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Intellectual Property

Ideas and innovation are the creative potential of a successful business. This intellectual potential becomes a measurable enterprise value when expressed in property rights (e.g. patents, utility patents and copyright) or monetised through licences. Legally watertight advertising campaigns, press materials that are beyond reproach and careful media usage also make a quantifiable contribution to business success.

What others say about us

"CMS has one of the best IP teams in the business."
 (Law firms in Germany)

"The team offers good know-how, experience, value for money and excellent client services."
 (Chambers Guide)

"Clients say that 'nothing compares with' CMS's practice."
 (Legal 500, 2013)

Experience and expertise whenever you need us

CMS assists both SMEs and international corporations to optimise their intellectual property rights and assert them effectively. More than 70 specialised IP lawyers provide tailored advice that is designed to achieve results. Thanks to their experience from practice, teaching and research, they are always familiar with the latest developments across all areas of intellectual property.

Unlike most other areas of law, intellectual property is repeatedly affected by new legislative proposals at a national and international level. Accordingly, our lawyers are widely represented in professional associations and expert committees that deal with these developments and provide expert comment.

Our expertise

CMS – presence in Europe

In European countries outside Germany, the international CMS network provides CMS with access to specialists to advise on your claims out-of-court and enforce them in court. We take over the coordination of parallel infringement cases in various countries.

Key markets and industries

Our experienced team successfully advises companies from every sector, including:

  • Automotive
  • Entertainment
  • TV
  • Internet and new media
  • Cosmetics industry
  • Retail
  • Engineering
  • Medical technology
  • Pharmaceuticals and food
  • Sport
  • Press and publishing
  • Advertising and marketing  
Know-how Protection

Choose area

Grenzbeschlagnahme
Border Seizure
Border seizure is an effective and low-cost method of combating counterfeit goods and illegal parallel imports.A simple yet effective procedure. We lo
Wettbewerbsrecht
Competition Law (Unfair Competition Act – UWG)
The experts at CMS Germany can advise you on all competition-related issues, such asrunning advertising and marketing campaignsthe design of websites
Urheberrecht
Copyright
Copyright plays a key role in the exploitation of creative achievements, both offline and online. A current focus is the development of new business m
Designrecht
Design Law
Design adds value to products and makes them stand out from the crowd. As a cornerstone of your success in business, your design needs to be defended
Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz - Gerichtliche und außergerichtliche Vertretung
In-Court and Out-of-Court Representation
CMS is one of Germany’s leading law firms when it comes to acquiring and defending intellectual property rights. We represent our clients before
Patent und Gebrauchsmusterrecht
Patent and Utility Patent Law
CMS Germany has an effective and experienced team of patent and utility patent specialists. Where issues are particularly complex, we work closely wit
Markenrecht
Trademark Law
We provide support for creating, defending and commercialising your designation rights.Trademarks are of major importance for a company’s value
06/12/2019
Art Law
Safeguarding assets Collecting art satisfies the desire to create something lasting and preserve our cultural heritage. Such cultural and financial assets require corresponding protection. We provide...
28/09/2020
Protecting your IP rights in a changing world
The pandemic that will define 2020 has put many types of intellectual property in the spotlight –particularly, of course, in life sciences. Who will develop an effective vaccine or vaccines for Covid-19...

