Dr. Holger Gauss
Admitted to the Bar, Certified IP lawyer
Expertise
Holger Gauss brings over two decades of experience to his practice. He specialises in advising clients on registering and enforcing industrial property rights, primarily focusing on trademarks, designs, copyrights, competition, and advertising law. Additionally, he supports clients in matters related to personality rights.
Holger is widely recognised for his extensive expertise in combating product piracy, parallel imports, and protection against knock-offs, including handling border seizures. He represents clients in litigation before all German courts, the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
Furthermore, Holger provides strategic guidance to clients on intellectual property issues, particularly in cross-border disputes, and manages global trademark portfolios. His diverse client base includes major international corporations and medium-sized companies across various sectors, with a notable presence in luxury goods, fashion/outdoor, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and (new) media. In recent years, he has emerged as a key contact for young US technology companies and startups from the Bay Area.
Holger has been an active member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) since 2008, contributing to various committees, including the Unreal Campaign Committee since 2020. Additionally, he is a member of the Expert Committee for Design Law of the German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR) and the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group (PTMG).
Outside of his professional endeavours, Holger enjoys attending equestrian sports and live music events.
Areas
- Trademark Infringement & Product counterfeiting
- Trademark Law
- Designs
- Copyright Law
- Competition Law
Key points
- Fashion
- Luxury goods
- Outdoor/Sports
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical products
- Technology companies
- Media and new media
Vita
- Studied law at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen; first state examination in 1999
- Legal clerkship at the Regional Court of Stuttgart; second state examination, 2001
- Admitted to the bar, 2001
- Lawyer at a law firm specializing in intellectual property in Stuttgart, 2001-2002
- Trainee at a law firm specializing in IP in Beverly Hills, USA 2002
- Doctorate at the Philipps University of Marburg, dissertation on the topic: “The human being as a trademark: licensing of name, image, voice and image in German and US law”, 2005
- Certified specialist lawyer for intellectual property law, 2007
- Partner at Grünecker, since 2013
Publications & lectures
Author in the Handbook of Personal Rights, Chapter: Trademark law
2nd edition, 2019
Publications and blog posts on trademark, design and competition law
„Current Issues in Parallel Importation Law”
Speaker at the INTA Annual Meeting, 2019
„Competition law for companies“
Webinar 2020
Online lecture series IP to Go
Co-host, 2020/2021
„Current Developments in Design Law at national and EU level”
AIPLA/GRUR Webinar 2021
„Competition & Copyright Law – Dos & Don’ts in Marketing“
Webinar 2021
„Social Media & Law”
Webinar, 2022
„Enforcement of Hague Designs in German Courts”
WIPO/GRUR Webinar, 2022
“Strategies for IP Litigation in Germany”
Lecture for the Greater Geneva IP Network Group, 2023