Dr. rer. nat. Holger Tostmann

German Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney

Dr. Holger Tostmann is a partner at the Law Firm of Wallinger, Ricker, Schlotter, Tostmann (WRST). He holds a PhD in chemistry and is admitted as German and as European Patent Attorney since 2004 and 2005, respectively. Dr. Tostmann spent a significant part of his scientific career in the US and is therefore particularly experienced in proceedings with relevance for the US.

Technical Expertise
Dr. Tostmann received his PhD in chemistry from University of Karlsruhe, specializing in physical chemistry and technical chemistry [M.Sc. (1991); PhD (1995)].

From 1996 to 2001, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA (USA) followed by a research scientist position at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, IL (USA), gaining extensive experience in key technologies such as new materials, solid state chemistry, high throughput research, soft condensed matter, polymers and biophysical chemistry.

Intellectual Property Expertise
Dr. Tostmann is active in the field of Intellectual Property (IP) since 2001, first at a prestigious German IP boutique and then at the Munich office of an international law firm of patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law. In 2007, he joined the WRST firm.

Dr. Tostmann’s IP expertise includes attacking and defending numerous patents in Opposition Proceedings (European Patent Office, German Federal Patent Court) including Appeal Proceedings, as well as generating a large number of IP opinion work products (validity analysis, due diligence, legal opinion and infringement/FTO analysis, the latter also in a cross-border context).

Last but not least, Dr. Tostmann is active in drafting and prosecuting protective rights (patents, utility models, design patents) in national (German Patent and Trademark Office) and supranational proceedings (European Patent Office, WIPO), including strategic patent portfolio management.

In line with the firm’s overall principles, Dr. Tostmann’s work is based on a strong technical background and combines significant legal expertise with a keen eye on the client’s business and strategic needs.

Languages
German, English, French

Memberships
German Patent Attorneys’ Bar Association (PAK)
Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi)
Member of an European Qualifying Exam (EQE) Examination Committee
Federal German Association of Patent Attorneys (BDP)
International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
American Chemical Society (ACS)