Awards
Handelsblatt "Deutschlands beste Anwälte"
6 | 2026: The Handelsblatt ranking „Beste Anwälte des Jahres 2026“ has been published online (24.06.2026). Attorney-at-Law Pannen and patent attorneys Kreuels, Kahlhöfer and Kreuzberg are recommended here as experts in intellectual property law. The U.S. publisher Best Lawyers compiled the list exclusively for the Handelsblatt.
9 | 2025: Handelsblatt Ranking 2025: Kreuels Henrichs IP is among the best law firms in Germany. The survey is based on a peer-to-peer survey by Best Lawyers. Further information is available at Handelsblatt Online (25.09.2025).
9 | 2024: Best Lawyers announces the Best Lawyers in Germany. Our firm is listed in Tier 2 / North Rhine-Westphalia / Intellectual Property Law.
Best Lawyers | Handelsblatt: Deutschlands Beste Anwälte
6 | 2026: Another recognition from Best Lawyers 2027.
Kreuels Henrichs Pannen is among the Best Law Firms in Germany for Intellectual Property Law (Germany - North Rhine-Westphalia - Tier 1).
6 | 2025: Best Lawyers has announced the Best Lawyers in Germany. Our law firm Kreuels Henrichs IP is listed in Tier 2 / North Rhine-Westphalia / Intellectual Property Law. Further information: Handelsblatt Online (12.06.2025).
6 | 2024: Hermann Kahlhöfer has been included in the current 2024 ranking as Best Lawyer in the field of Intellectual Property.
6 | 2023: Justus Kreuels has been awarded as „Lawyer of the Year (Nordrhein-Westfalen)” in the category Intellectual Property Law.
Since 2020, patent attorney Justus Kreuels has been listed in the Best Lawyers ranking published by the U.S. firm of the same name. Philipp Henrichs was also recognized as a Best Lawyer in the field of intellectual property in 2020.
Managing IP: IP Stars
6 | 2026: Kreuels Henrichs Pannen has been recognized in the latest MIP ranking as a Managing IP "Trusted Talent Firm". Attorney-at-Law Henrichs and Patent Attorney Kreuels are recommended in this ranking.
10 | 2025: Justus Kreuels and und Philipp Henrichs are listed in the Managing IP – IP STARS 2025 ranking.
Since 2021, patent attorney Kreuels (Düsseldorf) has been named a Notable Practitioner in Managing IP’s annually published ranking.
Managing IP is a leading international publisher specializing in intellectual property and serves law firms, companies, and IP experts worldwide. Managing IP is particularly well-known for its IP STARS rankings, which are among the most prestigious international rankings in the field of intellectual property.
WirtschaftsWoche Top Kanzleien
The Handelsblatt Research Institute conducts annual peer-to-peer surveys, which result in the annual “Patent, Copyright and Product Liability Law” ranking published in autumn.
10 | 2023: As part of the publication of the "Top Law Firms 2023", patent attorney Justus Kreuels was highlighted as a “highly recommended lawyer”.
IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals
IAM presents the 1,000 best lawyers, law firms and companies active in patent law in the practice areas of “prosecution and nullity”, “transactions” and “infringement”. The annual IAM-guide published by Law Business Research comments:
6 | 2026: IAM Patent 1000 2026: IAM Patent 1000 - Germany - Individuals: Prosecution and Nullity (Justus Kreuels, Bronze) & Luminaries (Hermann Kahlhöfer).
7 | 2025:Over at Kreuels Henrichs IP Justus Kreuels and Hermann Kahlhöfer are the names to know. Kreuels is a creative thinker with the technical know-how to craft rock-solid patent applications. His attention to detail ensures securing and maintaining patent protection is a seamless journey. While Kahlhöfer’s extensive experience, both in-house and in private practice, allows him to view issues through a multifaceted lens, delivering advice that is not only insightful but also commercially savvy.
