Franklin opens an intellectual property practice led by new partner Sandra Strittmatter
Franklin is furthering the expansion of its service offering, with the creation of an intellectual property practice led by partner Sandra Strittmatter, who is joining the firm with her associate Erwan Prely.
With 20 years of experience practicing in Paris, Sandra Strittmatter handles the full range of intellectual property matters (including trademarks, design rights, copyrights, patents, plant breeders’ rights and domain names), unfair competition matters (including misappropriation and passing off), as well as publicity and privacy rights issues.
A Franco-German trained lawyer with an international background, Sandra Strittmatter advises and represents leading French and international corporations (including German clients) mainly in the food and beverage (wine and spirits), technology and fashion industries.
Se has practiced at major law firms and served as Senior IP Counsel at global wine and spirits leader Pernod Ricard, where she developed specific expertise in liquor and tobacco control laws.
She is particularly involved with intellectual property institutions, including the French trademark lawyers’ association (APRAM), where she served as treasurer and a board member. She is also a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA), the French branch of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) and the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR).
Sandra Strittmatter explained: “My experience in both private practice and as in-house counsel gives me unique insight into the various challenges faced by our clients and aligns perfectly with Franklin’s strategic approach to client service. The recent addition of new practices provides great potential for developing strong synergies with intellectual property. Furthermore, my work for international clients, especially in the German-speaking world, will be a meaningful addition to Franklin’s already strong international capabilities.”
Commenting on the move, the partners said: “Sandra Strittmatter is an invaluable addition to our diverse and talented teams. This new lateral hire complements Franklin’s recent expansion into new industries, such as technology and food and beverage, and follows the creation of its Data Protection practice. The resulting synergies between our practice groups illustrate our commitment to meeting the growing need for cutting-edge solutions to the new challenges our clients face in protecting their intangible assets in increasingly competitive markets.”
