Numerous trademark disputes are brought before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) and the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). These primarily include opposition proceedings, but also revocation and invalidity proceedings. In addition to these so-called “adversarial proceedings”, the trademark office may also object to the trademark application as not being eligible for protection and request that you comment on this. If you need professional support in proceedings before the trademark office, we are happy to assist you.
Our advisory services on administrative procedures
With more than 1,500 registrations, we are one of the most active law firms in this field in Germany. Whether it is about finding the right registration strategy, checking the availability of the trademark or registering the trademark, we handle this professionally, routinely and cost-effectively.
Trademark offices such as the DPMA and EUIPO check whether a trademark can be registered or whether there are any obstacles to protection. In particular, trademarks that have not been examined by a lawyer beforehand are objected to by the examiners on the basis of so-called absolute obstacles to protection. In most cases, the question is whether a certain sign is descriptive or whether it lacks the distinctive character necessary for registration for other reasons. We check whether the objection is justified, show you your options and help you to respond to the objection professionally in order to successfully register your trademark after all.
After a trademark has been accepted by the office and published in the register, third parties have three months to file an objection. The objection procedure is a relatively inexpensive and quick official procedure compared to court proceedings, which can be used to examine and decide whether a trademark infringement has occurred. Has an objection been filed against your trademark? There are various ways of responding to this. You can defend the trademark before the office, give it up voluntarily, or agree on a peaceful coexistence through negotiations. We would be happy to examine how you can best defend your trademark.
Even after the opposition period has expired, trademarks are by no means safe. They can still be challenged later by the trademark offices, for example because they should not have been registered due to absolute grounds for refusal, because they infringe older rights or because they were registered in bad faith. Has your trademark been attacked, or do you want to examine your options for taking action against a third party’s trademark? Then we would be happy to provide you with our expertise.
You can register trademarks without using them directly. The legislator wants to give trademark owners the opportunity to secure trademarks early on and then decide when and how exactly the trademark should be used. After five years, the so-called “grace period for use” expires and the trademark is subject to compulsory use. It can then be deleted at the request of a third party. The procedures are usually complex. Who bears the burden of proof for what? Is use to be considered to be preserving rights? And for which goods or services can the trademark remain registered if it has only been used for some of the products? We have extensive experience in revocation proceedings and are happy to support you here.
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Your lawyer for trademark law in Hamburg
Dr. David Slopek has more than 10 years of intensive practical experience gained in Germany and abroad. After completing his studies, obtaining a Master of Laws and a doctorate at Heinrich-Heine-University-Düsseldorf, he was admitted to the bar by the Düsseldorf Bar Association in 2012. He learned his legal craft from scratch in a leading international law firm, for which he worked for around seven years in Alicante and Hamburg. In 2016, the Hanseatic Bar Association of Hamburg awarded him the title of specialist lawyer for intellectual property law. In addition to his professional qualifications, he has also published extensively, with over 80 specialist publications. He and his team will advise you with expertise and experience in all matters of trademark law.