Grünecker offers comprehensive advice on trade mark law, ranging from portfolio management and trade mark applications to the coordination of EU-wide disputes; global corporations, medium-sized companies and start-ups also benefit from the practice's in-depth experience in border seizures as well as in cancellation and opposition proceedings. Maximilian Kinkeldey possesses know-how along the entire value chain of trademark law and is frequently instructed by blue-chip companies seeking representation in disputes, while the firm's strong China desk has a powerful advisor in Anja Franke who is a key contact for clients from the Asian region on filing and enforcement strategies within Europe. Holger Gauss impresses in the fashion, pharmaceutical and media sectors, while Nicolás Schmitz frequently advises international corporations from the luxury sector. The practice saw two changes at partner level at the beginning of 2022: Martin Aufenanger retired and Philipp Strommer (litigation) made associated partner.

With a 'willingness to familiarize themselves with all topics and to answer all questions soundly', Hamburg-based IP boutique Harmsen Utescher continues to be one of the top addresses for trade mark law. The firm covers the entire spectrum of intellectual property rights and is therefore able to also assist with pharmaceutical, competition, copyright and food law issues. In addition, all team members are well versed in litigation as well as prosecution and support clients at national and international level, including before the EUIPO and the Federal Court. The team's sector expertise is just as wide-ranging, including the fashion, tourism and pharmaceutical sectors among others. The practice's key contacts include Karin Sandberg (copyright and design law, media law), Till Lampel (design and copyright law) and Martin Kefferpütz (copyright and design law, German and European antitrust law).

CMS's trade mark advice spans the entire spectrum of relevant issues, from portfolio management to domain name disputes and border seizures. Life sciences and consumer goods represent sector focuses, while trade mark instructions have been increasingly related to sustainability and greenwashing; as part of CMS Green Globe, the firm recently launched a separate online platform for this purpose. The practice also offers expertise in interface areas such as drug advertising and competition law. Roland Wiring primarily assists clients from the life sciences sector with contracts as well as regulatory issues and jointly heads the team with Markus Deck, who has particular experience in the technical sphere. Gordian Hasselblatt enjoys an excellent market reputation for trade mark clearance and the strategic management of brand and design portfolios.

Gleiss Lutz impresses with its in-depth expertise in non-conventional trade mark forms, such as 3D trade marks, position marks as well as color and color combination marks; in the latter area, the firm finally obtained an important judgment before the BGH, which placed the gold of the Lindt chocolate bunny under trade mark protection. The practice's strengths further extend to strategic advice on all aspects of trade mark law and the management of trade mark and design portfolios. Another distinguishing feature is its focus on digital transformation, where the group advises clients on the application of trade mark law on areas such as social media. Stefan Weidert, who is often instructed to assist with transactions in the technology sector, and Stefan Völker, whose focus includes strategic advice and representation in trade mark conflicts, jointly head the practice. Other key members are Andreas Wehlau (trade mark and competition law) and Alexander Molle (industrial design and copyright law among other matters).

Harte-Bavendamm Rechtsanwälte specializes in intellectual property and competition law, thereby applying its expertise in representing clients in trade mark infringement proceedings as well as in trade mark administration. The practice focuses on companies from the food, fashion, automotive and e-commerce sectors and assists them both at European and national level. In addition to strategic issues, founding partner Henning Harte-Bavendamm is also active in forensic matters and has expertise in related legal areas such as copyright and competition law, while the drafting and negotiation of contracts and drug advertising form the core of Arne Lambrecht's practice. In contentious matters, companies often turn to Andrea Jaeger-Lenz who represents clients in trade mark and design proceedings before the ECJ and the Federal Patent Court.

Munich-based IP boutique Lorenz Seidler Gossel assists clients from sectors such as fashion, media and consumer goods with matters ranging from trade mark registration to enforcement related to product piracy and by way of trade mark infringement proceedings. The practice regularly appears before national and international administrative offices and courts - for example the EUIPO, WIPO and the Federal Patent Court - and also has the capacities to coordinate worldwide applications through its network of foreign partner firms. Siegfried Jackermeier, Christian Rassmann and Philipp Neuwald are the key contacts.

Founded in 2020, Nordemann Czychowski & Partner Rechtsanwältinnen und Rechtsanwälte mbB already enjoys an excellent market reputation for its soft IP advice which is called upon by a high-profile clientele and includes both strategic support and representation in contentious matters. Axel Nordemann is well versed in representing companies before German and European courts and in managing trade mark portfolios. He jointly heads the team with Anke Nordemann-Schiffel who specializes in cross-border disputes and strategic advice on international trade mark portfolios. Christian Czychowski is frequently instructed by Japanese and US companies and excels in advising start-ups, particularly on transactional IP matters.