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28/02/2024
CMS advises Bruker on the multi-jur­is­dic­tion­al acquisition of ELITech,...
Frankfurt/Main – Bruker has agreed to acquire ELITechGroup, a provider of specialty in vitro diagnostic (IVD) systems, from TecFin S.à r.l., a controlled affiliate of PAI Partners, a pre-eminent private equity firm, for EUR 870 million in cash, excluding the carved out ELITech clinical chemistry business. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.A team of CMS Germany headed by lead partner Dr Hendrik Hirsch acted as lead transaction counsel on this landmark transaction for Bruker's MDx business covering all M&A aspects of the transaction, IVDR and other regulatory aspects, antitrust and FDI filings, the carve out of the clinical chemistry business and support on the employee consultation processes in France and the Netherlands. ELITechGroup, with over 500 employees and over 40 active patents, develops and commercializes innovative, proprietary molecular diagnostic (MDx) systems and assays, as well as niche biomedical systems and microbiology products. Its molecular diagnostic business accounts for the majority of the to-be-acquired revenues and provides the unique sample-to-answer (S2A) instruments InGenius® and Be-Genius® in the mid-to-high throughput MDx category with PCR diagnostic assays for infections and diseases. ELITechGroup, excluding the clinical chemistry business, achieved approximately EUR 150 million in revenues in 2023. ELITechGroup generates the majority of its revenues from Europe, with significant business also in North and Latin America. Its major R&D and production sites are in Italy, the United States, France and Germany. CMS Germany Dr Hendrik Hirsch, Partner, Co-Lead Dr Jacob Siebert, Partner, Co-Lead Dr Dirk Baukholt, Principal Counsel Dr Berrit Roth-Mingram, Counsel Dr Maximilian Stark, Senior Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Roland Wiring, Partner Lukas Burgdorff, Associate Noah Rodenkirchen, Associate, all Regulatory & Lifesciences Dr Thomas Hirse, Part­ner Se­basti­an Vautz, Senior Associate Lisa Dietrich, Associate, all IP Dr Michael Bauer, Partner Stefan Lehr, Partner Kai Neuhaus, Partner Moritz Pottek, Counsel Dr. Denis Schlimpert, Counsel Kirsten Baubkus-Gerard, Senior Associate David Rappenglück, As­so­ci­ate Be­ne­dikt Christian Voss, Associate, all Antitrust, Competition & Trade Dr Thomas de la Motte, Partner Dr Markus Pfaff, Partner Dr André Frischemeier, Partner Hatice Aykel, Counsel Alisa Brehm, Senior Associate Thomas Schaak, Senior Associate Dr Sait Dogan, Associate, all Banking & Finance  Dr André Lippert, Part­ner Con­stan­ze Schweidtmann, Associate, both Real Estate & Public Dr Boris Alles, Partner Dr Theresa Kipp, Senior Associate, both Labor, Employment & Pensions CMS France Benoît Gomel, Partner Vincent Desbenoit, Associate Dylan Allali, all Corporate/M&A Caroline Froger-Michon, Partner Aurélie Parchet, As­so­ci­ate Ca­m­ille Baumgarten, Associate Sophie Yin, all Em­ploy­ment Claire Vannini, Partner Eleni Moraïtou, Coun­sel Lilia-Ori­ana Dif, Associate Ariane Rolin, all Competition & EU  Jean-Bap­tiste Thiénot, Partner Anaïs Arnal, Associate, both Intellectual Property Laurine Mayer, Associate, TMC Alexandre Chazot, Counsel, Banking & Fin­ance  Thi­erry Granier, Partner Renaud Grob, Partner, both Tax Arnaud Valverde, Senior Associate, Real Estate Olivier Kuhn, Partner Cécile Rebiffé, Counsel Mylène Garrouste, all Dispute Res­ol­u­tion Kawthar Ben Khelil, Coun­sel Jean-Pierre Malili, Associate, both Public law/In­fra­struc­ture CMS Italy Massimo Trentino, Partner, Corporate/M&A Maria Letizia Patania, Partner, Lifescience & Healthcare Gian Marco Lettieri, Senior Associate, Employment & Pensions Giulio Poggioli, Counsel Valerio Giuseppe Daniele, As­so­ci­ate Francesca Durante, Junior As­so­ci­ate  Arianna Toccaceli, Junior Associate, all Banking & Finance CMS Luxembourg Gérard Maitrejean, Partner Miruna Poenaru, Coun­sel Max­imili­an Helfgen, Associate, all Corporate/M&A CMS UK Jack Letson, Partner Lindsay McAllister, Associate, both Corporate/M&A David Dennis, Partner, Commercial CMS Netherlands Pieter van Duijvenvoorde, Partner Robert Jong, both Corporate/M&A Nigel Henssen Fleur van Assendelft de Coningh, both Employment Edmon Oude Elferink, Partner Marijke van der Vossen, both Antitrust, Competition & Trade CMS Serbia Radivoje Petrikić, Partner Mila Drljević, both Corporate/M&A CMS Austria Dieter Zandler, Partner Vanessa Horaceck, both Competition & EU CMS Ukraine Maria Orlyk, Partner Diana Valyeyeva CMS Turkiye Döne Yalçın, Partner Arcan Kemahlı,  Sa­ba­hat­tin Öztemiz Taner ElmasPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com
14/02/2024
CMS advises automotive supplier Webasto on sale of charging business to...
