History

Today, Blum continues to be one of the largest and most reputable patent and trademark attorney firms of Switzerland.

Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court

A further option for patent protection and enforcement in 17 EU states that Blum uses for its clients.

Dr Antje Rey and Joel Hochreutener join the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors is complemented by Dr Siegfried Grimm.

Martin Toleti joins the Board of Directors.

Swiss Federal Patent Court in St. Gallen

The newly created civil court of first instance in patent matters takes up its work. Blum regularly represents clients and provides part-time judges.

Electronic device

Design USD 672769 by Apple

Stabilised mRNA with increased G/C content, coding for a viral antigen

Patent EP 1857122 B1 by Curevac

Acquisition and integration of the law firm Meyer Marks AG, which specialises in trademark law

Its previous managing director, Mathias Meyer, joins the company as a partner: This represents a further step towards increasing efficiency and ensuring high quality in trade mark law.

Conversion of the patent and trademark law firm into the limited company E. Blum & Co. AG

Simultaneously, the owners Dr. Rudolf E. Blum and Eleonore Blum decide to transfer their holdings in the firm to the firm’s management members. Accordingly, Dr. Regula Rüedi, René Monsch, Rainer Schalch and Dr. Kurt Sutter, all senior members of the firm and members of the Board of Management, acquire E. Blum & Co. AG and manage the company as partners, as well as forming the firm’s Board of Directors. They are joined in 2007 by Brendan Bolli, also a senior partner and member of the firm’s existing Board of Management, as co-owner.

Mobile internet access (3G)

Patent US 6618592 by Ericsson

Urs Blum

Fourth generation joins the management

Dr Urs Blum was one of the first to introduce electronic data processing in a patent and trade mark law firm in Switzerland. He was also President of the Association of Swiss Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. He retired from the firm as a partner in 2006.

Entry into force of the European Patent Convention (EPC)

Patent protection can be obtained in many (now 39) European states via a European patent application. Switzerland and our law firm have been involved from the beginning.

Dispositif d’acchrochage (Velcro fastener)

Patent application CH 295638 A by George de Mestral

Rudolf E. Blum

Entry of the third generation into the management, which Rudolf E. Blum shared with his father until 1959

At that time, the office employed 55 people. Like his father, Rudolf Blum published numerous works. Perhaps his most important one is “The Swiss Patent Law”, a commentary on the 1954 federal law that he co-authored with Prof. Mario Pedrazzini. He also took on extensive responsibilities of a voluntary nature, serving as president of the Association of Swiss Patent Attorneys, as general secretary as well as honorary president of the AIPPI, and as a judge at the Cantonal Commercial Court of Zürich. Under his guidance, the firm expanded to include an independent law division.

Laundry hanging device (rotary clothes dryer)

Patent CH 255080 A by Walter Steiner

Secret communication system (Frequency hopping method)

Patent US 2292387 A by Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil

Eugen Blum

After the death of his father, the law firm, now fully family-owned again, is taken over by his son Eugen Blum, who had already been in the business since 1911

At that time, the office employed 27 persons and was the undisputed leader among patent firms in Switzerland, accounting for 15 % of all patents issued. Eugen Blum undertook to rebuild the AIPPI which had faltered during World War I. He was its general secretary from 1925 to 1961. Under his dynamic leadership, the organization expanded to play a decisive role in patent legislation. The reactivation of the AIPPI was also his accomplishment. He was permanent secretary of this organization until 1961.

During both world wars, the need for neutral representation of client interest in opposing countries grew considerably. Patents from countries in conflict were often sequestered during the wars, so the law firm was frequently involved in resolving such issues within the scope of peace treaties.

First Patent Act in Switzerland

For the time being, patent protection only for goods that could be represented by models

Electric-lighting apparatus (Light bulb)

Patent US 224329 A by Thomas Alva Edison

Emil Blum

Foundation of a technical office for factory equipment in Zurich

Emil Blum quickly gained a reputation as a specialist in patent issues. Engineer Moritz Veith became a partner in 1883, and the name of the firm was changed to E. Blum & Co. Emil Blum was deeply committed to establishing patent law provisions with nationwide validity. After two draft bills were rejected, his efforts finally culminated in success with the ratification of a constitutional clause in 1887. The skills Emil Blum acquired over the years in this battle to achieve effective protection for inventions soon gained international recognition for his company, and patent matters became its most important practice area. Emil Blum was instrumental in the formation of the Association of Swiss Patent Attorneys and actively involved in the International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property (AIPPI).