We stand for innovation – since 1851.
For more than 175 years, we have protected and defended ideas, technologies and intellectual property. We have represented Thomas A. Edison, George M. Pullman and many others throughout our history. Then as now, we support inventors and companies with technical expertise, legal precision and strategic insight.
From a 19th-century Bureau for Privileges to today's European patent practice – a brief look at the people and milestones that shaped SONN.
Founded in Vienna by Frederik Paget (1805–1867), an English inventor and entrepreneur awarded at the Great London Exposition of 1862 for his waterproof textiles and covers.
Ernst Gottlieb Julius Moeller and English inventor John Hardy (1821–1896) join the firm, which becomes a leading address for inventors across the Habsburg Empire and beyond.
Charles Octavius Paget (1846–1909) succeeds his father. John George Hardy (1851–1914) – inventor of the automatic one-chamber vacuum brake, gold medal at the 1879 Paris Exhibition – shapes the firm's technical reputation.
C. O. Paget and E. G. J. Moeller publish a comparative treatise on patent protection in Austria-Hungary, Germany, Great Britain and France – a foundational work for the profession.
Under Arthur Baumann, Johann Bing (1893–1945) and Alfred Lant, the firm extends its international reach. It becomes the seat of the Austrian Institute of Patent Attorneys and founds the Österreichische Blätter für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz, the Austrian Journal for IP.
After the war, Prof. Robert Ettenreich (1890–1951) of the Technical University of Vienna and Alexander Sonn (1900–1971) restart the firm, restoring its position at the heart of Austrian patent practice.
Heinrich Pawloy (1924–2007) and Helmut Sonn (1939–2025) lead the firm through decades of European integration, building today's international network and the practice that bears the Sonn name.
From Vienna and Linz, SONN represents inventors and companies worldwide – combining 170+ years of heritage with modern tools like our proprietary client portal, Port.
Behind every invention lies more than just an idea – it is the product of hard work, risk, and creativity. We protect it with the same dedication that brought it to life. Whether patent, trademark, or design: we make sure that your intellectual property does not remain an abstract concept, but becomes a robust asset.
Ideas know no borders – and neither do we. We take your intellectual property wherever your market is: with an international network built over many decades, and the commitment to representing your interests worldwide with the same diligence as in our home market.
Trust takes time. We nurture client relationships often over many decades. We live by the same continuity internally: we foster our talent for the long term and train the next generation of attorneys ourselves. What has grown over time will last.
From the first idea to global enforcement – our patent attorneys are here to represent your interests in Austria, in Europe and throughout the world.
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