Cologne – Webasto, a leading global automotive supplier headquartered in Stockdorf near Munich, has sold a majority stake in its charging solutions business. The business includes charging cables, mobile chargers and wallboxes. The German company is one of the 100 largest suppliers to the automotive sector worldwide and will remain invested in the division as a minority shareholder. It intends to focus on its core business segments going forward. In 2022, Webasto took the strategic decision to seek an investor for the charging solutions business. The buyer is private equity firm Transom Capital Group, based in Los Angeles, USA. The two companies signed a purchase agreement on 7 February 2024. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed.A CMS team headed by lead partner Klaus Jäger advised Webasto on all legal aspects of the sale. The German CMS team worked closely with CMS teams from Mexico City and Beijing, as well as US law firms Miller & Martin PLLC and Locke Lord LLP. The sales process was highly complex, partly due to the fact that prior to the sale the unit in question needed to be restructured by taking appropriate action across a number of different jurisdictions. Webasto has relied on the expertise of CMS in the past, most recently when acquiring all the shares in Luxembourg company Carlex Glass. Established in 1901, automotive supplier Webasto focuses on roof systems and on vehicle electrification in its development, manufacturing and sales operations. The product range includes openable and fixed roofs, electric high-voltage heaters and batteries and thermo management solutions. Webasto’s customers range from manufacturers of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and boats to dealers and end customers. In 2022, the group generated sales of over EUR 4 billion and employed some 16,800 people across more than 50 locations worldwide. CMS Germany Klaus Jäger, Lead Part­ner Anna-Lena Löcherbach, Counsel Philipp Knopp, Senior As­so­ci­ate Domin­ic Zimmer, Associate Nina Fink, Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Angela Emmert, Partner Lennard Martin Lürwer, Counsel Marcel Heinen, Senior Associate, all Labor, Employment & Pensions Dr Sebastian Cording, Partner Lars Howe, Associate Dr Markus Kaulartz, Partner Dr Reemt Matthiesen, Partner, all TMC Dr Alexandra Schluck-Amend, Partner Manuel Nann, Senior As­so­ci­ate  Fran­ziska Fuchs, Senior Associate, all Restructuring and Insolvency Lars Eckhoff, Partner Dr Philipp Rohdenburg, Counsel, both Commercial Dr Dirk Smielick, Principal Counsel, Intellectual Property Dr Christian Scherer, Partner, Real Estate & Public Barbara Bayer, Counsel, Banking, Finance & Insurance Moritz Pottek, Counsel, Antitrust, Competition & Trade Dr Arne Burmester, Principal Counsel Conrad Gräwe, Legal Coordinator Romy Rosenhahn, Legal Co­ordin­at­or Stephanie Schulz, Legal Co­ordin­at­or Steven Washington, Legal Co­ordin­at­or Tag­rid Chahrour, Senior Legal Specialist Anke Clippingdale, Senior Legal Specialist Lisa Mattmann, Senior Legal Specialist Sarah Przybylski, Senior Legal Specialist Edris Trabzadah, Senior Legal Specialist Faraz Ahmad, Legal Specialist Jule Marie Holz, Legal Specialist Sofia Schreiner, Legal Spe­cial­ist Al­ex­an­der Stadahl, Legal Specialist, all Smart Operations CMS China Dr Falk Lichtenstein, Partner, Corporate/M&A CMS Mexico Giancarlo Schievenini, Partner, Corporate/M&A MILLER & MARTIN PLLC, Attorneys at Law, Chattanooga, USA Mike Marshall, Partner Joe De Lisle, Partner Locke Lord LLP, Boston, USA Jonathan Joung, PartnerPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com   
14/02/2024
CMS advises paint and coatings producer KANSAI HELIOS on the acquisition...
Cologne – KANSAI HELIOS has acquired the entire industrial coatings business of GREBE Holding, based in Weilburg in Hessen, Germany, which operates under the name WEILBURGER Coatings. WEILBURGER Coatings is a well-known manufacturer of industrial coatings and comprises of WEILBURGER Coatings GmbH in Weilburg and WEILBURGER Asia Limited in Hong Kong. The share purchase agreement was signed on February 9, 2024. With the acquisition, KANSAI HELIOS intends to significantly expand its strategic position as a system supplier and manufacturer of industrial coatings and extend its geographical presence internationally. The company will also gain additional expertise, distribution channels, production and storage capacities. