SUCCESSFUL

against infringement of

Copyrights.

Copyright infringements cause immense damage to authors and rights holders! Our team of specialized lawyers will take effective and consistent action against copyright infringements on your behalf.

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Copyright infringement

The unauthorized use of works can mean considerable economic losses for authors and creatives, but also licensees, if they lose potential income as a result. In addition, the modification of works without the author’s consent can damage their reputation. The use of unlicensed or inadequately licensed photographs, software or texts can cause massive damage, e.g. in the form of lost profits and sales. In order to prevent negative consequences of copyright infringements for creative people and creators, it is advisable to take active action.

Authors and rights holders can take active action against copyright infringements. In addition to the criminal prosecution of copyright infringements, there are various ways to take action against unauthorized use. The prerequisite is the existence of a copyright-protected work in the form of a personal intellectual creation.

Urheberrechtsverstöße werden in der Regel mittels einer urheberrechtlichen Abmahnung verfolgt. Falls erforderlich, kann der Urheberrechtsverstoß auch vor Gericht geltend gemacht werden, beispielsweise durch eine einstweilige Verfügung oder Klage.

Special features of AI-generated content

Mit dem Aufkommen von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) ergeben sich neue Herausforderungen im Bereich des Urheberrechts. Bei Inhalten, die durch KI generiert wurden, stellt sich oft die Frage ob diese urheberrechtlich geschützt sind.

In principle, only personal intellectual creations enjoy copyright protection. A work must reflect the personality of the author and express their creative decisions.

As a rule, AI-generated content does not fall under this protection as it does not have human authorship. A possible exception exists if the user of the AI has a significant influence on the design of the work. In such cases, authorship could be considered.

Copyright claims

Ansprüche aus Urheberrecht können vom Urheber oder Rechteinhaber geltend gemacht werden. Grundsätzlich stehen dem Urheber bei einer Urheberrechtsverletzung folgende Ansprüche zu:

Injunctive relief:
The purpose of injunctive relief is to effectively prevent further acts of infringement. The infringer must refrain from using the protected content in the future. Protected content may not be used, in particular exploited or reproduced, without the consent of the copyright holder. The infringer can satisfy this claim out of court by submitting a cease-and-desist declaration with a penalty clause.
Removal claim:
The removal claim serves to eliminate existing infringements of rights or their consequences. The infringer is obliged to remove the infringement, for example by deleting the corresponding content or recalling and destroying the infringing copies.
Schadensersatzanspruch:
Mit dem Schadensersatzanspruch kann der Urheber bzw. Rechteinhaber seinen durch die Urheberrechtsverletzung entstandenen Schaden geltend machen. Es stehen drei verschiedene Methoden zur Berechnung des Schadens zur Verfügung: der entgangene eigene Gewinn, der Gewinn des Verletzers oder eine fiktive Lizenzgebühr. Die Höhe der fiktiven Lizenzgebühr variiert dabei je nach Werkart und kann auf Grundlage der jeweiligen vom Urheber vergebenen Lizenzen bestimmt werden. Infolge der fehlenden Urheberbenennung, die aus dem Urheberpersönlichkeitsrecht resultiert, kann sich der Schadensersatzanspruch verdoppeln.
Information and accounting claims:
The information and accounting claim serves to determine and quantify the damage and provide information about suppliers and customers who may have committed infringements. The infringer must provide detailed information on the type, scope, duration, turnover and profit from the infringement and render accounts. The infringer is obliged to provide supporting documents such as invoices, delivery bills and orders in order to verify the information.
Destruction and recall claims:
The infringer must take precautions to prevent further copyright infringements and must recall and destroy the infringing content and, if necessary, products and advertising material from the distribution channels, insofar as this is necessary to eliminate the copyright infringement.
Reimbursement of the costs of the cease and desist letter:
The author has a claim for reimbursement of costs against the infringer of his laws to the effect that, in the event of a justified cease and desist letter, he can demand reimbursement of the associated costs (e.g. lawyer’s fees, test purchase costs) from the infringer.

How we enforce copyright claims

We check whether and to what extent a copyright infringement has occurred. We investigate possible further infringements and document the infringements. We then develop targeted strategies to take quick and effective action against the infringement. We also consider whether criminal measures may be appropriate. Our law firm offers you a range of services specially tailored to the prosecution of copyright infringements:

Examination and analysis:
We carefully examine whether a copyrighted work exists and to what extent a copyright infringement has occurred.
Strategic advice:
We advise you on the best possible and most economically sensible strategy for enforcing copyright.
Documentation and preservation of evidence:
We document the identified violations in a court of law as a basis for successful legal enforcement.
Preparation and sending of cease and desist letters:
As a rule, we first send a copyright cease and desist letter requesting the infringer to refrain from unauthorized use. The cease and desist letter regularly asserts claims for injunctive relief, information, damages, destruction and recall, if applicable, and reimbursement of the cease and desist letter costs. The copyright cease and desist letter serves as a first step towards out-of-court clarification and enables the cease and desist letter recipient to avoid legal proceedings by submitting a cease and desist letter with a penalty clause and fulfilling the other claims.
Initiation of legal action:
If the cease and desist letter is not responded to adequately, we will quickly initiate legal action – be it through an injunction or a lawsuit – in order to consistently enforce your copyright claims.
Enforcement of claims for injunctive relief:
If an infringer repeatedly violates his obligation to cease and desist or an already obtained title, we will assert your claims for contractual penalties or administrative remedies in order to finally put an end to the copyright infringement.

Our expertise – your advantage

We have many years of experience in the prosecution of copyright infringements. Our specialized attorneys combine sound legal expertise with practice-oriented strategies to successfully prosecute even complex or multiple copyright infringements. You benefit from this:

Legal expertise:
Regular training and an intensive exchange within our professional network ensure that we are always up to date with the latest developments in copyright law.
Experience before courts nationwide:
We have successfully represented our clients before courts throughout Germany for many years and therefore have many years of experience in dealing with the courts in copyright law and their judicial practice.
Individual support:
We develop customized solutions that are tailored to your specific design and economic needs as well as the particularities of your industry.
Success-oriented action:
Our aim is to enforce your claims quickly and effectively and to prevent copyright infringements consistently and sustainably.