With strengths across the entire soft IP spectrum, Bird & Bird also impresses with expertise in competition law; under the leadership of technology expert Christian Harmsen, the practice advises clients on contentious and strategic matters and further assists with cross-border issues via its extensive international network. The group's sector focus includes media and technology, automotive, life sciences as well as consumer goods and retail.

KLAKA Rechtsanwälte's competition law practice acts in close cooperation with its trade mark team on one hand and, as a stand-alone unit, particularly assists the automotive, pharmaceutical, fashion and luxury goods sectors. Clients from the finance and energy sectors also call upon the group, whose expertise extends to contentious and strategic matters. Under the leadership of trade mark, design and competition lawyer Ralf Hackbarth, the practice is further known for providing extensive advice to The Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition (Wettbewerbszentrale). Other key contacts include Andreas Schulz, who is experienced in food and drug law, and Stefan Abel, who excels in counterfeiting protection under competition law.

Medium-sized companies and large corporations call upon ADVANT Beiten regarding a wide range of competition law issues, especially for litigation related to trade secrets and counterfeiting. The practice further impresses with its strategic capacity and is particularly active for clients from the sports, computer games, publishing and radio sectors. Electronic entertainment and technology are central focuses for practice head Andreas Lober: here he covers both non-contentious matters as well as representation before courts and authorities.

Recently, CBH Rechtsanwälte placed particular emphasis on matters relating to ESG, green claims and sustainability advertising, in which context the group advised and represented a client base consisting of medium-sized companies and global corporations. Companies from the healthcare, cosmetics, luxury goods and automotive sectors turn to the practice in particular, not least due to its interface expertise in gaming and procurement law. The team is led by a trio consisting of Ingo Jung, who focuses on new media law, IP lawyer and business mediator Nadja Siebertz, and Detlef von Schultz, who is experienced across the entire IP spectrum.

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner offers comprehensive competition expertise, ranging from litigation to advice. The team assists with matters pertaining to counterfeiting, product piracy, licensing agreements and advertising law issues and has further know-how in trade mark, design and copyright law as well as in transaction-related IP issues. Key contacts include Morton Douglas (pharmaceuticals, medical and pharmacy industry) and David Kipping (advertising and fair trade law) as well as soft IP lawyer Norbert Hebeis and copyright and media lawyer Stephan Dittl.

IP boutique Grünecker is experienced in competition law, particularly in the context of anticompetitive counterfeiting, advertising law issues and other contentious and strategic unfair competition matters. The group has further expertise in licensing agreements and various related fields such as copyright and personal rights. Anja Franke frequently assists clients from Asia, while Holger Gauss is primarily active in the fashion, outdoor, pharmaceutical and media sectors. Cornelia Schmitt, who predominantly advises US companies in the technology sector, made associate partner in January 2023.

Hogan Lovells International LLP's competition expertise is housed within its IP, media & technology practice and covers the whole array of competition issues thanks to a thematically broad team and international network. Trade secrets and know-how protection are just as much part of the consulting portfolio as licensing agreements and client representation in proceedings before German and European courts. Its sector focus rests on technology and telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, automotive and consumer goods, although its client roster also includes players in the energy and financial services industries. Andreas Bothe leads the German team and regularly handles litigation relating to competition and trade mark law, with cross-border cases representing a particular focus. Anthonia Ghalamkarizadeh, who is particularly adept in the online space and co-head of the firm's gaming and esports group, made partner in January 2023.

Anticounterfeiting is one of HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER's core competencies,  while also being regularly instructed with matters concerning product launches and labeling requirements. Under the leadership of soft IP expert Christina Tenbrock, whose expertise includes medicinal product advertising, pharmaceutical and medical device law, the competition practice focuses on consumer electronics, food, life sciences and cosmetics. Litigator Thomas Schmitz, who frequently assists with issues pertaining to illegal imitations and trade mark infringements, Ivan Dimitrov (competition and trade secret law) and counsel Sandra Stolzenburg-Wiemer (competition, design and trade mark law, advertising measures) are other key contacts.

Noerr focuses on competition disputes concerning trade secrets and advertising measures on one hand and on IP contract-related matters on the other. The group is predominantly instructed by clients from the gaming, pharmaceutical, automotive as well as retail sectors and led by Tobias Dolde, who specialises in trade mark and design law and divides his time between Alicante and Munich. Important team members include Christoph Rieken and Jessica Loew, who act across the entire soft IP spectrum, including product piracy and domain disputes. Valentina Nieß, who is experienced in competition law violations, made associated partner in January 2023.

Under the leadership of Marcus Sacré, who is particularly active in the automotive and consumer goods industries, Osborne Clarke is an experienced advisor on competition proceedings, while also assisting clients strategically, such as with know-how protection, influencer marketing and copyright. Matthias Kloth, who, in addition to trade mark and competition law, also focuses on licensing and distribution law, is another key contact. Robert Briske is experienced in trade mark, copyright and competition disputes as well as in IT-related issues and made partner in January 2024.

