Dr. Guillaume Fournier
Partner, Zurich/Lausanne
T +41 58 552 03 10
guillaume.fournier@mll-legal.com
Profile
Guillaume Fournier is a partner with MLL Legal and co-head of the firm’s trademark and design group. His practice encompasses all aspects of IP law, with a focus on IP litigation and arbitration, trademark and design prosecution and contractual and commercial intellectual property. He has extensive experience in litigating IP (both technical and non-technical) as well as commercial cases in both the French and German-speaking parts of Switzerland. Having taken care of clients’ IP issues in China for a long time and practised in China for a year, he regularly advises rights holders on China-related IP and anti-counterfeiting strategies (both inbound and outbound). Over the years, he has developed a special expertise on strategies to fight product piracy on a multijurisdictional level.
Guillaume Fournier also regularly advises on IP and competition issues related to R&D, product development as well as distribution agreements. His clients are active in a wide range of industries, including luxury goods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, furniture, technology, automotive and wine. Before joining MLL Legal in 2005, Guillaume Fournier spent several years with the Swiss Intellectual Property Office in Bern. He is a former president of the AROPI, the Swiss French-speaking intellectual property association and as such, involved in many of the major developments of IP law in Switzerland. He is also lecturer for the Swiss patent attorneys’ preparation course.
Practice Areas
Industry Groups
Rankings & Awards
- “Guillaume Fournier is quick to understand the needs of his following and aligns his strategy to suit their overall business needs. He brings particular expertise on the Chinese IP market and dispenses sage advice on anti-counterfeiting in the country” – World Trademark Review 1000, 2024
- “Guillaume Fournier – fantastic and responsive with a great handle on dealing with Swiss courts. Would highly recommend using him” – Legal 500 EMEA, Intellectual Property, 2023
- “Partnering with Guillaume is always constructive; he is pragmatic, extremely quick to react and has an incredibly detailed knowledge of Swiss case law and Swiss IP office practice” – World Trademark Review 1000, 2023
- “Guillaume Fournier is super knowledgeable about trade mark law and a very smart litigator who understands the Swiss court room. Great to work with and a real team player” – Legal 500 EMEA, Intellectual Property, 2022
- “Guillaume is a high-calibre all-rounder” – World Trademark Review 1000, 2022
- “Guillaume Fournier is extremely reactive and constructive in his advice, and his analysis is always practical and of great value. He cultivates a pleasant working relationship too” – World Trademark Review 1000, 2021
Deals & Cases
- Obtained more than 1 Million EURO in damages and the destruction of over 30’000 counterfeited products in several customs seizing proceedings over the past two years
- Coordinated several judicial and administrative actions in China for a Swiss cosmetics producer against counterfeiters until they agree to cease and desist and cleared the market
- Advises the largest wine producer in Switzerland on trademark and design protection worldwide
Education & Admission
- University of Fribourg, Dr. iur. (2009)
- Admitted to the bar in Switzerland (2007)
- University of Fribourg, Free University of Berlin, lic. iur. (2000)
Memberships and public offices
- President of the Association romande de propriété intellectuelle (AROPI)
- Swiss Association for Intellectual Property Law (INGRES)
- International Trademark Association (INTA)
- International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
Languages
- German
- French
- English
Publications
Assistant
Publications
News Portal
Firm News
“Partnering with Guillaume is always constructive; he is pragmatic, extremely quick to react and has an incredibly detailed knowledge of Swiss case law and Swiss IP office practice”