Protect your creative works!
Good design is based on good ideas. Ideas as such cannot be protected, but concrete implementations can. We help you to protect your creative works. Because a protected design strengthens your market position.
Protect your creative works from imitation and plagiarism! This not only ensures your financial success, but also represents a decisive competitive advantage. Design protection promotes investment in new ideas, as designers and companies will thus gain security. Design protection also strengthens the trust of customers and business partners, as it ensures the recognisability of products.
Whether simple or registered protection, whether with national or worldwide validity, we provide you with comprehensive advice and support you in all decisive steps to obtain the necessary registrations.
Design protection is an appearance protection. Here, the decisive factor is what was made publicly accessible where, how and when, and this is often difficult to prove. With the help of official registers, however, the protected object can be precisely documented and proven with legal certainty. If you want to secure a competitive edge in the long term, you should definitely consider design protection for product designs.
For example, an idea is developed in Germany, production takes place in China and sales are channelled through India. As with any industrial property right, the territorial scope of protection ends at the national borders. In international supply chains, it can be important to acquire protection against counterfeiting that can be effectively and quickly enforced across borders. Cross-border protection in the European Union can be achieved by means of the so-called Community design, internationally via international design applications.
Another advantage of a registered design is the term of protection: In the European Union, a registered Community design can be protected for a maximum of 25 years. The term of protection of the unregistered Community design, on the other hand, ends after three years without any renewal option.
We represent you not only when it comes to protecting and defending your own designs, but also when claims are made against your designs. In all cases, please contact us as early as possible!
Our services
Advice on design protection and assessment of protectability
We support you with our expertise and experience to effectively protect your creative works. From the analysis of protectability and searches for existing designs to the strategic development of your IP portfolio, we offer customised solutions. Rely on our expertise to ensure the best possible protection for your design innovations!
Registration of designs in Germany and abroad and of Community designs in the European Union
We advise and support you in the registration of designs and Community designs – nationally and internationally. Our experienced team of attorneys will provide you with comprehensive advice and ensure that everything runs smoothly. Protect your ideas at an early stage and thus gain a competitive edge and entrepreneurial security!
Searches and monitoring of property rights in Germany and abroad
Our dedicated team supports you with comprehensive searches and the monitoring of intellectual property rights in Germany and abroad. With an international network of attorneys, we help you to detect potential violations at an early stage and to react effectively. Our in-depth legal expertise and the use of state-of-the-art research tools enable us to carry out comprehensive monitoring and targeted analyses.
Defence of protected designs and Community designs in Germany and abroad
With our team of attorneys and an international network of partners, we are at your side for the effective enforcement and defence of your property rights. We are able to consistently pursue national and international violations. We use our expertise effectively to protect your designs in the best possible way and to assert your interests in court and with registry offices.
Defence against warning letters
Not every warning letter is justified, but it is nevertheless important to react to such accusations in a timely and well-founded manner. Together with you, we will develop the best defence strategy for you and support you in its implementation. Our attorneys will represent you in court and before authorities. We are committed to ensuring that your rights are vigorously and consistently defended.
Our specialists
Nils Böhmer, LL.M.
Christina Ley, LL.M.
Till Hendrik Pfeifer
Dr. iur. Benedikt Schneiders, LL.M.
Dipl.-Ing. Josef Schneiders
Dr. rer. nat. Christian Thiel
Sandra Wellner
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