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose further details of the transaction. An international CMS team headed by Lead Partner Klaus Jäger and Christoph Schröer provided KANSAI HELIOS with comprehensive legal advice on the acquisition. The complexity of the transaction is characterized in particular by the size of the acquired Weilburger Coatings Group, which, in addition to the German companies, includes subsidiaries in Brazil, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Turkey and the USA. In addition to the actual purchase agreements in Germany and Hong Kong, CMS drafted and negotiated numerous other contracts. In addition to CMS teams in Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Turkey, France, Serbia, Austria and the United Kingdom, the law firms MILLER & MARTIN PLLC from the USA and Vaish Associates Advocates from India also provided support. KANSAI HELIOS regularly relies on the expertise of CMS, most recently in connection with the acquisition of all shares in CWS Lackfabrik GmbH (CWS), which specializes in powder coatings and synthetic resins, including the group companies in Germany, the USA, Denmark and Poland. KANSAI HELIOS, headquartered in Vienna, is part of the Japanese KANSAI PAINT Group. The company has a history of more than 170 years and is one of the major global players in the paints and coatings market. KANSAI HELIOS designs, produces and distributes industrial coating solutions, bleaching and cleaning chemicals, materials for sticking and sealing, high-quality resins, architectural paints and refinishing coatings throughout Europe and beyond. WEILBURGER Coatings was founded in 1900 at its current headquarters in Weilburg and has group companies in Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, the USA, Brazil, India and China. With around 600 employees at seven production sites and several sales offices, the company is active worldwide and generates a turnover of around 150 million euros. CMS Germany Klaus Jäger, Lead Partner Dr Kai Wallisch, Part­ner Chris­toph Schröer, Senior Associate Dr Katharina Kapp, Associate Dr Henrik Meurer, As­so­ci­ate Domin­ic Zimmer, As­so­ci­ate Kath­rin Dengel, Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Björn Herbers, Partner Moritz Pottek, Counsel Dr Denis Schlimpert, Counsel Kirsten Baubkus-Gerard, Senior Associate Dr Robert Bodewig, Senior Associate David Rappenglück, Associate, all Antitrust, Competition & Trade Dr Dirk Smielick, Principal Counsel Claudia Böhmer, Counsel, both IP Dr Angela Emmert, Partner Dr Andreas Hofelich, Partner Dr Mario Brungs, Counsel Lennard Martin Lürwer, Counsel Marcel Heinen, Senior Associate, all Labor, Employment & Pensions Michael Kamps, Partner Thorsten Hemme, Principal Counsel Dr Arne Schmieke, Senior Associate, all TMC Dr Martin Friedberg, Partner, Tax law Dr André Lippert, Partner Maike Füchtmann, Senior Associate, both Real Estate & Public Dorothée Janzen, Partner Dr Philipp Rohdenburg, Counsel, both Com­mer­cial Birgit Wagner, Legal Manager Conrad Gräwe, Legal Co­ordin­at­or Steven Washington, Legal Coordinator Anke Clippingdale, Senior Legal Specialist Edris Trabzadah, Senior Legal Specialist Faraz Ahmad, Legal Specialist Sofia Schreiner, Legal Spe­cial­ist Al­ex­an­der Stadahl, Legal Specialist, all Smart Operations CMS Beijing Falk Licht­en­stein Roxy Meng CMS Milan Daniela Murer Alessandra Cuni CMS Rome Fabrizio Spagnolo CMS Istanbul Döne Yalçın Merve Akkuş CMS Paris Thomas Hains Marion Berberian CMS Belgrade Maja Stepanović CMS Vienna Dr Dieter Zandler CMS London Russell Hoare Melanie Lane Focaccia Amaral L S Advogados, Brazil in association with CMS Renata Homem de Melo Fontes Carla Anastácio Lau, Horton & Wise LLP, Hong Kong in association with CMS Shirley Lau Albert Jok MILLER & MARTIN PLLC, USA Joe DeLisle Vaish Associates Advocates, India Shrinivas SankaranPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com
18/01/2024
EP Case Law in Brief: Commercial success and inventive step
“Commercial success alone is not to be regarded as indicative of inventive step, but evidence of immediate commercial success when coupled with evidence of a long-felt want is of relevance provided...
16/01/2024
CMS advises family owners of precision machine manufacturer Benzinger on...
Stuttgart – The families that own Pforzheim-based Carl Benzinger GmbH have sold a majority interest to Syngroh Capital GmbH, the investment firm set up by the entrepreneurial Klaus Grohe family. The current owners, the Jehle families, will retain a significant minority stake in Carl Benzinger GmbH and continue to manage the company operationally. The majority stake taken by Syngroh Capital will provide Benzinger with a long-term entrepreneurial partner who will contribute to the engineering company’s growth. