Celebratory Publication on Copyright Act with contribution from four BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partners

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C.H. Beck Verlag has released a celebratory publication marking the 50th anniversary of the German Copyright Act. The “Celebratory Publication 50 Years of the Copyright Act – From the audio tape to social media” is dedicated to the German Copyright Act. The contributions contained in the publication, made by renowned legal experts, look at whether and in how far the framework of the Copyright Act are adequate to meet the challenges of the coming decades. Four BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partners and solicitors Prof C. Czychowski, Prof A. Nordemann, Prof J. B. Nordemann and Dr M. Schaefer contribute the article “The Copyright Act in normal operation: case low”. The article looks at the jurisprudence surrounding the Copyright Act from its entry into force in 1966 to today. The publication can be obtained from Beck Verlag: Verlag C.H.BECK, 2015 (Hrsg. Th. Dreier und R. Hilty). ISBN 978-3-406-68519-4.

Current study by EU Commission on “Utility Model” with participation by BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

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The European Commission has published the “Study on the economic impact of the utility model legislation in selected EU Member States”. The study is available in the EU Book Shop. The two BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partners, Patent Lawyer Prof Heinz Goddar and Solicitor Dr Carl-Richard Haarmann acted as consultants to the EU Commission on this study and worked together with the Technopolis Group Austria on behalf of the Commission.

The study looks at the different legislative practices on utility patents within the EU. The study also looks at the question as to whether and how utility patents are used as components of the system of technical protection within the individual member states. The study finds that in the various member states, utility patents are used very differently. The study also finds, a well-functioning utility patent system used comprehensively by both industry and the legal profession exists only in Germany. In most other states, utility patents play a much lesser role and their use is often not known.

The study concludes that a harmonised utility patent system would make a sensible addition to existing patent law. After all, it is conceivable over the medium term that a uniform utility patent is introduced alongside the uniform patent so that the system of technical protections is fully complemented across the whole of the EU,” the two BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partners conclude. The study (ISBN: 978-92-79-46477-5) can be downloaded here free of charge (in English)

“Trademark Seminars 2015” by BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT in Berlin, Munich, Dusseldorf and Bremen.

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BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT will continue with its successful series of “Trademark Seminars” in various cities in autumn 2015. The seminars are geared to trademark proprietors both with and without prior knowledge in this field. Individual seminar dates for 2015 are:

“Berlin Trademark Seminar“ – Berlin, 16 September 2015
“Munich Trademark Seminar“ – Munich, 07 October 2015 “Düsseldorf Trademark Seminar“ – Düsseldorf, 27 October 2015
“Bremen Trademark Seminar“ – Bremen, 04 November 2015

Dr. Rudolf Böckenholt, Dr. Martin Wirtz, Dr. Anke Nordemann-Schiffel and Dr Carl-Richard Haarmann will lead participants through various aspects of trademark and competition law. The following issues will be dealt with this year: “Strong Dwarfs – Protection strategies for marks which are (almost) impossible to protect” (Dr R. Böckenholt). Dr M. Wirtz explains “Current developments in Trademark Law”. Dr C. R. Haarmann presents “Imminent changes in Community Trademark Law”. Dr A. Nordemann-Schiffel moves “Between voodoo and probiotics” and provides “Concrete advice on right-preserving use of trademarks”. The seminars begin at 2p.m. and finish around 5p.m.

Dr. C.-R. Haarmann explains “Recent Developments in European Union Trademark Law” in the “China Intellectual Property Magazine”.

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BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partner and solicitor Dr Carl-Richard Haarmann and solicitor Jan Rether have made a contribution to the “China Intellectual Property Magazine” (7/8-2015) entitled “Recent Developments in European Union Trademark Law”. In the article, the authors explain the comprehensive changes which EU brand law will see over the coming months and years. They have also collected together and comment on recent judgements of the European Court of Justice. The article can be downloaded by subscribers or ordered in print form from.

Online specialist magazine “IntellectualProperty” with contribution from Dr B. Bahlmann on Google keywords.

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In the 02/2015 edition of the online specialist magazine “IntellectualProperty”, BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partner Dr Björn Bahlmann submitted the article “Not everything clarified? – New uncertainty in the use of foreign brands as Google keywords”. Here he explains in how far it’s permissible to used foreign brands as Google keywords. Dr Bahlmann points out here that the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg has recently issued a judgement which devates from the liberal line taken by the BGH and which could pose stricter requirements for the permissiblity of the use of foreign brands. “IntellectualProperty” is a joint publication by Frankfurt Business Media GmbH – The F.A.Z publisher, a company of the F.A.Z publishing group, and the legal publishers German Law Publishers. The article can be downloaded from 16 September 2015.