Intellectual Property

Competition law serves to govern competition between market participants to ensure free and fair competition on the merits. We know the limits of what is legally permissible and advise our clients on legally compliant branding. Our team of specialized lawyers has expert knowledge from a wide range of industries, which in competition law is just as important as awareness of the constantly changing case law. This sector knowledge enables us to provide our clients with comprehensive advice, particularly in digital advertising.

Our special expertise in this area is also confirmed by independent sources: SKW Schwarz is listed in the “Legal 500” ranking of the best German law firms in competition law.

The creative sector needs state of the art legal advice. This is due to the fact that the sectors in which copyrighted works are created are always in flux. This means that the exploitation chain is becoming ever more diversified – and therefore constantly raises new legal issues.

Our advice on copyright law is part of our comprehensive expertise in IP. In particular, we have always been extraordinarily closely involved in the film and TV industries, whether in Germany or internationally. A position which we have not only maintained but even expanded during the change towards increasingly non-linear media use.

Data is now referred to as the oil of the 21^st century. In our view, this comparison still downplays the importance that data nowadays has. Data is the key success factor in all modern business models. This applies to both purely digital and classic business models.

We consider ourselves not only legal service providers. We are industry specialists. After all, sound advice in IP law requires both: precise legal expertise and comprehensive sector knowledge.

As part of their practice, many of our lawyers at SKW Schwarz specialize in one or more product sectors. We have specialists for foodstuffs, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals – each sector has its own legal peculiarities. Our many years of expertise assist us in understanding your company and your product and in working with you to find the best legal solution efficiently and quickly.

We advise clients from industries with specific labeling requirements. We also provide efficient support for your concerns, ensure legal certainty even before product launches and assist you in the following areas:

• Foodstuffs & Animal Feed
• Consumer Goods
• Medical devices & eHealth
• Pharmaceuticals
• Cosmetics & Animal Care Products
• Chemicals, Biocides, Washing and Cleaning Agents

Innovations, research and development, and technical know-how are the engines of a knowledge-driven economy. Technical property rights and know-how protection are important strategic means of securing investments in the future and ensuring the best possible exploitation by owners. We consider ourselves strategic advisors to our clients in developing, protecting, and applying new technologies. Together, we develop tailor-made concepts to accompany innovations from the very beginning and to secure and exploit associated investments in the best possible way. We also take account of the fact that technical developments are increasingly taking place in digital technologies and that classical intellectual property strategies are facing entirely new challenges due to ever shortening innovation cycles.

Together with experienced patent lawyers, we advise in the following areas:

• developing innovation and creating knowledge
• protection
• defense/prosecution
• economic exploitation

From start-ups to traditional companies – a company’s trademark frequently represents its financially most valuable asset. Only those businesses which protect this asset will secure their corporate identity, set themselves apart from their competitors, bolstering their commitment to quality. The foundation for this approach is already laid with the right type of trademark strategy, which includes not only advice on the trademark but also title, design, and domain protection. Comprehensively protecting and defending your IP rights is a crucial element for lasting market success. A specific example is our experience in border seizure cases, in which we cooperate with customs and criminal prosecution authorities to intercept counterfeit branded goods already during importation. Rapid enforcement of the law has several advantages: The risk of inferior-quality imitations damaging carefully established brand values is being contained. And effective action deters potential infringers. This proven approach is often cited in the trade press as an example of our expertise in issues relating to design law and trademark law.

We are considered a full-service law firm that supports you in the entire process from developing to defending your IP rights.

Our advisory services comprise in particular:

• developing, establishing, and registering trademarks, designs, domains, and title protection notices
• strategic advice and portfolio management
• extrajudicial and judicial representation in case of infringement of IP rights
• product piracy/border seizure cases