Dr. Julian Wernicke with article on the legal protection of non-conventional trade mark forms in markenartikel issue 5/2025

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In the magazine for brand management “markenartikel”, attorney at law Dr. Julian Wernicke explains the significance and protection of non-conventional trade mark forms such as sound, smell, haptics & taste, 3D shapes or colors.

Trade marks are generally understood to be word, image or, in combined form, word/image trade marks. Prominent examples are the word creation Lego or the Nike swoosh.
However, trade mark law also provides for the protection of sounds, smells or multimedia works. In this case, trade mark law refers to “non-conventional trade marks”.

In his article “Jingles, smells and video clips – legal protection of non-conventional trade mark forms” in the current issue 5/2025 of the trade magazine “markenartikel”, BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT attorney at law Dr. Julian Wernicke explains the process of protecting these non-conventional trade marks, emphasizes their importance in the context of marketing, gives tips and also addresses current official practice.

His conclusion is clear: The importance of unconventional trade marks is constantly increasing, which is why companies should consider the legal protection of sounds, colors, product shapes, video sequences and holograms in the future.

You can read the article by Dr. Julian Wernicke in issue 5/2025 of the trade journal “markenartikel”. The magazine in German can be ordered here for a fee.

Patent and trade mark seminar in Heidelberg on September 30, 2025

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This fall, we are once again offering a two-module seminar free of charge on patent and trade mark law. You have the option of attending both modules or just one. We have chosen the time-honored university city of Heidelberg as the venue for the event. The ATLANTIC Hotel is a modern location with excellent transport connections, making it easy to get to.

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IP seminar “trade mark” in Bremen on September 25 and Munich on October 08, 2025

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We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming IP seminars this early autumn, taking place at the Industrieclub Bremen and our Munich office. This year’s focus: Trade marks. Join our experienced attorneys at law as they share the latest developments and practical insights in trade mark law.

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Patent and trade mark seminar in Dussel­dorf on September 24, 2025

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We are very pleased to once again offer you a free IP seminar in Dusseldorf this autumn. The event is divided into two modules, focusing on patent law and trade mark law. You have the option to attend both modules or register specifically for just one of the topics. Please note that the seminar will be held in German.

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Warning about phishing e-mails

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In light of recent events, we would like to warn you of an increasing number of fraudulent e-mails in circulation which are intended to give the impression of an IP or copyright warning. Various reputable IP law firms, including BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT, are being abusively named as the alleged senders.

These emails (so-called “phishing e-mails”) ask you to follow links or open attached documents. These contain malware and/or are intended to obtain data without authorization.

If you are the recipient of such e-mails, please exercise extreme caution. In particular, check carefully whether the sender actually corresponds to the company named. Such e-mails are often sent from different domain identifiers. Please note: All e-mails from BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT always and exclusively have the following format as the sender e-mail: NAME@boehmert.de.

In case of suspicion, do not follow the instructions contained in the e-mail and contact the law firm named as the alleged sender using their known contact details for further clarification.

You can always reach BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT via our contact form or via the additional contact options listed on our website.

Further information on phishing E-mails can be found on the website of the Federal Office for Information Security.

Contribution by Prof. Dr. Heinz Goddar and attorney at law Melanie Müller in commemorative publi­cation for the 125th anniver­sary of the patent attorney profession

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In the commemorative publication for the 125th anniversary of the patent attorney profession, BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT partner and patent attorney Prof. Dr. Heinz Goddar, together with attorney at law Melanie Müller, contributed an article on the topic of complementary protection for innovations through patents and partial secrecy.

The article examines the role of the patent attorney as a link between technology and law, demonstrating how patents and secrecy can be combined to provide innovations with a higher level of protection. It addresses the challenges of the vaccine and tech era, discusses the patenting of AI systems and provides practical examples, such as the production of turbine blades using AI and 3D printing. Prof. Dr. Heinz Goddar and Melanie Müller suggest the creation of a trusted depository for trade secrets and data records, and emphasise that the profession and training for patent attorneys must continue to evolve.

The full article by the two attorneys from BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT can be found on pages 355–356 of Festschrift aus Anlass des 125-jährigen Bestehens des Patentanwaltsberufs, which was recently published by Carl Heymanns Verlag.