The history of our firm dates back to 1856, making it closely intertwined with the origins of intellectual property protection in Germany.

Our roots lie in Wirth & Co., an engineering consultancy founded in Frankfurt am Main and widely regarded as the first office of its kind in Germany. Long before the introduction of Germany’s Patent Act, our predecessors were already helping inventors and entrepreneurs protect their technical innovations and bring them successfully to market.

A significant milestone followed in 1900, when Germany’s first legislation governing the patent attorney profession came into force. Dr. Richard Wirth, the founder’s son, was among the first patent attorneys to be entered into the newly established official register (Registration No. 12). As a member of this pioneering generation, he helped shape the development of the patent attorney profession in Germany.

Over the following decades, the firm continued to grow and adapt. From its original base in Frankfurt, its path later led through Berlin and ultimately to its present headquarters in Bergisch Gladbach. Today, with additional offices in Dresden, Oberhausen and Solingen, we advise and represent clients from a wide range of industries in both national and international innovation-driven markets.

Our history reflects technological progress, economic transformation and the continuous evolution of intellectual property law. For 170 years, our firm has served as a trusted partner to inventors, companies and research institutions alike. We extend our sincere gratitude to all former and current employees whose dedication, expertise and commitment have contributed to the firm’s success and shaped its development over the generations.

Today, we combine this rich heritage with interdisciplinary expertise and an international outlook. Our long-standing commitment to our clients and partners remains the foundation of our success—and will continue to guide us in the years to come.

In the 2025 edition of the Financial Times and Statista survey on Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms, we have received four prestigious gold ratings, the highest distinction awarded — a reflection of our continued commitment to excellence and the trust placed in us by clients and peers alike.

GOLD (very frequently recommended) in:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering & Physics
• Materials & Nano Technology
• IT & Software (for the first time at Gold level – after receiving Silver in 2024!)

BRONZE (recommended) in:

• Chemistry & Pharmacy
• Biotechnology, Food & Healthcare

We are especially proud to have added IT & Software to our gold-rated areas this year — a clear sign of our growing capabilities in this fast-evolving field.

A sincere thank you to our entire team for their dedication, professionalism and hard work, which have made this result possible. And of course, we are deeply grateful to our clients and professional colleagues — both in Germany and around the world — for their continued trust and support through their recommendations in this independent survey.

Full results here.

Let’s continue to shape the future of innovation together!

We are very proud to be ranked once again in the Financial Times' Award List: Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms.

In 2024 LIPPERT STACHOW has been awarded GOLD in three fields:

-mechanical engineering (one out of six in Germany)

-electrical engineering/electronics/physics (one out of three in Germany)

-materials & nano technology (only firm in Germany).

We have also been ranked SILVER in IT & Software, and BRONZE in Chemistry.

LIPPERT STACHOW is one of only two firms in Germany with 3 gold awards in 2024.

We thank all of you who have voted for us.

Above all, partners are grateful to everyone in our great team for persistently striving to provide great service to our clients: thank you!

The ranking is research based on recommendations made by clients and peers to FT research partner Statista, see here:

Financial Times: Europe's Leading Patent Law Firms