Combining trademarks with further elements or sub-brands is quite popular. A recent decision of the German Federal Supreme reminds once more what to watch out for if you do not want to lose your…
Germany is a key venue for international trade fairs. So it is no surprise that trade fairs are tempting targets for counterfeiters and infringers. Right owners must rely on quick and effective…
This important decision by the German Federal Supreme Court of 15 January 2017 is about how the protection against copying under unfair competition law interplays with trademark and patent law:
The…
3-D Mark litigation is like life itself – you never know what you're going to get. And for that reason, it’s all the more enjoyable when a 3-D registration prevails over a knock-off.
A notorious…
World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. World of Warcraft takes place within the fantasy Warcraft world of…
On 3. February 2017 the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection presented a draft of an act to implement Directive (EU) 2015/2436 of the European Parliament and of the Council to…
In one of its latest decisions (I ZR 50/14 of November 5, 2015 - ConText) the Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice) has ruled that the forfeiture of a claim requesting injunction relief due…
Weapon of Choice: Protection of Names under Civil Law
Before German courts, the best weapon against bothersome domain name registrations is not trademark law, but civil law. Sec. 12 of the German…
