Presentation

Beau de Loménie was founded in 1930 by Gilbert Beau de Loménie and André Armengaud.

From the very outset, the firm was marked by its innovative and pioneering character, using the most advanced technologies of its era. Distinguishing itself from its competitors, Beau de Loménie was the first IP firm to set up a comprehensive indexing of patent documentation, and also the first to develop its own technical classification system. At a time when no databases existed in the field, these data collection and filing systems allowed the firm to offer its clients exclusive, high-quality searching services.

Driven by André Armengaud, a senator representing French subjects overseas, Beau de Loménie concentrated on its international expansion since its creation in the 1930s. The firm naturally developed particularly strong relationships in Europe, but also beyond, particularly in the United States o America.

Under the guidance of a second generation of partners, Beau de Loménie continued its ethos of innovation. In the 1960s, to facilitate the management of annuity payments, the firm became one of the first IP practices to acquire a computer. An exclusive IT system dedicated to the administration of IP rights was also developed within the firm.

Right from the early 1960s, Cabinet Beau de Loménie actively developed a structured international network of overseas correspondents, and also established close working relationships throughout Asia, particularly in Japan.

In 1968, the firm opened its first branch office in Marseille, before launching another office in Lyon in 1972.

In the 1980s, Beau de Loménie continued its policy of increasing its proximity to clients throughout France, as a new regional office was opened in Lille.

In order to monitor developments brought about by growing globalization, the next generation of partners was determined to reinforce the firm’s European presence. In the 1990s a German office was established in Munich, the home of the European Patent Office (EPO). In the first years of the new century, the firm strengthened its European position with additional offices in Germany (Duisburg) and the United Kingdom (Birmingham).

The firm has also pursued its commitment to a global outlook by hiring employees of Japanese culture and language to better serve its Japanese clients. Likewise, in 2009, the firm repeated this objective for its Chinese clients, while at the same time recruiting professionals from various backgrounds in order to reinforce the multidisciplinary and international nature of its team.

Currently, Beau de Loménie is perpetuating this tradition of innovation and globalisation.

Now more than ever, the firm is mindful of the latest technological developments, in order to provide its clients with the most modern and efficient management tools. Therefore, the firm is developing services for online consultation of IP rights, documentary searches, and monitoring technological developments. As such, BDL-IP Access was developed and made available to the firm’s clients, providing them with support on a daily basis to help them protect and optimise their IP rights.

The firm has also continued its policy of global development by consolidating its network of foreign correspondents throughout the world to meet the needs of its clients year-after-year. Aside from Europe and Japan, the firm’s teams have particularly cultivated and cemented relationships already forged for years with the USA, China, and Korea. The current generation of partners has thus implemented a new strategy enabling the firm to remain at the cutting edge of innovations and developments in the IP sector. Being especially active within key professional associations, the firm meets each of the correspondents with whom the firm works one or more times a year, in order to ensure the highest quality of service.