Ronak Kalhor-Witzel
Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Ronak Kalhor-Witzel is a Counsel and leads the firm's European Patent Prosecution Practice, based in Munich. She is a European and German Patent Attorney and Physicist.
Ronak greatly enjoys working with her clients to strategize and provide business solutions related to all aspects of patent, trademark and design law. She represents clients, in particular in the field of automotive, electrical engineering, life science and healthcare, mechanical engineering, medical devices, technology and telecommunication.
Ronak represents clients in all phases of IP prosecution, from preparing new applications based on invention disclosures to completing the appeals process.
Ronak's litigation experience includes opposition proceedings, nullity suits, infringement action as well as preparatory actions such as (in-)validity opinions, (non-)infringement analysis, and freedom-to-operate opinions. Ronak also supports our M&A teams in transactions and IP due diligence.
As a member of the Examination Board of German Patent Attorneys she is involved in the qualifying examination for German Patent Attorneys and regularly takes examination in the field of employee inventions and international patent law.
Ronak has more than 16 years of experience in patent law. Before joining us, she worked as an Inhouse Patent Attorney for a leading international semiconductor manufacturer. In her position as director corporate patents, Ronak managed portfolios for Sense & Control semiconductors and quantum technology in the automotive department.
From her many years of experience in an in-house patent department, she also brings valuable insights into strategic business consulting, in particular strategic IP consulting, competitor analysis and IP landscaping.
With this deep understanding of the clients and their economic interests, Ronak develops tailor-made prosecution strategies.
Professional experience
Collapse all- Trainee at the German Patent and Trademark Office and at the German Federal Patent Court, Munich
- Internship at a Patent Chamber of the Regional Court of Mannheim (2009)
- Studies of Law for Patent Attorneys at the Fernuniversität (2008-2010), Hagen
- Trainee Patent Attorney at a German patent law firm (2007-2010) in Heidelberg
- Further professional education as a Medical Physics Expert at the Academy of Scientific Further Education in Heidelberg
- Studies of Physics at Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Germany, and the University of Adelaide, Australia
- Degree in Physics; Diploma thesis at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg
- European Patent Attorney
- German Patent Attorney
- Not admitted to the German Bar
- European Patent Litigator (UPC)
- European Trademark and Design Attorney
When working with clients, it is repeatedly emphasized that Ronak is "highly recognized and appreciated by the customers", delivers "highly client-focused services" and "she is proactively contacted and involved in all issues by the inventors, experts and management" (Infineon).
- "European Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court: first experiences and insights" ("The art of dispute", November 2023)
- Interview: "Ronak Kalhor-Witzel and Maria Sorea on the challenges of European Patent drafting" (FORUM Institute for Management, IP Talks, 2023 and 2024)
- "Dual representation by attorney-at-law and patent attorneys in nullity proceedings" (IP review on the decision of December 18, 2012 - Case X ZB 11/12 - Doppelvertretung im Nichtigkeitsverfahren)
- "European Patent Drafting Camp" (FORUM Institute for Management)
- "IP core processes in IP administration", seminars & workshops (Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP), Fulda and Dresden)
- "German patent filing procedure, fees and deadlines (EP/DE/PCT), exercises on fees & deadlines", (VPP, seminar)
- "A new patent system for Europe – Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court (UPC)", panel discussion with members of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) in Montreal, Canada
- "UPC Implementation Project" (inhouse perspective)
- "Capturing the value of trade secrets" (NRF Catalyst Webinar) https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/webinars-and-events/bf8dbcba/digital-catalyst-episode-5
- "Avoidance of mixed Claims in U.S. Patent Claims and comparison of countries" (Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), Tokyo)
- "Risks of patent infringement and how to minimize risks" (XPRENEURS high-tech start-up incubator, Munich)
- "Start-Up and Patent law" (Female Investors Network (FIN) Academy)
- "Empowering Innovators and Entrepreneurs in Gene and Cell Therapy" (GeneNovate, IP Workshop)
- "Collaboration & Negotiation", workshops (TUM Graduate School, Munich)
- regularly giving IP related lectures (with up to 100 participants), seminars, workshops
- regularly moderating events with respect to IP related topics
- Chamber of Patent Attorneys
- Active Member of the Examination Board of German Patent Attorneys
- Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi)
- International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)
- Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP)
- German Physical Society (DPG)
- Active Member of the Ladies Mentoring Network
- German
- English
- Farsi
- French
Insights
Generative AI
Publication | May 17, 2024
Catalyst Episode 5
Webinar | November 30, 2023
European Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court: First experiences and insights
Publication | November 07, 2023