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Heike Blank
Partner

Dr. Heike Blank

Rechtsanwältin

Languages
  • German
  • English
Social media

Heike Blank specialises in unfair competition, pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics law and represents major German and international companies in court, in particular in the context of interim injunctions. She specifically focuses on representing her clients in cases of infringements of trade secrets, such as disclosure of customer data and technological trade secrets, an area that is highly sensitive and economically relevant. Her advisory practice includes working with companies prior to launching new products and advising them on marketing plans. She also supports companies in all regulatory and unfair competition law matters, especially also in connection with environment-related advertising claims to avoid greenwashing.

Heike joined CMS in 2001 and became a partner in 2012. Prior to that, she worked as research assistant at Cologne University‘s department for civil and commercial law.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    Listed for Intellectual Property
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2025 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    Führende Partnerin für Wettbewerbsrecht
    The Legal 500 Deutschland, 2025
  • Quote
    Führende Namen im Wettbewerbsrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2024/2025
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2024/2025
  • Quote
    Listed for Intellectual Property
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2024 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    Leading Individual for Unfair Competition
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2024
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Medien
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    Listed for Intellectual Property
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2023 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    Leading Individual for Unfair Competition
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2023
  • Quote
    „exzellente Prozessführung, stets zuverlässige u. schnelle Bearbeitung“, Mandant
    JUVE Handbuch, 2021/2022
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Trademarks and Unfair Competition, Media
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2020-2022 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    Leading individual for Unfair competition
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2021
  • Quote
    "very good, quick, experienced and good value for money", client
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2021 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "stands out, strategically and tactically excellent", competitor
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2018 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Media, Trademarks and Unfair Competition
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2018 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Intellectual Property, Trademarks and Unfair Competition
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2017 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    „[Dr. Heike Blank] trägt damit maßgeblich dazu bei, dass CMS Hasche Sigle auf dem ersten Platz steht.“
    Kanzleimonitor 2016, 2017
  • Quote
    Recommended lawyer for pharmaceutical law, intellectual property
    Kanzleimonitor 2016, 2017
  • Quote
    "the ‘competent and guick’ Heike Blank"
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2016
  • Quote
    "Heike Blank is ‘very target-oriented’"
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2015
  • Quote
    „sehr kompetent u. zuverlässig“, Mandant
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    „sehr kompetent u. zuverlässig“, Mandant
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Marken- und Wettbewerbrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Technologie und Medien
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    Leading individual for Unfair competition
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2022

