Supported by a pan-European presence, Bardehle Pagenberg advises on all aspects of trade mark law, from strategic portfolio management and brand protection to enforcement in domestic and cross-border disputes. The team has expertise in non-traditional trade marks, including multimedia and hologram registrations, and is well-versed in complex infringement, opposition and nullity proceedings. It also assists with the commercial exploitation of brands, advising on licensing and technology transfer agreements. Practice co-head Claus Eckhartt focuses on the prosecution and enforcement of trade marks and designs, with experience in anti-counterfeiting, parallel imports and brand licensing, while fellow co-head Philipe Kutschke specialises in managing international trade mark portfolios and represents clients in infringement, opposition and cancellation proceedings before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office and the EUIPO.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Our team at Bardehle Pagenberg is excellent! They are very prompt and always there for us. Their legal advice is very insightful, which demonstrates a deep understanding of our business.’
- ‘Claus Eckhartt is the one with whom we work a lot. Claus always communicated very clearly and promptly. Always demonstrated good management skills and kept us informed with every stage of the opposition and settlements.’
- ‘Bardehle Pagenberg have been an excellent supporter to us. We are an international client and so being able to develop a strong rapport with the team has been important, and they have been available to us at every opportunity.’
- ‘Pascal Böhner is skilled at cutting through issues quickly so that clients can focus on the legal issues and areas that matter the most. He is very approachable, and clients are able to speak candidly with him as an extension of their own legal team. Being an international client, it has been important that we can rely upon Pascal for his experience and in depth understanding of multiple jurisdictions.’
- ‘In my experience, Bardehle Pagenberg stands out for its rare combination of deep technical knowledge and sharp litigation strategy. Their team is highly collaborative and responsive, making complex cross-border matters feel manageable. I’ve found them to be forward-thinking—both in how they use technology and in offering flexible, client-friendly billing. They deliver the quality of a top international firm with the focus and agility of a specialist practice.’
- ‘In my work with Bardehle Pagenberg, Henning Hartwig has been a standout partner. What sets Henning apart is his exceptional strategic thinking, calm authority, and deep expertise—especially in design and trade mark matters. He brings clarity and focus to complex issues, and I’ve always valued his pragmatic advice and responsiveness.'
Key clients
- adidas
- Advanced Micro Devices
- Air Liquide
- air up Group
- Arc’Teryx Equipment
- ASCOM
- BorgWarner
- Campari Group
- Decathlon
- Diesel
- EasyPark
- Gimelli Engineering
Work highlights
Represented Decathlon in successfully defending a trade mark infringement claim by a notorious “trade mark troll,” with the court rejecting the preliminary injunction for abuse of rights.
Advising and representing air up GmbH worldwide on trade mark, design and competition law, including global IP protection, portfolio development, border seizure actions and cross-border litigation before German courts.
Handling ongoing German trade mark prosecution for L’Oréal in the cosmetics sector, representing the client in opposition and cancellation proceedings, managing part of its German trademark portfolio and advising on a wide range of trade mark matters.
Practice head
Claus Eckhartt; Philipe Kutschke
Other key lawyers
Christine Fluhme; Pascal Böhner; Henning Hartwig