Nicola Benz's practice focuses on technology and IP transactions. She assists companies of all sizes, from start-ups to established players, as well as investors, suppliers and customers across a broad range of industries and sectors.

Ms Benz's expertise — gathered both as an external counsel and through in-house secondments — covers licensing, joint ventures and collaborations, outsourcing, assignments and associated IP issues. She advises on franchising, sponsorship and trademark exploitation, the sale and purchase of trademark portfolios, and the protection and defence of brand rights on the internet and elsewhere. She also has considerable experience advising on all types of commercial contract, competition and regulatory issues and data protection.

Ms Benz is recognised as a leading trademark, patent and technology licensing lawyer in professional publications and listings such as WTR1000 and Chambers Europe, which praises her "intelligence, responsiveness, pragmatism and ability to turn around very detailed comments quickly".

Born in Scotland, Ms Benz obtained her law degree from the University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons) in 1997. She joined Froriep as associate in 2002, became a partner in 2010, and managing partner in 2017.

Her working languages are English and German.

Ms Benz is a member of the Zurich and Swiss Bar Associations, the International Trademark Association, the Licensing Executives Society and the International Technology Law Association.

Read more about Nicola here.

Sara Blotner is a Director and Associate General Counsel for Intellectual Property at Citigroup Inc. Since 1998, Sara has handled all aspects of IP for Citigroup and all of its subsidiaries on a global basis.  Her primary practice areas include worldwide trademark counseling, clearance, prosecution and conflicts, right of publicity, corporate transactions, licensing, internet and social media. 

Sara began her career with the trademark group of Fish & Neave and went in-house to NBA Properties Inc. in 1995. Sara graduated cum laude from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Sara has lectured on Intellectual Property issues for the International Trademark Association, Foley and Lardner, Holland and Knight, Kilpatrick Stockton, Lawyer’s Alliance, National Association of Women Lawyers, NYIPLA, Practicing Law Institute, Pro Bono Partnership and ALM.

Peter is Head of our highly regarded Intellectual Property, Technology and Privacy team. He advises clients on all aspects of privacy law in respect of compliance, registration, international transfers, policies and audits including the GDPR.

Peter is Head of our highly regarded Intellectual Property, Technology and Privacy team.

His substantial practice centres on assisting national and international clients in dealing with the Irish and EU aspects of IP protection, strategy, commercialisation and enforcement, domestic and cross-border commercial, IP, tech and tax-related agreements and re-organisations and all aspects of technology agreements from enterprise to SaaS licensing (with a focus on fintech).

Peter advises clients on all aspects of privacy law in respect of compliance, registration, international transfers, policies and audits including the GDPR.

Peter also specialises in media law for Irish and multinational clients.

Peter is an Irish solicitor and an Irish and European Trade Mark and Design Attorney.

Read more about Peter here. 

Larry has been a trademark and copyright attorney for over 25 years.  Since December 2015, he has been Chief Trademark Counsel at Teva Pharmaceuticals, in Horsham, PA.  There, he is responsible for managing Teva’s team of trademark professionals, who handle Teva’s portfolio of almost 35,000 trademarks in dozens of countries worldwide.

Prior to Teva, Larry’s in-house experience included almost 17 years at Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, NJ.  While at J&J, he was the trademark attorney responsible for many of J&J’s well-known brands, including TYLENOL® , MOTRIN®, REACH® toothbrushes, and OneTouch® blood glucose monitors and test strips, as well as significant portions of J&J’s pharmaceutical trademark portfolio, including REMICADE® and STELARA®. He also worked on numerous character license agreements on behalf of the BAND-AID® brand, as well as J&J’s sponsorship of the Olympics and soccer’s World Cup.

Larry has also been an outside counsel, namely, as a Member of the Intellectual Property Group of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, in Philadelphia, PA.  While there, his practice focused on trademark, copyright, and unfair competition law, including trademark portfolio management; trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings; and unfair competition matters, including advertising issues, protection against counterfeit goods and marks, and misappropriation of trade dress.

Larry was an associate at Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, as well as Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.