mzb.de, an IP law firm based in Germany specializing in patent application support and IP consulting, transitioned to PatentRenewal.com to simplify their portfolio management. 

Elmar Meyer zu Bexten, European Patent Attorney at the firm, shared his experience of automating a previously manual process, reducing inefficiencies, and optimizing their workload.

The challenge

Before switching to PatentRenewal.com, the firm’s patent renewals were managed manually. This approach posed several challenges:

  • Time-intensive processes: With a small team and no large back office, managing renewals in-house took valuable time away from core responsibilities as patent attorneys.
  • Risk of missed deadlines: Monitoring deadlines manually left room for errors and increased stress over potential lapses.‍
  • Lack of transparency: Handling renewals in-house without a centralized system made it difficult to track costs and patent statuses.

“For us, it’s also a matter of security, making sure no due dates are missed. Transactional work is outside our usual scope of activities, and the effort connected with these manual renewals has just kept us from taking care of our core responsibilities as patent attorneys.”

Why PatentRenewal.com

When evaluating providers, the firm considered factors like ease of use, transparency, and customer support. 

After comparing several platforms, including many of the biggest companies in the industry, they found that PatentRenewal.com’s offerings best aligned with their needs.

  • Automation to reduce workload They needed a solution that could automate the process, eliminating the need for constant monitoring and manual tracking.
  • Security & deadline protection mzb.de sought a reliable system that would track deadlines automatically and send timely reminders, ensuring no renewal was ever overlooked.‍
  • Transparent & competitive pricing While cost was not their primary concern, PatentRenewal.com stood out with its clear, upfront pricing model, which provided full visibility into costs without unexpected fees.

“We've been looking at miscellaneous providers and comparing both prices, portals, and processes required to coordinate the renewals. And this is where, ultimately, we found you.”

Our solution

Switching to PatentRenewal.com brought immediate and noticeable improvements:

  • Time savings: Automating renewals freed up resources, allowing the firm to focus on legal expertise instead of administrative tasks.
"Up to last year we had to manually monitor the pending deadlines and then contact clients individually in order to obtain their approval of renewing the patents. And now I could just maintain the portfolio in your system and rely upon you to remind clients to pay their invoices and then ultimately to renew their patents.”‍
  • Improved security: The automated system reduced the risk of missing deadlines, providing peace of mind.
"The system’s reliability has eliminated the stress of manual oversight.”
  • Transparency & cost forecasting: The ability to track expenses and renewal statuses helped them better plan client budgets.
  • Custom branding for clients: The white-label functionality allowed them to integrate their branding, offering a more personalized client experience.
  • Seamless onboarding & support: Our Customer Success Representative, Lucia, provided responsive, hands-on assistance, making the transition easy.
"The customer experience team was extremely responsive. They smoothed the overall process a lot. It’s extremely helpful that you also have someone to talk to personally.”

These enhancements have streamlined the renewal process for mzb.de, providing enhanced control, security, and efficiency.

"Since we have a fairly international portfolio and a diverse set of clients, the effort and overhead connected with manually taking care of renewals has been ever-growing. But now the combination of automation, transparency, and excellent support has transformed how we manage renewals. It’s an investment in efficiency and peace of mind.”

Conclusion

With our fintech solution, the IP law firm has modernized its processes, saving time and resources while ensuring client portfolios are managed with precision. PatentRenewal.com enabled mzb.de to focus on their core legal work with confidence.

Ready to simplify your IP renewals and optimize your workflow? Contact us today for a free price comparison or book a meeting with one of our experts to learn more!