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Frank Valentin

Partner
Global co-chair Media, Sport and Entertainment
Frank Valentin is quite a force when it comes to complex IP law matters. He thinks many steps ahead and helps his client to find well-substantiated and pragmatic solutions to legal problems.
Client, Chambers Europe 2024
About

With over 25 years’ experience in intellectual property, particularly in a dematerialised world, Frank Valentin leads the Intellectual Property practice in France.

Specializing in complex litigation (trademark, patent, copyright), he has made the search for innovative legal strategies the hallmark of his team. He advises mainly in the TMT sector (technology, media and telecommunications), in particular with US industry leaders, as well as in the Life Sciences sector, where he assists major players in the pharmaceutical industry with their patent disputes.

Working closely with top management, Frank assists companies in their protection and development strategies for their intangible assets, especially in the implementation of contracting policies (technology transfer - licensing - in particular) and the development of in anti-counterfeiting campaigns in cooperation with the customs services.

With his team he has designed and developed for his clients a comprehensive and global offer for the management of trademark, design and copyright, and domain names. This expertise is conducted at an early stage in the operating process and extends to any administrative proceedings before the French, European or WIPO offices, and of course judicial proceedings.

Professional QualificationsAvocat admitted to the Paris Bar
Languages
  • French
  • English
  • Spanish
Education
  • University Paris XI (Sceaux), Master's Degree (Master 2) in Intellectual Property and New Technologies Law, 1994 – 1995
  • University Paris XI (Sceaux), Master’s Degree in Business and contracts Law, 1989 – 1994

Awards

Individual Rankings :

Frank is regularly ranked by Best Lawyers, Chambers, Legal 500, IP Stars, IamTrademark, Who's Who Legal, World Trademark Review, IAM Patent 1000, Media Law International.

  • Chambers Europe – Band 4 – Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright – 2024
  • Legal 500 – Leading Individual – Intellectual Property : Trade Mark & Design – 2024
  • Best Lawyers-Advertising Law; Entertainment Law; Information Technology Law; Intellectual Property Law; Media Law; Privacy and Data Security Law; Technology Law – 2010-25
  • Managing IP Awards 2024 EMEA – Impact Case of the Year

Teams Rankings :

  • Chambers Europe – Band 1 – TMT – 2024
  • Legal 500 – Tier 1 – Intellectual Property : Trade Mark & Design – 2024
  • Legal 500 – Tier 3 – Intellectual Property : Copyright – 2024
  • Legal 500 – Tier 4 – Intellectual Property : Patents – 2024

Publications

Podcast series on Patent litigation:

  • Episode 4 - Enforcement of UPC decisions, 23 September 2022
  • Episode 3 - How to choose the right court, 26 August 2022

Regular publications on intellectual property, media and information technology issues, including recently:

  • “Future revolutions in the financing of French cinema, Jean-Jacques Manceau, Journalist“, Forbes France, November 2020
  • “The film industry since the post-lockdown era: flashbacks and prospects”, Dalloz Actualités, October 2020
  • “Coronavirus and cinema: murky scenario“, Dalloz, May 2020
  • “The media chronology, collateral victim of the coronavirus?”, L'Opinion, April 2020
  • “The media chronology”, CBNews, April 2020
  • “Chronology of the media: Crossed views France and the United States in the aftermath of the adoption of the emergency law”, Le Monde du Droit, April 2020
  • Collaboration with the French Court of Auditors (Cour des Comptes) on the public report about “Fight against counterfeiting” published on March 3, 2020 (proposed courses of action aiming at strengthening the rights of consumers and IP rights owners) (La lutte contre les contrefaçons | Cour des comptes (ccomptes.fr)).
  • “Progress and dangers of the digitalisation of justice for its actors”, L’Agefi Hebdo, February 2020

 

Seminars

  • Global DLA Piper Sports Forum, Paris 2024: organizer and moderator
  • Medias en Seine, Paris 2023: “What future for SVOD in France?”
  • International Trademark Association (INTA) Annual Meeting: “Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights over Fictional Characters: Are Diamonds Forever?”

Prior Experience

Frank Valentin was admitted to the Paris Bar in 1998, graduated with a DESS (post-graduate degree) in Intellectual Property and New Technologies Law and obtained 2 Mention of specialisation from the Paris Bar in New Technologies, Information Technology and Communication Law. Before joining DLA, Frank Valentin was successively a partner in two highly reputed French law firms. He notably co-founded one of them before being in charge for more than 15 years of the development of the intellectual property law practice, a development that he also carried out in his most recent experience, with a strong international trend.

Additional qualifications

  • Frank teaches Intellectual Property and Information Technology Litigation at the University of Paris XI of Sceaux since 2004.
  • Since 2023, he has also been teaching intellectual property to student auctioneers at ESCP Business school.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • INTA (International Trademark Association) - Famous and Well-Known Marks Committee
  • IBA (International Bar Association) – Media Law Committee; Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee
  • AIPPI (Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle) IT & Internet Standing Committee
  • APRAM (Association des Praticiens Marques Modèles)
  • MARQUES (Association of European Trademark Owners)
  • AAPI (Association des Avocats de Propriété Industrielle)
  • APEB (Association des Praticiens Européens des Brevets)

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