Publications

  • Autorin Praxishandbuch Geschäftsgeheimnisschutz, Herausgeber Reinfeld/Leister, C.H.Beck, 2023
  • "Geschäftsgeheimnisse und Know-how-Schutz (GeschGehG)" (mit Christian Musiol) Anschwärzung (§ 4 Nr. 2 UWG) in: Münchener Anwaltshandbuch Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz, C.H.Beck, 6. Auflage 2022
  • "Minimum requirements for the protection of trade secrets", Der Betrieb 2021, 556
  • Violation of the German Act on Advertising in the Field of Health (Heilmittelwerbegesetz – HWG) in the case of free distribution of spectacles, comment on Stuttgart Higher Regional Court, GRUR-Prax 2020, 461
  • Requirements for the burden of demonstration in the field of healthcare advertising law, comment on Frankfurt Higher Regional Court, GRUR-Prax 2019, 242
  • Medicinal product warning in advertising for food supplements or cosmetics can be misleading, comment on Dresden Higher Regional Court, GRUR-Prax 2019, 318
  • "Geringer Spielraum für die Abwandlung von Health Claims", GRUR-Prax 2019, 547, gemeinsam mit Herr Jonas Kiefer
  • Angabe „Zu verwenden wie Crème fraîche“ offenbart nicht das Vorliegen eines Mischprodukts aus tierischen und pflanzlichen Zutaten GRUR-Prax 2019, 97
  • Pflanzliches Fett darf als Alternative zu Butterschmalz deklariert werden GRUR-Prax 2019, 25
  • "German Federal Court of Justice rules that adblocking and whitelisting is legal" in Leading Internet Case Law vom 21.06.2018
  • Co-Author of "Misleading representations of new "Designer Food"" in November 2017
  • Münchener Anwaltshandbuch Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz (Munich Lawyers' Manual on Intellectual Property Rights), chapters regarding § 4 (2) German Unfair Competition Act (UWG) and §§ 17-19 German Unfair Competition Act (UWG)
  • Impermissible designation of food as "balanced diet" - "Figura Fatburner, GRUR-Prax 2014, page 564
  • Limits of permissibility of product tests, GRUR-Prax 2014, page 267
  • No misrepresentation in the event of sufficient details in list of ingredients - "Himbeer-Vanille-Abenteuer, GRUR-Prax 2013, page 258
  • Liability of an online retailer for the inaccuracy of the information on the geographic origin used by the supplier - "Himalaya Salt", GRUR-Prax 2013, page 455
  • Irreführende Angabe einer Milchsäurekultur - Natürliche Milchsäurekultur, GRUR-Prax 2013, S. 554 Misleading information regarding a lactic acid culture - "Natürliche Milchsäurekultur" (natural lactic acid culture), GRUR-Prax 2013, page 554
  • Cosmetics; health protection; shower gel; bath gel; confusable with food, GRUR-Prax 2012, page 334
  • Prepackaging; labelling; designation; designation of quantity/amount; weight; bread; pastry; small baked products; Deutsches Lebensmittelbuch (German Food Code), GRUR-Prax 2013, page 590
  • Food guidelines do not always reflect consumer understanding – "Sparkling Tea", GRUR-Prax 2012, page 71
  • What's not in it may not be on it - The new EU Food Labelling Regulation, CMS CPSG Report, Januar 2012
  • Discretionary decision by authorities can bind competition courts, GRUR-Prax 2011, page 520
  • What's not in it may not be on it - The draft EU Food Labelling Regulation, CMS Update IP, November 2011
  • Legal advice from food analysts, GRUR-Prax 2011, page 229
  • Claim "face lifting without needle" is misleading without scientific evidence, GRUR-Prax 2011, page 112
  • Strict requirements for the accuracy of advertising statements in the pharmaceutical sector, GRUR-Prax 2010
  • No unfair imitation thanks to manufacturer code - "Joghurtbecher" (yoghurt cup), GRUR-Prax 2010, page 565
  • Limiting a discount to one day is not appropriate, GRUR-Prax 2010, page 446
  • A commercial practice alone does not establish an accepted view, GRUR-Prax 2010, page 348
  • News from Brussels regarding the content of the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Update IP May 2010
  • The EU Commission's guide for interpretation regarding the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive - more orientation or new stumbling blocks?, GRUR-Prax 2010, page 95
  • Possibility of asking competitor can suffice as verifiability of comparative advertising, Hamburg Regional Court 312 O 365/09, GRUR-Prax 2009, page 20
  • New rules in competition – The legislative reform of the German Unfair Competition Act (UWG) 2009 (co-author Dr Carsten Menebröcker), GmbHChef 2009, page 43
  • Legal Advice Act (Rechtsberatungsgesetz) – (no) obstacle to the marketability of debts?, Der Betrieb (DB), 2002, pages 880ff.
  • Permissibility of legal advice via telephone value-added service providers, Deutscher Anwaltverlag, 2002.

Memberships & Roles

  • German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR)
  • Expert Committee on Pharmaceutical and Food Law of the GRUR
  • Lebensmittelverband Deutschland e. V. (Food Federation Germany)

