Designs

At Klickow & Wetzel, we provide you with comprehensive support in the field of design law and assist you with the following steps, among others:

Design analysis and advice
We review your design and analyze which elements make up the product design. We identify your options and potential risks and develop an individual protection strategy for you. We advise you on the selection of representations of your product for a design application, on disclaimers and on the advantages of a multiple application.

Design search
Prior to registration, we carry out a comprehensive search on request to ensure that your design is unique and does not infringe any existing property rights.

Design application and registration
We prepare your design application, guide you through the entire application process and ensure that your design meets the official requirements. We support you at both national and international level – to obtain a German design at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), to obtain a Community design at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and to obtain an international design registration (Hague System) at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). We realize and support national design applications in other countries with the help of our established, worldwide network of correspondence attorneys. In addition to the graphic representations of the product design, a design application includes protective claims and/or a description, depending on the official requirements. Our support ensures you optimum design protection through the selection of suitable representations, the use of disclaimers and the precise formulation of the description and/or claims.

Defense and enforcement

In the event of infringements of your design rights, we examine these together with you and, if necessary, consistently enforce your claims – both out of court and in court. We defend you against alleged design infringements, warnings or lawsuits and your designs against alleged lack of legal validity in cancellation or nullity proceedings.

Consulting and strategy development

Our in-depth expertise enables us to develop individual protection strategies for your design to give you a clear competitive advantage in the long term.

Expert opinions and monitoring of property rights

We support you in monitoring the design activities of your competitors, identifying potentially relevant third-party designs and preparing expert opinions to assess the risk of infringement. If necessary, we attack critical designs through cancellation or nullity proceedings.

Portfolio management

Even after the design registration, we support you, for example, by monitoring deadlines for the due date of official renewal fees, their payment as well as the fulfillment of other official requirements and the management of your files. As soon as action is required, we will inform you comprehensively and in good time. We are also happy to coordinate changes to the owner data in the official registers as a result of changes or design transfers.

Contracts and agreements

If you are planning to transfer or license designs, we can advise you on the necessary license agreements and transfer agreements on the buyer’s or seller’s side or as licensor or licensee, prepare draft contracts or review contracts submitted to you by third parties.