7 | 2024: Kreuels is a perceptive strategist who does a brilliant job at seeing patents through to grant and ensuring innovations remain safeguarded at the German Federal Court as well as at the EPO. (...) For companies in the fields of electrical engineering, medical technology and physics, Hermann Kahlhöfer is the name to note. A well-respected name on the German IP scene, he brings more than three decades of wisdom to the table to diligently serve his clientele.
7 | 2023: About Justus Kreuels: Recent highlights concern prosecution work in the processing and packaging field; portfolio management for Bucher Hydraulics, a leading international supplier of innovative hydraulic drive and control technology; and technical support for a chemical company in court proceedings. “Justus anticipates client needs and delivers. He understands the core issues quickly and he finds solutions efficiently.” Hermann Kahlhöfer is described as the deeply experienced Hermann Kahlhöfer, who has been working in the field of intellectual property for more than 40 years .
7 | 2022: In this issue, the patent attorneys are described as hotshot patent drafter Justus Kreuels (...) und veteran portfolio manager Hermann Kahlhöfer, whose influence stretches beyond Europe and across the United States and Asia.
7 | 2021: IAM about Justus Kreuels: “Unafraid to dive into the detail”, mechanical engineer Kreuels conducts “unprecedented levels of research” to produce “reassuringly precise applications”. About Hermann Kahlhöfer: A physicist, patent attorney and qualified patent assessor who continues to advise on portfolio management across Europe, the United States and Asia.
7 | 2020: IAM comments: Justus Kreuels is well versed in automotive and computer science technologies; he provides insightful infringement and validity opinions.. It goes on to say Hermann Kahlhöfer, who manages portfolios involving everything from engines to textile machines and power generation with a defttouch”.
WTR 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals
IAM Global Leaders
This guide lists patent attorneys who are recommended in Tier 1 (gold tier) in the IAM PATENT 1000 ranking.
Since 2021 patent attorney Hermann Kahlhöfer is yearly recommended by IAM Global Leaders, again in 2025, as Global Leader.
Lexology Index - Germany
(Who’s Who Legal)
The Lexology Index presents leading lawyers who are named by clients and colleagues as notable practitioners in the German legal market. Kreuels Henrichs IP is recommended in the field of intellectual property law.
Since 2021 patent attorney Justus Kreuels is recommended in the annual guide Lexology Index: IP (formerly Who's Who Legal: IP) in the category Patent Agents & Attorneys. The ranking is updated annually in the summer, most recently in August 2025.
More than 1,500 lawyers from various legal specialist areas are listed in the national report Lexology Index Germany each year.
Leaders League
Justus Kreuels and Philipp Henrichs are recommended in the current Leaders League Germany 2026 rankings (Germany, Intellectual Property).
The Paris-based international publisher releases rankings for corporate law firms, consulting firms, and executives. Country-specific rankings are published annually in various areas of law, including intellectual property. Justus Kreuels has been listed in the Leaders League ranking for Germany since 2021.
Legal 500 Deutschland
Every spring, Legal 500 publishes its guide to the leading law firms and lawyers in Germany in various specialist areas, including patent law: Patent attorneys: Applications and official proceedings.
2 | 2026: Legal 500 - Firms to Watch: Kreuels Henrichs Pannen is listed in Legal 500 IP ranking Patent Law ("Patentanwälte - Anmeldungen und Amtsverfahren").
3 | 2025: Kreuels Henrichs IP is presented as Firm to Watch in this year's ranking by Legal 500 Patent prosecution in Germany
2 | 2024: This issue states: ‘As a patent attorney, Justus Kreuels has a very high level of technological as well as legal and commercial expertise.’
2 | 2023: Clients say: ‘Justus Kreuels: Reliable lawyer with in-depth understanding of technical issues/challenges.’
Lexology Client Choice
The Client Choice Award (presented by Lexology) recognizes lawyers for outstanding service and client care. The research is based on a survey of in-house counsel. Justus Kreuels was honored with the Client Choice Award (Kategorie: Patents) in 2022.