Protecting creators with creative advice. We are your experts in copyright law.
Copyright Law
Creative achievements deserve protection. In the digital age, enterprises are facing new challenges when it comes to protecting copyrighted works.
We assist you in combating unfair imitations and unauthorized distribution of your works, while also providing support in maximizing the commercial exploitation of your creations.
Copyright protection also has its limits. We protect creators, licensees and other users and exploiters from unauthorized infringement if limits are exceeded.
We have in-depth industry knowledge and many years of experience, particularly in the business areas of furniture design, fashion, music and software.
Benefit from your creative achievements and monetize your work. We specialize in handling complex legal relationships and diverse exploitation chains.
We creatively draft contracts and create the best legal framework for the exploitation of copyright. We ensure that new business models are legally secure.
Our world is digital and so are we. We have the technical expertise and legal knowledge to help you get the most out of your projects, whether they involve digital content or other realization opportunities.
In contract negotiations with your business partners, we provide professionalism, strategic insight, assertiveness, and expertise.
Copyright enforcement requires a combination of attack and defense. We have the right tactics.
Copyright litigation is our core competence. We strategically use all procedural possibilities to enforce your claims or defend your rights. Sometimes it is wiser to settle a dispute out of court. We recognize such cases and guide them to a solution that preserves your resources.
Whether it be a warning letter, interim injunction or court action: We work with our clients to determine the best strategy and implement it in a targeted manner.
More information on Dispute Resolution.
On the subject: From our IP blog
As expected from the course of the oral proceedings, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) rejected copyright protection for the well-known Birkenstock sandals. This ruling once again underscores that, in works of applied art, the decisive factor is how the remaining design freedom has been artistically utilized and the hurdles are not too low.
In mid-November, we reported that GEMA was seemingly going on the offensive against the providers of generative AI systems with its lawsuit against OpenAI before the Munich Regional Court . The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of training its well-known product “ChatGPT” with copyrighted song lyrics, which are also part of the repertoire of GEMA members. Now comes another lawsuit: On 21 January 2025, GEMA filed a lawsuit against the AI company Suno, again at the Munich Regional Court. We summarise for you what is already known about the proceedings and what the legal issues will be.
German collecting society GEMA now seems to be going on the offensive against providers of generative AI systems. Following the presentation of a – in their opinion – fair licensing model for generative artificial intelligence at the end of September, an “AI Charter” as a suggestion and guideline for the responsible use of generative AI was presented at the beginning of November, and now a lawsuit has been filed against OpenAI at the Munich Regional Court.
In a landmark decision, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on 24 October 2024 that the Member States of the European Union are obliged to protect works of applied art, regardless of their country of origin or the nationality of their creators. “Works of applied art” are objects that serve a specific purpose but are also artistically designed. Examples include furniture such as chairs, shelves and lamps, but also – under strict conditions – fashion creations.
Three reasons for choosing HARTE-BAVENDAMM
Satisfied clients, numerous top-tier rankings, major professional publications, extensive litigation experience: intellectual property law is our core competence.
We represent your interests with ingenuity and dedication. We protect your intellectual property and develop creative strategies. Complex cases are our strength.
As a reliable partner, we provide our clients with resolute, poised, and effective guidance. In challenging conflict scenarios, our team is well aware that cooler heads always prevail and excel at delivering valuable and advantageous solutions to our clients.