SKW Schwarz bundles its considerable trade mark expertise in various focus groups which particularly stand out for their innovative orientation: on one hand, the branded content group bridges the gap between IT, media and IP while other focus groups specifically facilitate advice to cannabis industry companies or the e-sports sector to only name a few. Sascha Pres heads the practice and is particularly active in contentious disputes before the DPMA and EUIPO among others. Strategic advice on the development and enforcement of trade mark and design portfolios form part of Sandra Sophia Redeker's and Margret Knitter's expertise, with the latter being frequently instructed in border seizure proceedings. Oliver Stöckel joined from von BOETTICHER Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft at the beginning of 2022 and focuses on technical property rights and the life sciences sector.

Taylor Wessing‘s notably sizeable German trade mark practice enables the firm to manage extensive trade mark portfolios and act in complex litigation. The registration and protection of unconventional trade marks, registered designs and advertising form part of the firm’s competence portfolio. Embedded within its global firm network, the team also has an excellent reputation for cross-border matters and further extensively covers the Chinese market via IP agency Beijing Tailun. The expertise of practice head Olaf Gillert ranges from trade mark and design law to related fields such as copyright and competition law, while Wiebke Baars regularly guides clients through opposition and appeal proceedings before the EUIPO and DPMA; she is also particularly adept at drafting and negotiating license agreements, which is also one of Thomas Raab‘s main areas of expertise, who also assists German and international companies with the development of brand strategies and in disputes. Christian Tenkhoff handles issues related to consumer perception and complex proceedings, often in relation to product shape and color brands.

Baker McKenzie acts both in an advisory capacity as well as in contentious proceedings and particularly scores with its strong transactional trade mark expertise, which the group frequently applies in the context of corporate restructuring and carve-outs. The practice also manages brand portfolios in the IT and consumer goods sectors and further handles customs seizure proceedings related to product piracy. These skills are complemented by the development and use of own legal tech tools such as Global IP Manager. Due to the firm's global presence, the group can also draw on IP expertise from other offices such as Tampa, Manila and Belfast and advise on matters both at European and global level. Rembert Niebel and Michael Fammler, whose experience spans prosecution and litigation, jointly head the team.

Medium-sized companies and international corporations turn to bock legal Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten in trade mark and design law matters, while the team enjoys a particularly good reputation in the fashion and luxury goods industries. Disputes, such as in connection with product piracy or the enforcement of unconventional trade marks, are a particular focus of the practice and its head Andreas Bock, who also advises on pharmaceutical and drug advertising law. Jan Müller-Broich regularly acts for clients in proceedings pertaining to geographical indications of origin as well as community design infringements and further assists with the development and management of trade mark portfolios. Benedikt Frank impresses with expertise at the interface of trade mark and competition law, while Michael Fügen handles trade mark infringement proceedings and trade mark advice.

IP boutique Boehmert & Boehmert impresses with both a strong application practice that manages extensive trade mark portfolios as well as with its advice to companies on enforcing and defending their intellectual property rights before European and German authorities. In addition to its German locations, the practice group can also draw on the expertise of offices in Alicante, Paris and Shanghai and is therefore ideally positioned for cross-border matters. Property rights-related contracts and the development and enforcement of property rights portfolios represent central pillars of Rudolf Böckenholt's practice, who is particularly active in the consumer goods, food, media and pharmaceutical sectors, while Eckhard Ratjen, who made partner in January 2022, assists start-ups, medium-sized companies and corporations with the entire spectrum of intellectual property matters, including the registration and defense of trade marks.

Preu Bohlig & Partner assists clients with administrative and court proceedings as well as with registration strategies and portfolio management. Trade mark, copyright and competition lawyer Alexander Bayer specializes in the software and IT area and advises clients on contract negotiations and litigation. Christian Donle is convincing across the entire IP spectrum, with product piracy and dispute resolution representing particular areas of expertise. Licensing and development agreements and transactional IP advice form part of Andreas Haberl's expertise portfolio, while Astrid Gérard advises clients on their registration strategy and infringement proceedings. Torben Düsing has particular skills in media-related issues.

For IP boutique Arnold Ruess Rechtsanwälte PartmbB, trade mark prosecution is just as much a mainstay as litigation, while the practice also assists with international proceedings in cooperation with partners from other jurisdictions. The group further advises clients on licenses and contracts as well as on advertising strategies and product launches. The advice portfolio is complemented by expertise across the whole array of technical property rights and in related areas such as competition and copyright law. Founding partner Peter Ruess enjoys an excellent reputation in trade mark matters.

