Richard Milchior

Admitted to the Paris Bar in 1979, he began practicing in the field of intellectual property in 1981 while completing a doctoral thesis entitled Copyright and the Common Market. During his career with Robert Collin & Associés, Nauta Dutilh, Milchior Smilevitch, and subsequently Granrut (now Herald), he developed extensive experience in patent law. His practice has included advising clients in pre-litigation matters, both as claimant and defendant, in relation to patents and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs). He has handled numerous French patent litigations on behalf of claimants—including seizure and infringement actions—and defendants, including interlocutory proceedings seeking or opposing provisional measures. The infringement proceedings in which he has been involved have almost invariably included challenges to patent validity, leading him both to defend patents and to file counterclaims for invalidity. Several matters have also involved issues of French and European competition law, as well as parallel litigation in other European Union jurisdictions. In addition, he has represented clients in employee invention disputes and has drafted and negotiated a wide range of patent-related agreements, including license, research and development, and cooperation agreements. He was a partner at the French firm Granrut (now Herald) from April 1, 2005, to December 31, 2023, and currently serves as of counsel to the firm. His practice serves both French and international clients, with approximately half of his work conducted in English. His expertise encompasses European patents, including unitary patents, French patents, and supplementary protection certificates.