Wolfgang Schönig

Deutsche Version

Wolfgang Schönig is a counsel at the German office of Morrison & Foerster in Berlin. His practice specialty is advising on IP aspects relative to transactions in the fields of high tech, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals, as well as on disputes involving intellectual property assets.

Mr. Schönig is specialized in research and development collaborations, the drafting of licensing agreements, technology acquisitions, know-how protection, employee invention law and patent infringement proceedings. His expertise also covers litigation in the areas of trademark law and competition law.

Mr. Schönig earned his doctor’s degree from Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf and his LL.M. degree from the Fordham School of Law in New York, both with a strong focus on intellectual property law. In addition, he earned an MBA from the European University in Barcelona.

Representative Transactional Matters

• Advice to a leading German seed producer on the drafting and negotiating of complex licensing and development agreements in the field of transgenic plants.


• Structuring of diverse patent and know-how licenses in the areas of pharmaceuticals, life sciences, medical devices, defense and telecommunications, as well as the drafting of software license agreements and the correlating supply and distribution agreements.


• Advice on government-funded, multi-partner R&D projects and/or R&D projects with academic institutions as well as on employee invention law.


• Structuring of IP rights in connection with joint ventures and other M&A transactions.

Representative Litigation Matters

• Representation of pharmaceutical and life sciences companies in national and cross-border patent infringement proceedings and other technology-related disputes, including preliminary injunctions as well as pre‑trial discovery and inspection proceedings.


• Litigation in matters of trademark, copyright and competition law.


• Development of multinational litigation strategies; coordination of international legal disputes.


• Border seizure measures and trade fair disputes in the areas of household appliances, cosmetics, and sanitary installations; anti-counterfeiting strategies.