Fields of Practice
We serve our clients in all intellectual property-related fields, primarily patents, trademarks and designs, but also in all other IP areas, like copyright, domain names, and licensing. We provide all the services involved with the prosecution as well as litigation of such matters.
Patents
Obtaining a patent is the best way to protect your inventions. Patents give you a limited monopoly to exclude others from making, using or selling your inventions. For many organizations, patents protect their core business and provide a competitive advantage.
The road to a granted patent can be long, tedious and lined with complex technical and legal issues. Having a broad variety of highly technical backgrounds, our team is skilled in patent law and capable of resolving any issue, legal or technical, that may arise during the procurement process. We combine our experience in the arts, sciences and technologies with our knowledge of the law to obtain the strongest legal protection for your invention.
From the simplest mechanical design to the most complicated cutting-edge technology of microelectronics, we have the talent and know-how to successfully secure a patent for your idea.
Following the increasing need for protection in states all over the world we can secure your rights far beyond Germany and Europe. Using a worldwide network of patent attorneys and our own experience, filing and prosecution outside of Europe is our daily business.
Services
- Prosecution of German patent applications before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court and the German Federal Supreme Court
- Prosecution of European patent applications before the European Patent Office
- Prosecution of international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) before the German Patent Office, the European Patent Office and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
- Validation of European patents and nationalisation of PCT applications in Germany
- Opposition procedures before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office, the German Federal Patent Court and the Federal Supreme Court
- Cancellation actions before the German Federal Patent Court and the German Federal Supreme Court
- Infringement procedures before German courts
- Compulsory license actions before the German Federal Patent Court and the German Federal Supreme Court
Trademarks
Trademarks symbolize your identity in the marketplace. A distinctive trademark can be an organization’s most valuable asset. Trademarks can represent a product, service or an overall reputation. Realizing the importance of image in today’s highly competitive society, we work to secure trademark protection for your ideas.
We can help you to develop a strong trademark here in Europe and abroad. We have secured trademarks in the major countries of the world. With our worldwide monitoring of trademarks, we are able to detect competitor’s activities in an early stage and develop a proactive strategy to defend your rights.
Services
- Prosecution of German trademarks, Community trademarks and international trademarks under the Madrid Convention and its Protocol
- Opposition procedures before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court, the German Federal Supreme Court and the Community Trademark Office
- Cancellation procedures before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court, the German Federal Supreme Court and the Community Trademark Office (OHIM)
- Infringement procedures before German courts
- Monitoring of trademarks worldwide
Designs
The design or shape of a product can be synonymous with the branding and imaging of a company and is an asset with a monetary value. That value is meant to increase. Without design protection, others may benefit from your investments.
We can help you to get the right level of protection for your design.
Services
- Prosecution of German design model applications before the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court and the German Federal Supreme Court
- Prosecution of European design model applications before the Office for the Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) and before the European Court of Justice
- Prosecution of international design model applications under the Hague Convention before the World Industrial Property Organization (WIPO)
- Infringement and cancellation procedures before German courts
Litigation
Competition in the marketplace has intensified, and litigation has become an important tool in protecting patents. Unfortunately, the existence of a patent is not always enough to prevent others from using your invention. Relying on both our knowledge of the law and our technical ability to understand your invention, we can develop a proactive strategy for patent infringement litigation.
Licensing
The successful securing of protection for your ideas requires many resources. Licensing your protected ideas can provide a financial return on your investment. We can advise you on various licensing possibilities and can prepare licensing agreements and also contact interested parties on your behalf.
Services
A broad portfolio of services around intellectual property rights complements our primary fields of practice.
- Searches for patents, utility models, trademarks and designs
- Renewals of patents, utility models, trademarks and design registrations
- Monitoring of patents and trademarks
- Legal searches
- Legal opinions
- Law relating to inventions of employees, inventor's bonus