KNPZ Rechtsanwälte
Firm overview:
KNPZ Rechtsanwälte is recognised as “a strong Hamburg boutique” by peers with its offer of “Commercial.IP” legal advice in the areas of intellectual property, information technology, and media. Founded by ex-Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partners, the firm represents leading technology companies, as well as trademark and luxury article producers operating internationally, in the enforcement and defence of trademarks and other intellectual property rights and advises on the introduction of new trademarks as well as on marketing and advertising campaigns. One of the firm's lawyers also chairs infringement and invalidation actions.
Team overview:
“Highly recommended in Trademark law” by peers, Prof. Christian Klawitter’s intellectual property practice has an emphasis on competition and trademarks, design and copyright, as well as licensing and distribution (antitrust). A partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer prior to co-founding KNPZ Rechtsanwälte, he teaches intellectual property and copyright at the University of Duisberg-Essen and he teaches licensing agreements in the LL.M. program for intellectual property and media law at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Key matters:
- KNPZ represented Snap Inc owner of the SNAPCHAT mark in a European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) Fourth Board of Appeal decision relating to the EUTM registration of SNAPSOLVE by WhizSolve Pte Ltd of Singapore.
- The Opposition Division partially upheld the opposition and refused the EUTM application for part of the contested goods and services. Each party was ordered to bear its own costs.
- WhizSolve Pte Ltd filed an appeal against the contested decision, requesting that the decision be partially set aside to the extent that the EUTM application was refused. On 31 January 2024, WhizSolve Pte Ltd withdrew the EUTM application in its entirety. The applicant was ordered to pay costs of EUR 1,170 for abandoning the application.
Clients:
BHS Hamburg, Colgate-Palmolive, Frank Murges, Garbe Industrial Real Estate, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Jia De Lara, Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques, Mühlbauer Technology, RM Vermögensverwaltungs, Tagueri, Schoelder Verwaltungs, SIG Services, Snap, Swiss Krono Tec, Waldemar Link
