Carpmaels & Ransford expands in Germany with two litigation partner hires and larger Munich office

Carpmaels & Ransford is pleased to welcome two new litigation partners, Niels Hölder and Mike Gruber, as the firm significantly expands its presence in Germany to meet demand for the firm’s contentious services in Europe, particularly at the Unified Patent Court (UPC).

This strategic growth includes the relocation of Carpmaels’ Germany office to a larger site in the centre of Munich, which will accommodate an expanding team of German attorneys, litigators, and support services.

Gruber joins the firm on September 1, 2025, with Hölder arriving on January 1, 2026. Hölder and Gruber have both worked with Carpmaels & Ransford for several years, including on the case of Sanofi v. Amgen, the first ever UPC revocation action.

Gruber, formerly of Hoffmann Eitle, is an established litigator experienced in international patent disputes with a particular focus on the life sciences sector. Gruber has over 10 years’ experience in litigating and resolving cases before the German patent and appeal courts and, more recently, the UPC. He often advises on matters that cross both the Atlantic and into continental Europe.

Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution Ian Kirby says, “Our expansion in Germany marks the next phase in the growth of our litigation practice. Since founding the team in 2014, our vision has been to build a truly integrated practice which could handle parallel disputes in the EPO, UPC, and UK courts, while coordinating national actions across Europe. Although the landscape has changed significantly since then, we have remained committed to developing a deep and talented bench of EPO advocates and European litigators focused on UPC work. We filed the first ever UPC revocation action, and demand for our UPC services continues to grow.”

Senior Partner Hugh Goodfellow comments, “We are very pleased to welcome Niels and Mike to the partnership, having worked collaboratively with them on significant cases for many years. They will play an important role in our growing European capability, at a time when clients are increasingly looking to us for contentious services at the UPC, as well as in European and global matters.”

“Niels and Mike will be a valuable addition to the Munich office. Their experience in complex life sciences litigation, combined with deep technical expertise, will be invaluable to our clients,” says Partner and Head of the Munich Office Stephen Duffield.

Commenting on his arrival, Partner Gruber says, “I’m excited to be joining Carpmaels at a pivotal time for the firm’s growth in Germany. I look forward to working with the team to assist our healthcare clients with strategic cross-border litigation, including at the UPC.”

Hölder and Gruber are the latest additions to Carpmaels & Ransford’s rapidly growing litigation team, following the arrival of Partner Andrew Hutchinson on July 1, 2025, Counsel Alexandra Pearson on July 21, 2025, Senior Associate Delicia Clarke on September 1, as well as several associates in recent months. The litigation team now includes Dutch, French, and German litigators, enabling the firm to staff UPC matters with creative, diverse teams. More than 40 Carpmaels attorneys are deeply involved in active UPC litigation, and many more in UPC-related advice. In total, the firm has more than 90 qualified UPC representatives and over 20 litigators with experience in national and UPC litigation. 

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