Michael Bech Sommer

Partner European Patent Attorney
Ph.D.

Michael Bech Sommer is a European Patent Attorney and a Certified Danish Patent Agent. He regularly helps clients to formulate IP strategy and consults on integrating their IP with business development.

Contact information

Visiting address:

Strandgade 56
1401 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Pdf

Extended profile

Michael worked for over twenty years in the pharmaceutical industry before entering private practice. He is well-experienced in pharmaceutical litigation both in Denmark and the United States and in preparing Freedom to Operate opinions.

Michael is a member of the European Qualifying Examination Committee and a court-appointed expert to the Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court. He was appointed Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) in 2000 and has been an invited participant and lecturer to the Gordon Research Conferences for over fifteen years.

In addition to giving lectures in Europe, the USA and Asia on pharmaceutical chemistry and IP-related topics, Michael has been published in various scientific journals including Synthesis and The Journal of Organic Chemistry. He is also a named inventor on several patent applications. He is a co-founder of the peer reviewed scientific journal Organic Process Research & Development.

Practices

  • Analyses & searches
  • IP due diligence
  • IP Strategy
  • Litigation (patent)
  • Patent, prosecution

Industries

  • Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Life sciences
  • Manufacturing & process technology
  • Organic chemistry
  • Pharma

Prior experience

  • European Patent Attorney and Senior Partner at Zacco Denmark (2008-2014)
  • Patent counsel and member of litigation team at H.Lundbeck A/S (2004-2008)
  • Head of Process Research at H.Lundbeck A/S (1989-2003)

Languages

  • Danish
  • English
  • Swedish
  • German

Education

  • MSc (chemical engineering) from the Danish Technical University (1983
  • PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Danish Technical University (1988)
  • Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (Studieskolen, Denmark,1992)

Authorisations

  • European Patent Attorney (EPA)
  • Certified Danish Patent Agent (CDPA)

Memberships

  • Association of Danish Intellectual Property Attorneys (ADIPA)
  • The Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi)
  • International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI
  • The Danish Society of Engineers (IDA)
  • Royal Society of Chemistry (appointed Fellow)
  • American Chemical Society

Additional information

  • Appointed member of EPO’s EC-II exam committee (EQE paper C)
  • Court appointed expert to the Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court