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Germany Intellectual Property Protection Copyright Litigation

International Lawyers Network

Different Kinds of Cool That Still Just Don’t Register: Why Birkenstocks & Melted Rink Ice (AKA Water) Aren’t Copyrightable

In 2015, the Wall Street Journal observed why Birkenstock sandals might be considered cool: “It’s a taboo thing,” said New York-based stylist Brian Coats, who dresses Jimmy Fallon....more

Knobbe Martens

German Sandals Follow the Functional Footsteps of U.S. Cheerleader Uniform Shape

Knobbe Martens on

In a recent decision, Germany’s Federal Court of Justice held that Birkenstock’s sandal design was not eligible for copyright protection. The court held that Birkenstock sandals did not display sufficient creativity to be...more

Quarles & Brady LLP

German Birkenstock Decision Shows the Limits of Copyright Protection for Functional Designs

Quarles & Brady LLP on

“Aber ist es Kunst?” - That question—“But is it art?”—was before the German Bundesgerichtshof (“BGH”), or Federal Court of Justice, in a recent proceeding involving the well-known Birkenstock sandal design. ...more

Jones Day

Wallpaper With Copyright-Protected Images: Limits to "Expected Commercial Use" in Germany, France and the United Kingdom

Jones Day on

The Situation: Photo wallpaper will most likely be copyright-protected. There are limits to implied consent of the rightsholder, particularly in relation to the commercial use of images or other copyright-protected objects in...more

Spirit Legal

Musikrecht: Urheber muss bearbeitetem Foto auf Albumcover zustimmen

Spirit Legal on

Die Verwendung fremder Fotografien kann urheberrechtlich problematisch sein. Das gilt auch, wenn fremde Bilder bearbeitet werden. Doch wann genau benötigt man die Erlaubnis des Urhebers für eine Bearbeitung und wann nicht?...more

Hogan Lovells

Lindgren heirs win in dispute over Pippi Longstocking lyrics

Hogan Lovells on

In a recent ruling by the Regional Court Hamburg (Case No. 308 O 431/17), the court awarded the heirs of children's book author Astrid Lindgren a right to information ...more

Hogan Lovells

iPunkt recap… Will CJEU follow Advocate General on unauthorised sampling opinion?

Hogan Lovells on

In December 2018, CJEU Advocate General Szpunar took the view that the reuse of a sound sequence in a new song (referred to as sampling) without the author’s permission violates copyright law (case C-476/17 – Moses Pelham et...more

Hogan Lovells

German Court rules on Porsche design

Hogan Lovells on

The silhouette and outer appearance of the first Porsche is world famous. Up until today, we see the charismatic shaping mirrored in the current model series. It has been a remarkable and uncomparable success story ever since...more

Hogan Lovells

CJEU: Re-posting content is a “communication to the public”

Hogan Lovells on

Copying an image from a website and using it for one’s own purposes, e.g. the illustration of a memo which eventually happens to be uploaded to another website – this happens a hundred times every day. However, such conduct...more

Hogan Lovells

German Federal Court Rules On Google’s Image Search – Thumbnails III

Hogan Lovells on

On 21 September 2017, the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof – BGH) handed down a judgment of utmost importance for the exploitation of copyright on the Internet. It will become known and referred to under the name...more

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