Dr. Dorothee Altenburg

Partner

Intellectual property rights protect the cutting-edge developments that take place at the heart of companies. To me, therefore, IP is the most exciting legal field.

Dr. Dorothee Altenburg represents clients in all aspects of intellectual property law. She is particularly experienced in the area of trademark law. Operating in Germany as well as internationally, Dr. Altenburg devises legal strategies to establish and defend trademarks, design rights, and patents. She represents clients before the relevant authorities in Germany, in the European Union, and in WIPO proceedings. She conducts trademark registrations worldwide. She has substantial experience in drafting licensing agreements. She is acquainted with the litigation issues that arise in the environs of intellectual property and (unfair) competition law. She represents clients before customs authorities counterfeiting cases. She also coordinates EU-wide customs seizure proceedings against counterfeit products.

Dr. Altenburg further represents publishers, media companies, and artists in matters to do with copyright, publishing law, and personality rights.

Career

Studies: Würzburg, Munich

Awards & Recognitions

Lexology Index Germany 2025
world’s leading practitioner in the category IP - Trademarks

Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers: Germany's Best Lawyers 2019–2024
Recommended lawyer in the category "Media and Entertainment" (2020-2024)
Recommended lawyer in the category "Intellectual Property" (2019-2024)

India Business Law Journal 2019, 2020
Recommended lawyer for India-related work
“The firm offers ‘significant experience on cross-border transactions between India and Germany and thus has had the opportunity to give more holistic advice to their clients.’ (…) Dorothee Altenburg and Sebastian von Wallwitz are recommended for their solid grasp of Indian laws.” (2020)
"Dr Dorothee Altenburg has a solid grasp of Indian laws" (2019)

JUVE Handbook: Commercial Law Firms 2019–2025
Leading individual in the category "Trademark Law" (2023-2025)
Frequently recommended lawyer in the category "Trademark and Design Law / Competition Law" (2019-2025)
Competitor about her: "Top trademark lawyer", "very professional, fast & constructive" (2023/2024)
Client about her: best advice in "Copyright, Personality and Trademark law" (2022/2023)
Competitors about her: "insanely smart and experienced trademark lawyer" (2022/2023)
Competitors about her: "knowledgeable and kind trademark lawyer" (2019)

The Legal 500: Germany 2018, 2019, 2021-2024
Recommended lawyer in the category "Intellectual Property: Trademark Law" (2022-2024)
Recommended lawyer in the category "Media/Press and publishing law" (2024)
Designated lawyer in the category "Intellectual Property: Trademark Law" (2021)
Designated lawyer in the category "Intellectual Property: Trademark and Competition Law" (2019)
Recommended lawyer in the category "Intellectual Property: Trademark and Competition Law" (2018)
"The technically excellent and efficient Dorothee Altenburg" (2018)

The Legal 500: EMEA 2022, 2024
Recommended lawyer in the category: "Intellectual property: Trade marks" (2022/2024)
Recommended lawyer in the category: "Media: Press and publishing" (2024)

WTR 1000: The World's Leading Trademark Professionals 2019–2022, 2024-2025, Germany
Recommended lawyer (Bronze Tier), 2019-2022, 2024-2025
“Erudite strategist Dorothee Altenburg is regularly found walking the corridors of the German and European trademark offices, but also litigates and drafts licence and co-existence agreements with a steady hand.” (2021)
"A go-to for all complex instructions, the bright, hardworking and commercially minded Altenburg is a trustworthy and excellent lawyer." (2020)
"An efficient and personable practitioner, Altenburg uses her impressive interpersonal skills to get signatures on the bottom line with alacrity." (2019)

WWL: Germany IP – Trademarks 2020 – 2021
Thought Leader

WWL: Germany Intellectual Property 2017 – 2024
Recommended lawyer

"Widely liked and thought highly of" (2022)
"A well-known figure in the market who receives praise from international sources for her invaluable trademark law experience" (2018)

Nomos: law firms in Germany
Recommended lawyer

Managing IP STARS 2023
Recommended lawyer in the category "Trade Mark Stars" (2023)