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.A CMS team headed by lead partner Dr Claus-Peter Fabian advised the family owners of Carl Benzinger GmbH on all legal aspects of the transaction. Carl Benziger GmbH is a leading manufacturer of high-precision lathes and milling machines for a variety of industries, including the watchmaking and jewellery industries as well as sectors such as optics, precision mechanics, medical, dental, electrical and control technology, fluid and bearing technology, the automotive supply industry and aerospace. Benzinger offers everything from a single source – from engineering and building or setting up the machine tools through to after-sales service. The company’s customers include both local firms and world-famous luxury brands. CMS Germany Dr Claus-Peter Fabian, Lead Part­ner Kath­ar­ina Ivic, Senior Associate Julia Fünfgeld, Senior Associate Dr Maximilian Eitelbuß, Senior Associate, all Corporate/M&A Dr Martin Mohr, Partner Tobias Wacker, Associate, both Tax Dr Michael Rein, Principal Counsel, Labor, Employment & Pensions Dr Michael Kraus, Partner, TMC Dr Stefan Voß, Partner Lukas Potstada, Counsel, both Real Estate & Public Thomas Fröhlich, Counsel, IP Lisa Mattmann, Senior Legal Specialist, Smart OperationsPress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com
16/01/2024
CMS advises listed mobility solutions specialist Össur on acquisition of...
Frankfurt/Main – Össur, Nasdaq Copenhagen listed leading global provider of innovative mobility solutions, acquired all shares of privately owned Fior & Gentz, a Germany based leading European manufacturer of lower limb neuro orthotic components. Fior & Gentz develops and distributes knee and ankle orthotic joints to create innovative custom-made orthotic solutions for patients with gait impairments due to neurological conditions. The acquisition of Fior & Gentz represents an attractive opportunity for Össur to enter the fast-growing neuro orthotics market. The transaction volume amounts to around EUR 100 million plus an earn-out of up to EUR 20 million. The payment consists of cash as well as of newly issued, listed shares of Icelandic Össur hf. to the sellers of Fior & Gentz. An international CMS team led by Dr Heike Wagner and Dr Tobias Kilian advised Össur comprehensively on all legal aspects also in connection with this transaction. CMS Germany Dr Heike Wagner, Partner Dr Tobias Kilian, Of Counsel, both Lead Dr Reiner Thieme, As­so­ci­ate Nath­alie Amrhen, Associate, all Corporate / M&A Jörg Schrade, Partner Eduard Kosavtsev, Senior Associate, both Tax Dr Roland Wiring, Partner Dr Siham Hidar, Senior Associate  Noah Rodenkirchen, Associate, all Regulatory & Lifesciences Dr Stefan Lehr, Partner, Antitrust, Competition & Trade Dr Dirk Smielick, Principal Counsel, IP Prof Dr Malte Grützmacher, Partner, IT Dr Boris Alles, Partner Dela Herr, Associate, both Labor, Employment & Pensions  Dr Franz Maurer, Counsel Wiebke Westermann, Associate, both Real Estate & Public CMS Netherlands Roman Tarlavski, Part­ner Mar­cel­lina Rietvelt, Associate, both Corporate / M&A Martijn van der Bie, Partner Gieneke van Nierop, Counsel, both Corporate / Notaries CMS Norway Nicolas Jorn Brunet, Partner Tuva Svare, Associate, both Corporate / M&A Henrik Nordling, Partner, Antitrust, Competition & TradePress Con­tact presse@cms-hs. com
21/12/2023
CMS advises VR Equitypartner and other shareholders on investment by Wach­stums­fonds...
Leipzig – Frankfurt-based private equity firm VR Equitypartner (VREP) has sold its stake in Goldeck Süßwaren GmbH, a long-established manufacturer of chocolate specialities headquartered in Leipzig...
13/12/2023
CMS advises Friedrich Graepel AG on acquisition of SOLVARO GmbH
Frankfurt/Main – Friedrich Graepel AG, which is headquartered in the Lower Saxony town of Löningen, has acquired all the shares in SOLVARO GmbH and indirectly also those of its Hungarian subsidiary...
27/11/2023
Future secured: CMS advises insolvency administrator of long-es­tab­lished...
Stuttgart – The future of Weck, a company whose history goes back some 123 years, has been secured. Globally active alternative investment group AURELIUS emerged as the successful bidder in a competitive...
21/11/2023
Lawfulness of AI-assisted advertising under the German Unfair Competition...
Anyone using AI for advertising purposes should carefully check whether the intended use of the AI is lawful under unfair competition law.Using artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and sales is seen...
21/11/2023
EP Case Law in Brief: Proof of common general knowledge
It is a common sight for a patent attorney – an EPO Examiner acknowledges that a claim is novel, but asserts a lack of inventive step over ‘D1’ in combination with ‘common general knowledge’...
16/11/2023
Are arbitration clauses relevant to patent disputes and if yes, why? –...
In a recent series of judgments, the German Federal Patent Court (BPatG) discussed the effects of an arbitration clause contained in a patent and knowhow Licence Agreement and two arbitral awards rendered...