Characterised by its outstanding ‘economic and transactional mindset’, Bär & Karrer Ltd. maintains a comprehensive IP offering that extends across the industries of software, consumer goods and sports, among others, including providing its clients with considerable experience before the Federal Patent Court and the Federal Supreme Court. Markus Wang helms the group and is equipped to handle a vast array of pharma, trade mark and licensing disputes. Other names to note in the practice include Michele Bernasconi, who frequently handles matters pertaining to sports, media, energy and data protection, and Jonas Bornhauser, who is highly skilled on the advisory, transactional and other non-contentious side of the IP sphere.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Smart and efficient.'
  • ‘The IP team has both a strong transactional practice as well as a strong litigation and counselling department. Markus Wang is the IP lawyer to go to for complex transactions and contract drafting.'
  • 'As an experienced litigator and highly intelligent attorney with an excellent commercial and technical understanding, Markus Wang provides court-proven contracts and guides its clients through demanding negotiations.’
  • ‘Very experienced, hands-on and responsive.’

  • ‘Markus Wang is great to work with. He is very fast and extremely accurate.’

  • 'The practice has a special focus on transactional IP law. It also frequently acts as counsel in high-calibre litigation or even in the role as arbitrators in arbitration cases.'
  • 'Not only is their legal understanding outstanding, but also their economic and transactional mindset. Markus Wang and his team really know what it takes to manoeuvre clients through complex intellectual property issues.’
  • ‘Markus Wang is the embodiment of Bär und Karrer's intellectual property expertise.'

Key clients

  • Sauber Motorsport AG (Formula 1)
  • Sandoz AG
  • Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
  • Novartis AG
  • Mobiliar
  • Medbase AG
  • Migros
  • Viseca
  • Leggett & Platt
  • Archroma
  • ELCA Group SA
  • Lonza
  • EnerSys

Work highlights

  • Advised Sauber Motorsport AG in connection with its sponsorship, partnership and licensing agreements for the seasons from 2026 onwards.
  • Advised Novartis on the drafting and implementation of pre-spin-off IP transfer agreements as well as various agreements becoming effective as of the spin-off.
  • Represented a large generics company in connection with infringement proceedings initiated by a big pharma originator at the Swiss Federal Patent Court.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Markus Wang

Other key lawyers

Michele Bernasconi, Jonas Bornhauser