Lectures list

  • Januar 2025: Webinar „Green Claims und Nachhaltigkeit: Zukünftige Werbemöglichkeiten“ der Behr’s Akademie
  • Dezember 2024: „Verpackungen und Nachhaltigkeitswerbung – Werbung mit umweltbezogenen Aussagen“, Symposium zum Lebensmittelrecht, Prof. Dr. Voit, Philipps-Universität Marburg
  • September 2024: „Green Claims – Herausforderungen an Unternehmen durch entwaldungsfreie Lieferkette, ElektroG & ÖkodesignVO. Wie darf über die Ergebnisse kommuniziert werden?“, F.A.Z. Konferenz, Frankfurt
  • Juni 2024: „Green Claims: Der aktuelle Rechtsrahmen und die Pläne der EU“, Forum Consumer Products 2024 (gemeinsam mit Dr. Nikolas Gregor), Frankfurt
  • Mai 2024: „Greenwashing: best-practice and the law in sustainable marketing“, Greentech Festival, Berlin
  • Mai 2024: „Greenwashing & Green Claims“, Vortrag für Bundesverbands der Unternehmensjuristen", ESG AG
  • März 2024: „Green Labels - Notwendige Transparenz für Umweltsiegel und Umweltaussagen oder "nachhaltige" Überregulierung auf EU-Ebene?“, Kölner Symposium für Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht
  • November 2018: „Einsatz von Adblockern nach deutschem Recht“, Forum Wettbewerbsrecht 2018, Wien
  • September 2018: „Schutz von Betriebs- und Geschäftsgeheimnissen“ (gemeinsam mit Dr. Angela Emmert, CMS), Bundesverband der Arbeitsrechtler in Unternehmen e.V. (BVAU), Regionalgruppe West, Essen
  • December 2011, "The Employee as Expert - Raising Awareness, Protecting From Attacks, Sharing And Passing On Knowledge", Cologne November 2011, "The New Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Provision of Food Information", Düsseldorf
  • November 2011, "Company Secrets - Risks and Opportunities in the Event of Employee Turnover", together with Mr. Kurschat, Frankfurt
  • October 2011, "Company Secrets - Risks and Opportunities in the Event of Employee Turnover", together with Mrs. Emmert, Cologne
  • September 2011, "The new European Regulation on Consumer Information for Food products", München
  • September 2011, "European and German Unfair Competition Case law for food companies", München
  • September 2011, "Consumer Information Act", Munich
  • Januar 2011: Lecture on "Compliance, Prävention und Rechtsschutz: Strategien zum Schutz von Geschäftsgeheimnissen und Know-How", Frankfurt
  • November 2010:Lecture on "Health Claims & Beyond", Workshop "Legal Trends in the Consumer Products Industry", Zürich
  • Oktober 2010: CMS-Mandantenveranstaltung zum aktuellen Wettbewerbsrecht, Product Placement, Targeted Advertising und In-Game Advertising, Köln
  • Oktober 2010: Dozentin im Rahmen des Fachanwaltslehrgangs Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz, Carl Heymanns Verlag, Tagesseminar zu §§ 4 bis 7 UWG, München
  • September 2009: Vortrag zum Thema „Liability of the Internet Service Provider", Redmond/Washington, USA
  • September 2009: Vortrag zum Thema „The Interim Injunction Process in Germany", Redmond/Washington, USA
  • April 2009: CMS-Mandantenveranstaltung zum aktuellen Wettbewerbsrecht, "Cold Calls, E-Mails, Faxe & Co. – Was ist beim Direktmarketing künftig zu beachten?", Köln,
  • Juni 2008: „Aktuelle Rechtsprechung des BGH zum Wettbewerbsrecht“, gemeinsam mit Richter am BGH Dr. Alfred Bergmann, Frankfurt
  • Mai 2008: „Geheimnisverrat durch (ehemalige) Mitarbeiter, gemeinsam mit Frau Rechtsanwältin und Fachanwältin für Arbeitsrecht Dr. Angela Emmert
  • Dezember 2007: „Aktuelle Rechtsprechung des BGH zum Wettbewerbsrecht“, gemeinsam mit Richter am BGH Dr. Alfred Bergmann, München
  • März 2007: "Belästigende Werbung, § 7 UWG", Köln/Düsseldorf
  • Februar 2007: „New Media and Modern Marketing Methods and their Compatibility with German Unfair Competition Law“, Köln
  • seit 2006: Fachanwaltslehrgang Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz, Tagesseminar zu §§ 4 bis 7 UWG, zweimal jährlich, Köln/München
  • November 2005: "Legal Aspects: Neue Werbeformen und neue Rechtsfragen", Frankfurt
  • September 2005: „Mobile Entertainment Meeting – Welche neuen rechtlichen Fragen wirft das mobile Business auf für neue Geschäftsmodelle?", München
  • Juni 2004: "Prozessuale Veränderungen aufgrund der UWG-Reform", Köln

Education

  • 2000 - 2001: Research assistant at Cologne University’s department for civil and commercial law
  • 2000 - 2001: PhD under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Grunewald at the University of Cologne; topic: "Lawfulness of providing legal advice via value-added telephone services“
  • 1999: Second state examination in law
  • 1997 - 1999: Trainee lawyer at Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court
  • Law studies in Cologne
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