Christian W. Appelt studied physics, majoring in Solid State Physics (Dipl. Phys. equivalent to MSc) at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Besides his professional career in Europe, he worked in Japan for two years for a patent law firm in Osaka, in the patent department of Ebara Corporation, and in the IP department of Sony Corporation in Tokyo.

Christian W. Appelt regularly teaches intellectual property law, especially at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Tokyo and at Osaka University (Intellectual Property Center, IPrism). Since 2004, he is an assistant professor at the University of Applied Sciences, Kiel, Germany. Additionally, he regularly gives lectures at events and seminars of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), of the EPO, and of the Association of German Engineers (VDI).

Together with his partner Heinz Goddar, Christian W. Appelt wrote the EPC Handbook – Guide for Practitioner, which has been published in Japan already in its 4th edition, and which has also been published in China, Taiwan, India, and in Arabic language.

Best Lawyers is listing Christian W. Appelt in its peer-reviewed “Best Lawyers in Germany” continuously since 2009. Also, other publications such as JUVE and IAM Patent 1000 have been listing Christian W. Appelt for many years as a highly recommended patent attorney. Managing Intellectual Property ranks him as an “IP Star” in his core professional areas “Filing & Prosecution”, “Opposition & Appeals”, as well as in “Litigation”.

Christian W. Appelt is a member of the Board of the German chapter of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) since 2010, acting as President from 2018 to 2020 and currently as “Immediate Past President”. He is also member of the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR).