Trademark Attorney in Cologne
Register, defend, and enforce trademarks—for retailers and online stores, consumer goods and food service brands, agencies, and trade show exhibitors. Located at Zülpicher Platz, serving clients throughout Germany and before the EUIPO.
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Our Services
How We Can Help You with Trademark Law
Cologne is a city of commerce and trade shows: retail and e-commerce, food and beverages, restaurants, consumer goods, and major trade fairs. Brands enter the market here through store shelves, product listings, and trade show booths—and that’s exactly where they come under attack.
Registration & Research
Before you file your application, we’ll clarify two things: Is your mark even eligible for protection, and is there an earlier right that could stand in the way? Next, we’ll determine the scope of the goods and service classes—nationally with the DPMA, as an EU trademark with the EUIPO, or internationally.
Trade & Marketplaces
These days, copycats rarely show up in stores; instead, they appear in marketplace listings. We take action against counterfeits on these platforms, use the providers’ brand protection programs, and have listings blocked—in addition to sending traditional cease-and-desist letters.
Breach & Enforcement
If someone uses your trademark, you are entitled to an injunction, disclosure, and damages (Section 14 of the German Trademark Act (MarkenG)). If time is of the essence—for example, during a trade show—we will enforce your rights through a preliminary injunction.
Portfolio, License & Transfer
A trademark must be used and renewed on time; otherwise, it will be forfeited. We keep track of deadlines, monitor new applications filed by third parties, and draft licensing and assignment agreements—including in the context of business sales.
Good to Know
Where Your Trademark Dispute Is Actually Being Heard
Not every regional court has jurisdiction over trademark matters. North Rhine-Westphalia has consolidated jurisdiction—and as a result, German trademarks and EU trademarks are handled through two separate systems.
German Trademark → Cologne Regional Court
Trademark disputes from the entire Cologne Higher Regional Court district are consolidated at the Cologne Regional Court—based on Section 140(2) of the German Trademark Act (MarkenG) in conjunction with the North Rhine-Westphalia Consolidation Ordinance of August 30, 2011. For you as a client in Cologne, this is a home game: short distances, specialized divisions.
EU Trademark → Düsseldorf Regional Court
If, on the other hand, the case involves a European Union trademark, the Düsseldorf Regional Court has exclusive jurisdiction over the entire state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court serving as the court of second instance. This comes as a surprise to many—if you file a lawsuit with the wrong court, you’ll lose time because the case will have to be transferred.
Which approach applies depends on which legal system you’re operating under. Anyone who owns both trademarks has a real choice to make at this point—and that choice should be carefully considered, not left to chance.
Contact
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Your Case
What kind of situation are you in right now?
Your product is hitting the market
Listing with a retailer, trade show appearance, new store. Before you invest money in packaging, a catalog, and a trade show booth, you should make sure that the name belongs to you and no one else.
A counterfeiter is selling under your name
Plagiarism in a marketplace listing, a similar name on the same shelf, imported goods bearing your logo. We gather evidence, have listings blocked, and enforce your rights—within days if necessary.
You received a letter from a law firm
A cease-and-desist letter, an objection, or a preliminary injunction. Every day—sometimes even every hour—counts. We review the validity of the claim, the deadlines, and the requested cease-and-desist declaration before you sign anything.
Your Team for Trademark, Copyright, and Media Law in Cologne
"Experienced. Strategic. Assertive. We solve your legal challenges."
Attorney
Juliette Sarvan de Castro
Attorney
Patrick Rehkatsch
Your team for enforcing
right of reply.
It's that easy
Build Your Brand in 3 Steps
No-Obligation Initial Consultation
Do you have general questions about trademark law or trademark applications and want to get a sense of what to expect beforehand? Sign up for a brief, no-obligation call.
Preliminary Research & Price Calculation
You hire us to conduct the preliminary research. Before we begin, you’ll receive a clear breakdown of the costs: what the research will cost and what government fees will apply to your classes—all laid out transparently before we get started. This estimate is free of charge for you.
Billing, Verification, and Registration
We research prior rights, assess the eligibility for protection, and file your trademark—with the DPMA, as an EU trademark with the EUIPO, or internationally.
Your Benefits
Why Choose REHKATSCH ATTORNEYS as Your Law Firm in Cologne?
- – Attorneys specializing
in copyright and media law - – Over 20 years
of experience, 5,000+ cases - – DPMA, EUIPO, and international
filings and proceedings—all under one roof - – Featured in
FOCUS, BILD, EXPRESS, and Gala - – Four languages
German, English, Spanish, French - – Your industries
retail, e-commerce, consumer goods, hospitality, and agencies
Get Started Now
Secure your brand—we'll help you do it.
Whether it’s a registration, a cease-and-desist letter, or a dispute over a name: During a no-obligation initial consultation, we’ll figure out what needs to be done—with no risk to you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trademark Law in Cologne
Only to a limited extent. A trade name is established through use in business transactions and protects you wherever you actually conduct business. A registered trademark is valid nationwide or throughout the EU, regardless of where you’re currently generating revenue—and it’s much easier to enforce. If you’re growing your business or selling online, you’ll rarely be able to avoid registering a trademark.
Not every earlier trademark stands in your way. The key factors are whether it is registered for similar goods or services and whether there is a likelihood of confusion. Often, modifying the mark or choosing a different class classification can help. Sometimes the earlier trademark is also vulnerable because it hasn’t been put to genuine use for years. That’s exactly what we clarify during the preliminary search.
That depends on which trademark is involved. For a German trademark, the Cologne Regional Court has jurisdiction over the entire Cologne Higher Regional Court district—as stipulated by the North Rhine-Westphalia Concentration Ordinance. If the case involves an EU trademark, the Düsseldorf Regional Court has jurisdiction over the entire state of North Rhine-Westphalia. We verify this before taking any action, because filing a lawsuit with the wrong court is a waste of time.
Yes, and that’s usually the fastest way. The major platforms operate their own reporting and trademark programs that allow infringing listings to be taken down quickly—though this usually requires a registered trademark. We combine this with a traditional cease-and-desist letter to ensure the seller doesn’t go back online the next day under a new name.
Act quickly. During ongoing trade shows, you can obtain a temporary restraining order within a few days—sometimes even within a single day. It’s important to secure evidence on site: photos of the booth, brochures, and witnesses. Get in touch while the trade show is still underway—afterward, it becomes much more difficult.
No. In addition to Cologne, we have an office in Berlin at Potsdamer Platz, and we represent you before all German courts as well as before the DPMA and the EUIPO. The location where the case is heard depends on the nature of the case—not the address.
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Trademark Law at Zülpischer Platz
You can find us at Zülpicher Platz 7, 50674 Cologne—centrally located in the city center and easily accessible by train and car. We schedule appointments in advance so you won’t have to wait.
Much of this can be handled digitally anyway: research, registration, and deadline-related matters are handled via video, phone, or email—from Cologne to clients nationwide and before the EUIPO in Alicante.