Eisenführ Speiser is considered a traditionally strong firm for IP prosecution in the German market and assists clients with portfolio management, registration procedures as well as with contract and license matters. However, the team's contentious practice is also gaining importance and acts in proceedings both at German and European level. Harald Förster has many years of experience in property rights disputes and product piracy prosecution related to border seizure applications, while companies turn to Julian Eberhardt for advice on license agreements, property right-related transactions and due diligence. In addition to trade marks, Rainer Böhm also focuses on labelling, advertising and competition matters.

As of late, Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner 's trade mark practice has notably grown: Eva Kessler (trade mark, design and domain law) and Lukas Kalkbrenner (administrative and infringement proceedings, license agreements) made partners at the beginning of 2022, while food and utility model law expert Hildegard Schöllmann joined the team from KWG Rechtsanwälte at the end of 2021, thus strengthening a practice that is already popular with pharmaceutical companies and branded goods companies and assists clients both on prosecution and litigation level. Norbert Hebis (German and community trade marks, international registration strategies), Morton Douglas (registration strategies, portfolio advice, infringement proceedings), David Kipping (intellectual property law, advertising law, license agreements) and Stephan Dittl (copyright and media law) jointly lead the team.

Founded in 2019, Schmitt Teworte-Vey Simon & Schumacher has been able to attract a considerable cross-industry client base in the trade mark sphere, with support encompassing both advisory and forensic matters; the group thus covers the entire spectrum of IP issues including adjacent areas such as drug advertising and food law. IP experts Christian Schmitt (license agreements), Jan Schumacher (transaction IP), Gesa Simon (registration strategies, collision checks) and Marie Teworte-Vey (strategic advice, administrative and judicial proceedings) are the key contacts.

IP boutique UNIT4 IP particularly focuses on trade mark and design law and, thanks to its broad sector expertise, counts companies from the automotive, IT, fashion, retail and media sectors among its client portfolio, with US companies turning to the practice particularly frequently. Ekkehard Stolz advises on trade mark portfolios and litigation before national and European courts, while Ursula Stelzenmüller focuses on the prosecution of product piracy in border seizure proceedings. Jan Weiser and Arno Grohmann, who both assist with forensic and strategic matters, are other key contacts. Antonia Bognár made partner in early 2022 and has experience in developing registration strategies and proceedings before the ECJ and CJEU.

Notos has in-depth expertise in international brand and design portfolios, which the Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Berlin-based boutique offering manages for a number of multinational corporations; however, the practice's dispute resolution skills are also notable and applied in product piracy cases as well as in injunctive relief and damages claim enforcement. Practice head Julia Voegeli-Wenzl regularly advises on trade mark and design applications at German and European level and represents companies before courts and authorities, while Eckhart Haag has extensive experience in infringement and plagiarism cases as well as in IP enforcement and Daniel Hövel is particularly active in litigation.

The cornerstone of boesling IP Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB's trade mark practice is its focus on often cross-border infringement proceedings on part of the rights holder, while the team also assists with a considerable array of non-contentious matters, ranging from license agreements to portfolio management and product launches. Thies Bösling, who has a particular focus on trade mark litigation, and Inga George, who is active in protection strategies, portfolio management and cross-border disputes among other matters, jointly head the practice.

Under the leadership of Tilmann Lührig, Lexton Rechtsanwälte's trade mark practice advises clients on both contentious and advisory issues, with the team specializing in the e-commerce, consumer goods and manufacturing industries. Another distinguishing feature is its close cooperation with the procurement and commercial practices, thereby demonstrating its expertise in transactional IP matters. Lührig advises medium-sized companies and global corporations on the entire spectrum of trade mark and design issues.

In October 2022, soft IP boutique Lichtenstein Körner joined Schalast Law | Tax: Under its new roof, the team continues its previous trade mark practice and advises clients on both prosecution and dispute resolution. Kerstin Gründig-Schnelle, who assists with strategic consulting and enforcement, and Thomas Sambuc, who focuses on the distinction between distinctive brands and labeled goods, jointly head the team. Alexander Hauch (litigation and out-of-court enforcement) made partner in the course of the merger while Thomas Träger joined Grünecker in May 2022.

Due to the firm's international positioning, Taliens is particularly predestined for cross-border advice on trade mark and design law, which is reflected in its assistance with proceedings before the ECJ among other matters. Headed by Federica Togo and Tobias Malte Müller, the practice handles product piracy matters, domain name disputes and trade mark and design registrations at German, European and international level. Both Togo and Müller are also qualified in Italy, thus advising several well-known Italian corporations as well.