Rolf, born in Chungking, China, and fluent in five languages, joined De Sola Pate & Brown in 1995 as Of Counsel upon his retirement from Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).  At PDVSA Rolf was the Manager of the Patent and Licensing Division (1988-1994) and was the founder of the Trademark and Patent Department of the Venezuelan Petroleum Research Institute (INTEVEP).

At the firm, Rolf heads our patent practice.  His other areas of specialization include intellectual property, licensing and technology transfer, environmental law and arbitration.

● Education: Rolf received has a degree in chemical engineering from the Universidad Central de Venezuela (1962), a doctoral degree in mechanical and process engineering from Karlsruhe University (1969), and a law degree from the Universidad Central de Venezuela (1993).  In addition, he holds certificates in Executive Business Administration from Texas A&M (1968), Executive Business Administration from Michigan University (1986), and in  Patents, Trade Secrets and Licensing from the Franklin Pierce Law Center (1988).

● Professional Affiliations: Rolf is a member of the Bars of the Miranda State and of the Capital District of Caracas.  He is also a member of the Association of Venezuelan Industrial Property Agents (COVAPI), the Security, Health and Environment Committee of the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce, and of the Legal Orientation Committee (of which he is President) of the German Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce (CAVENAL).

● Publications: Among some of Rolf’s more important publications are the following:

"The Economy's Administrative and Judicial Regime and the Protection of Industrial Property", “The Intellectual Property, Keeping it and Increasing its Value”, “Negotiating and Contracting Technology” "The Andean Court and its Effects on Integration," "Inflation and its Corrections through Monetary Adjustments," and "Pacific Resolution of International Conflicts,"

●Languages: Spanish, English, German, Italian and French.