by hiring a team from BluePort Legal, including partner Nora Keßler and two colleagues. The move strengthens the firm’s intellectual property capabilities in Frankfurt, where it opened an office in September. Keßler began her career at Jones Day in 2004, specializing in patent litigation before German courts and the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
The team will join the newly opened Frankfurt office in mid-November. Keßler, who specializes in patent litigation before German courts and the Unified Patent Court (UPC), brings experience in pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and automotive sectors. Keßler became partner at Frankfurt IP boutique Klinkert in 2013, where she took over as head of practice following the retirement of name partner Friedrich Klinkert in autumn 2023. Her client list includes Sanofi, cosmetics firm Cosnova, and pharmaceutical manufacturer Advanz Pharma.
Joining Keßler are Christoph Palzer, a qualified UPC representative and former salary partner at BluePort, who was admitted to the bar in 2019, and Catinca Vidan, a fully qualified associate since 2024. Vidan completed her legal traineeship in Frankfurt. The hires grow Osborne Clarke’s German patent litigation practice from seven to ten lawyers and establish an IP presence at the Frankfurt office, which only opened in September.
The move marks the second change of firm for the team within less than two years. In late 2024, Keßler and her colleagues left Klinkert as part of the dissolution of the Frankfurt IP boutique, joining sports law specialist BluePort Legal to establish a Frankfurt office. At BluePort Legal, the team recently made its UPC debut. In June 2026, Keßler filed an action on behalf of Japanese medical technology company iCAT against Dentsply Sirona at the Mannheim local division. The move marks their transition from sports law to patent litigation, with Palzer and Vidan bringing specialized UPC experience to Osborne Clarke.
In parallel, the firm is bolstering its life sciences regulatory team in Munich. Katrin Helle, joining from White & Case on November 1, will focus on regulatory compliance and health tech, bridging patent disputes with approval processes in pharmaceuticals and medical technology.
With the new team in place, the firm’s German patent litigation practice now includes partners Tim Reinhard and Johannes Graf Ballestrem, counsel Stephan Reisner, and four associates, alongside the incoming trio. Effective 16 November 2026, Keßler will join Osborne Clarke as equity partner in Frankfurt.
