Grünecker

Partner

Holger Gauss brings over two decades of experience to his practice. He specializes in advising clients on registering and enforcing trademarks, designs and copyrights. Additionally, he supports clients in matters related to advertising and competition law and personality rights.

Holger Gauss is widely recognized for his extensive expertise in combating product piracy, parallel imports, and protection against knock-offs, including handling border seizures. He represents clients in litigation before all German courts, the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

Furthermore, Holger Gauss provides strategic guidance to clients on intellectual property issues, particularly in cross-border disputes, and manages global trademark portfolios. His diverse client base includes major international corporations and medium-sized companies across various sectors, with a notable presence in luxury goods, fashion/outdoor, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and (new) media. In recent years, he has emerged as a key contact for young US technology companies and startups from the Bay Area.

German, English

Holger Gauss has been an active member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) since 2008, contributing to various committees, including the Unreal Campaign Committee since 2020.

Additionally, he is a member of the Expert Committee for Design Law of the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR) and the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group (PTMG).

• Studied law at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen; first state examination in 1999
• Legal clerkship at the Regional Court of Stuttgart; second state examination, 2001
• Admitted to the bar, 2001
• Lawyer at a law firm specializing in intellectual property in Stuttgart, 2001-2002
• Trainee at a law firm specializing in IP in Beverly Hills, USA 2002
• Doctorate at the Philipps University of Marburg, dissertation on the topic: “The human being as a trademark: licensing of name, image, voice and image in German and US law”, 2005
• Certified specialist lawyer for intellectual property law, 2007
• Partner at Grünecker, since 2013