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David Kless

Senior Associate
Munich
About

David advises national and international clients on intellectual property law and his practice focuses on patent litigation, patent nullity proceedings and non-contentious patent evaluations.

David regularly advises in the IT sector (in the areas of telecommunications, software and consumer electronics) as well as the automotive and the manufacturing sector.

A particular focus is on patent disputes before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) beyond Germany's borders. His expertise also includes antitrust aspects in connection with SEP proceedings.

He has additional experience in a broad range of contentious and non-contentious IP law matters including strategic advice to clients as regards the use and protection of IP rights.

In addition to IP law in the strictest sense, David is experienced in trade secrets law and unfair competition law.

During his studies he specialized in IP and antitrust law.

Areas of FocusIntellectual PropertyTechnologyPatent LitigationLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsIndustrialsConsumer Goods, Food and Retail

EXPERIENCE

  • Advice and representation of two global automotive companies one based in the US one in Japan as defendants in patent infringement proceedings as well as in the corresponding nullity proceedings relating to 4G technology.
  • Advising and representing a globally leading software and web services company in multiple infringement and nullity proceedings, relating to different IT related technologies, such as speech recognition systems or video codec systems.
  • Dyson Technology Limited before the LD Munich, the CD Milan and the Court of Appeal (PI proceedings, infringement and revocation). The litigation relates to vacuum cleaner technology.
  • Advising and representing Alpinestars in cross jurisdictional UPC litigation regarding motorcycle protective equipment.
  • Advising and representing a leading European plastic injection molding company with respect to alleged fraudulent abstraction regarding one of their patents.
  • Representing a globally leading US-based consumer electronics company as plaintiff regarding printer cartridges and as defendant with respect to alleged infringement of LTE related SEPs.
  • Representing a globally leading US-based athletic wear company in a patent dispute regarding knitting patents in relation to running shoes.
Languages
  • English
  • German

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • IP STARS 2025: Recommended as “Rising Star 2025” 
Education

  • Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart, Second State Examination, 2017

  • University of Tübingen, First State Exmination, 2015

Publications and media

  • UPC Legal Compass: Jurisdictional challenges at the UPC – infringement v validity?, 14 February 2025
  • Nominati tre nuovi giudici UPC in Germania: la parola ai colleghi tedeschi, 24 May 2024
  • FCJ and priority rights: Is this the end of formal priority challenges?, 04 April 2024
  • News from the UPC – How to validly opt-out your European Patent?, 22 February 2024

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper in 2022 David has worked at another international law firm in Munich for four years with a focus in IP.

Memberships and Affiliations

German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR)

My latest insights

Publication

Establishing precedent – the UPC's developing approach to assessing inventive step

1 December 2025

Publication

UPC Legal Compass: Decisions by default – missing procedural deadlines at the UPC remains...

18 September 2025 .6 minute read

Publication

UPC Legal Compass: Jurisdictional challenges at the UPC – infringement v validity?

14 February 2025 .3 minute read

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Phone

+49 89 232372119
(Work, Munich)
+49 162 249 7942
(Mobile)
+49 89 232372100
(Fax, Munich)