Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018 
Dr. Dirk Harmsen is a German Patent Attorney based in Munich and a partner at VOSSIUS & PARTNER Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte mbB since 2008. He is an authorized representative before the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). His practice focuses on Intellectual Property Law and Pharmaceuticals Law, advising clients on the protection and enforcement of patent rights in Europe and Germany.
Dr. Harmsen works extensively on patent grant, opposition, and nullity proceedings before the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office, and the German Federal Patent Court. He also prepares validity analyses, freedom-to-operate opinions, and intellectual property due diligence assessments to support business transactions, research activities, and market entry strategies.
His technical background includes pharmaceutical chemistry, pesticides, and polymer chemistry, including polymerization catalysts. This scientific training supports his work with patent portfolios and complex patent matters involving chemical and pharmaceutical technologies.
Dr. Harmsen has participated in patent infringement disputes relating to pharmaceutical compounds and technologies, including matters involving the active agents torasemide, oxaliplatin, and methotrexate. His experience also includes representation in appeal proceedings before the German Federal Court of Justice.
Clients include small and medium-sized businesses as well as international companies, particularly from the United States, Japan, Israel, and across Europe, seeking guidance on patent protection, intellectual property strategy, and pharmaceutical-related technologies.
Dr. Harmsen studied chemistry at the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster, concentrating on organic and organometallic chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in bioorganometallic chemistry.
At VOSSIUS & PARTNER, Dr. Harmsen also helps organize and conduct an annual two-week training program on European and German Patent Law. The program has been held for more than 25 years and is attended by participants from Germany and other countries.