SKW Schwarz' firm-wide focus on innovative topics also becomes evident within its competition practice. The group advises – often in close cooperation with its media, entertainment and IT practices– on issues relating to influencer marketing, medical cannabis and e-sports. German and international medium-sized companies and large corporations can further rely on its expertise in environmental advertising. Oliver Stöckel, who took on the practice lead in 2023, regularly acts in infringement cases and competition law proceedings, where he applies his expertise in trade mark, patent and copyright law. Sascha Pres, who previously headed the team, represents companies from the retail, sports and service sectors before German and European offices and courts.

Due to the firm's global outreach, Taylor Wessing's competition advice often entails cross-border aspects. With a focus on the life sciences and healthcare sectors, it handles contentious proceedings and various strategic issues such as product launches, although it has recently also been increasingly active in matters on ​​climate-related advertising. In addition to competition law, practice head Olaf Gillert is also experienced in trade mark, design and copyright law.

IP boutique Vossius & Partner is experienced in advising on competition proceedings before German and international offices and courts, but also impresses with expertise in licensing agreements, e-commerce and advertising law. Furthermore, the group's broad industry knowledge ranges from chemistry and life sciences to digital business, consumer goods and fashion. Trade mark, design, competition and food law are the central pillars of Mathias Kleespies' advice, whose clients include national companies and global corporations.

In the competition sphere and across the soft IP spectrum, WilmerHale is particularly known for its dispute resolution capabilities, which are primarily applied for clients from the fashion, consumer goods, pharmaceutical and e-commerce industries. The group further assists with advertising campaigns, licensing and strategic issues. In addition to companies, including several from the US , the practice is also instructed by German authorities, which is not least due to its cross-location cooperation. Practice head Vanessa Wettner, whose expertise includes litigation before courts such as the Federal Court of Justice and the European Court of Justice, is the key contact and advises several Silicon Valley companies, among others.

As a European IP boutique, Bardehle Pagenberg is a popular address for internationally active corporations, which the group advises across the entire spectrum of competition issues, ranging from the development of advertising concepts and marketing strategies to representation in cross-border disputes. The practice is jointly headed by Philipe Kutschke, who is experienced across the whole array of soft IP matters, and Claus Eckhartt, who specialises in counterfeit protection, licensing agreements and merchandising. Key contacts also include Pascal Böhner, who often advises clients from the entertainment, fashion and sports sectors and focuses on domain name law and copyright protection under competition law.

With extensive skills in IT and data protection matters, GSK Stockmann is well equipped to advise on competition issues relating to digital business models and transformation. This expertise is particularly called upon by technologically oriented and international clients, who also benefit from the cooperation with its London office, which opened in September 2022. Katy Ritzmann, who is experienced in licensing agreements and trade marks, jointly heads practice with technology and digitalisation expert Jörg Kahler.

GvW Graf von Westphalen's wide range of competition advice includes both litigation as well as strategic advice and further covers matters pertaining to medicinal advertising law. In addition to trade mark and competition law, practice head Christian Kusulis is also experienced in digitalisation issues.

Heuking's extensive competition experience covers various contentious and non-contentious issues as well as matters pertaining to copyright and data protection. The Cologne-based Dominik Eickermeier and Markus Lennartz in Frankfurt are the main contacts and focus on matters in the IT and telecommunications context.

King & Spalding LLP focuses its competition advice on companies from the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors, including biotechnology, as well as from the food industry. Practice head Ulf Grundmann handles issues relating to parallel imports, product development and advertising. In addition to trade mark and competition law, he is also well versed in food and medicinal advertising law.

Loschelder applies its competition expertise particularly often in a contentious context, especially in remuneration proceedings and counterfeiting cases. Trade secret misappropriation represents another mainstay; these instructions are frequently led by Stefan Maaßen. He is one of the key partners alongside Thomas Schulte-Beckhausen, who not only handles trade mark and competition issues, but also food and pharmaceutical matters, and Patrick Pommerening (soft IP, including licensing agreements), who joined the partner ranks at the beginning of 2023.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH‘s competition practice focuses on the luxury goods and retail sectors as well as the mobility and logistics industries and covers license agreements, advertising law issues, registration procedures and disputes. Geert Johann Seelig and Detlef Mäder, who both have longstanding experience across the entire soft IP spectrum, jointly lead the group.

Oppenländer Rechtsanwälte is particularly adept in competition matters in the healthcare sector, resulting in a client base that includes drug manufacturers and manufacturers of other healthcare products; recently, the group increasingly assisted with digitalisation- and e-health-related matters. Other key clients stem from the energy industry which rely on the group's expertise in advertising campaigns and trade secret protection. The practice is jointly led by energy expert Markus Köhler as well as Christina Koppe-Zagouras and Timo Kieser, who are both experienced in the healthcare sector.

With expertise that extends from advertising law and e-commerce to data protection and IT, Raue offers clients extensive support in strategic and forensic competition matters. Markus Plesser has in-depth experience in licensing agreements and copyright law and jointly heads the practice with Robert Heine, whose advice includes media and e-commerce issues.

Schmidt, von der Osten & Huber covers a wide range of competition issues both forensically and in an advisory capacity, which is not least due to its close cooperation with the trade mark, design and copyright teams. Notker Lützenrath, who acts extensively in the soft IP sector, jointly leads the practice with Cay Fürsen, who often advises on advertising campaigns and licensing agreements as well as acting in injunction, information and damages claim proceedings pertaining to competition violations.