Print this pagePatent and Utility Model Law
Cover sheet of Patent Specification No. 1 of the Imperial Patent Office of 1877
In a globalized economy it is vital to protect one's innovations effectively against imitators. The classical instrument for countfeiting such imitations is still the Patent and Utility Model Law. It protects inventions in the fields of technology and science (business ideas too, but only in the USA). The protection is extensive, i.e. it also offers protection against the import of imitated products, for example from low-wage countries. It is recommended to obtain such industrial property rights at least in those countries where there are currently business markets for the particular products or such markets will develop in the foreseeable future. It may also be wise to additionally apply for intellectual property rights in those countries where there is no market for the particular products, but where competitors are located or where there is a particularly high risk that imitation products will be produced.
The protection of inventions is one of our main areas of expertise. In this field we offer our clients all relevant services associated with preparation, application and enforcement of patent and utility model protection rights. We advise our clients as regards deciding upon the correct time for the application for an invention, if desired undertake search into the prior art, prepare the application documents in dialogue with our clients and submit them at the appropriate patent offices, be it at the German Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office or - by means of our network of colleagues in foreign countries - at any other patent office across the world. We implement the examination proceedings and defend the intellectual property rights against opposition and nullity actions. Conversely, we represent our clients in attacks against intellectual property rights of third parties in opposition and nullity proceedings. We act against infringers of intelletual property rights for our clients and here can fall back upon extensive experience, not only in Germany, but also in a number of other countries, for example USA, Canada, France, Belgium etc. Conversely, we defend our clients in attacks by third parties arising from intellectual property rights against the allegation of infringement of intellectual property rights.
In addition we issue expert opinions - including judicial expert opinions - for example concerning the protectability of an invention or of a granted patent or also concerning the infringement of an intellectual property right. We administer the intellectual property rights of our clients, and for a whole range of clients we constantly monitor the patent publications of third parties in the fields in which the respective client is active. Finally, we have experience in the evaluation of patent portfolios, for example when such portfolios are acquired by third parties or for the evaluation of hidden reserves.
Moreover, Patent Attorney Paul and our office manager are authorised to deal with secret applications because they have been examined to the secrecy level "secret", which is the second highest secrecy level in Germany.
The protection of inventions is one of our main areas of expertise. In this field we offer our clients all relevant services associated with preparation, application and enforcement of patent and utility model protection rights. We advise our clients as regards deciding upon the correct time for the application for an invention, if desired undertake search into the prior art, prepare the application documents in dialogue with our clients and submit them at the appropriate patent offices, be it at the German Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office or - by means of our network of colleagues in foreign countries - at any other patent office across the world. We implement the examination proceedings and defend the intellectual property rights against opposition and nullity actions. Conversely, we represent our clients in attacks against intellectual property rights of third parties in opposition and nullity proceedings. We act against infringers of intelletual property rights for our clients and here can fall back upon extensive experience, not only in Germany, but also in a number of other countries, for example USA, Canada, France, Belgium etc. Conversely, we defend our clients in attacks by third parties arising from intellectual property rights against the allegation of infringement of intellectual property rights.
In addition we issue expert opinions - including judicial expert opinions - for example concerning the protectability of an invention or of a granted patent or also concerning the infringement of an intellectual property right. We administer the intellectual property rights of our clients, and for a whole range of clients we constantly monitor the patent publications of third parties in the fields in which the respective client is active. Finally, we have experience in the evaluation of patent portfolios, for example when such portfolios are acquired by third parties or for the evaluation of hidden reserves.
Moreover, Patent Attorney Paul and our office manager are authorised to deal with secret applications because they have been examined to the secrecy level "secret", which is the second highest secrecy level in Germany.