Fields of Law

Your invention should remain your invention. We will help you with that!

Patents increase the value of your company. They help unlock new sales potentials, promote your image as an innovative business and ensure a competitive edge. This is why you shouldn't take any chances when it comes to patentability, patent application and patent protection! With their in-depth knowledge and international experience, the patent attorneys at TERGAU & WALKENHORST will also advise you and guide you in all patent, both in Europe and abroad.

Advantageous protection in just a few weeks

The utility model is a technical property right which ensures that you acquire the rights to your new development significantly sooner than a patent. A "small patent" is usually registered just a few weeks after the application date, consequently, as the inventor and/or assessor of your new technical innovation, you are guaranteed fairly quickly that no one can dispute your rights. However, a utility model will not be checked officially for protectability before the filing, so self initiative and professional competence are particularly required at this point. We will advise you with respect to all your questions and assist you through the entire process required to obtain your utility model protection. As your official representative, TERGAU & WALKENHORST will secure your rights for sales and distribution, marketing and commercial use, e.g. in the form of licenses.

"Patent" protection for the styling and design of your products

The design protects the esthetics, color and structure of your new products. It can essentially be used for every new design that has a special characteristic. This allows you to position yourself easier when it comes to rare, ambitiously "styled" and ultimately unique products and prototypes. TERGAU & WALKENHORST is your partner and will help you obtain this protection and will that it is done early and in a forward-looking manner.

Your business is unique and it should stay that way!

In an increasingly globalizing market, where plagiarizers are becoming bolder and bolder and products and services are becoming more and more similar, the potential of a strong and unique trademark is very important. It makes your offering special and it makes it stand out from the crowd. The more successful your trademark is, the more attractive it is to copy, adapt or quote, unfortunately. This is why the patent attorneys and attorneys at law from TERGAU & WALKENHORST assist you in all aspects of modern trademark protection. Needless to say, this also applies if you wish to develop a strategy for your portfolio or a new trademark. By performing essential and thorough research, both in and outside the country, and by completing the necessary analyses, we ensure your trademark's security and thus contribute to your future success on the market!

The rules that you must follow should also apply to others

How do I organize my advertising, what do I have to consider to include in my legal notice and can my competitor spread these false rumors about me? A lot of companies are in trouble because they didn't follow the competition rules. Do not succumb to the competition's pressure or to the significant interference meant to impede the free development, but instead operate comfortably on the legal side of competition law: contact the attorneys at TERGAU & WALKENHORST when it comes to the evaluation of unfair business practices and to interfering with free competition or legally pursuing these practices. We'll help you get ready for the competition!

Specific fields of law require specialized attorneys

With the beginning of the digital age, new perspectives have opened up in the field of business law. Who knows best when it comes to the reliable and international protection of your new software? Is it possible to obtain a patent for it or do other options make more sense? Who do you reach out to in order to be on the safe side for special and if, necessary, far-reaching IT legal agreements? It's easy: to the specialized attorneys of TERGAU & WALKENHORST. We are here to help!

Consultation and legal assistance if worst comes to worst

Which entrepreneur can be certain that their business in Germany or abroad will always run smoothly? Discrepancies may quickly occur, especially when evaluating and interpreting contracts, and they often need a lawyer's keen eye. To avoid unpleasant surprises, the team from TERGAU & WALKENHORST wants to work on your licensing, know-how or cooperation agreements, to rule out possible legal disputes from the beginning and, in the event of an unavoidable legal dispute, to help you enforce your claims.

Secure achievements in a reliable way

Who is not familiar with the "©" symbol? Still, it seems like only few people know the meaning behind it, as copyright is always being brushed aside by the competition. However, the figment of your creative imagination should remain your property, for as long as you want it and as long as permitted by law. TERGAU & WALKENHORST advises and accompanies you competently in all relevant aspects of copyright law. We pay special attention to the gray area between copyright law and patent law, which plays a role in software-based inventions time and again.

For a reasonable and flawless reconciliation of interests

Did you, as an employee, invent something? Or did one of your employees come up with an invention and you want to know what to do now? Ask us! From a legal point of view, an employee's invention is a patentable invention, which an employee made as part of their employment and their work responsibility. The field of law that deals with these topics is called "Employees' Invention Law". It deals primarily with the handling of technical advancements and inventions involving a company's employees. Apart from these, there are also creative achievements, in the form of employees' suggestions for improvement. Lastly, there are copyright services provided by employees. TERGAU & WALKENHORST has specialists that are also knowledgeable in these difficult fields of law, who advise and support you to find an amicable and legally valid reconciliation of interests for you.

You heard about some new EU directives or other legal provisions?

You cannot assess whether at all or to what extent your company is affected by them?

Questions regarding product safety and product conformity are becoming more and more important for companies, as the sovereign rights have been considerably extended with the new EU market surveillance regulation. The ramifications of the legal requirements on your own business are diverse and often not immediately apparent. This includes product-related legal issues pertaining to the national law and the EU law, including product and manufacturer liability, product safety and environmental law. The economic agents, such as product manufacturers, importers and distributors, are responsible for the compliance of their products to all applicable legislation. The knowledge and application of the market access rules in force is therefore essential for all economic agents and is required by the law.

TERGAU & WALKENHORST advises you on all relevant legal matters in this field and assists you, if necessary, in creating a functional early warning system, which will become part of your risk management. We provide custom-made monitoring solutions for your company, based on the current national legislation and EU law, as well as assistance in implementing risk-taking measures to ensure compliance with the product-related legal requirements.