Christoph Rieken, LLM (University of London)

Rechtsanwalt (Lawyer), Partner

Intellectual Property
Mergers & Acquisitions

Christoph Rieken

Christoph Rieken advises on intellectual property (IP) law, with a focus on trade mark law, unfair competition law, design law and copyright law. Christoph has comprehensive experience in IP-related disputes and regularly represents parties before the German courts. Moreover, Christoph advises on licence and coexistence agreements and other IP-related commercial agreements such as merchandising and sponsoring agreements. Christoph’ s practice also encompasses strategic consulting on the choice of brands and company logos, including availability searches, application procedures and representation in opposition and nullity proceedings before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. Another focus of his work is advising on IP transactions, including estab-lishing and exploiting collateral for IP rights in the context of granting loans.

Distinctions

  • Frequently recommended lawyer for trademark, design and competition law: “very good and tough negotiator in complex trademark disputes”, competitor, JUVE Handbook 2017/2018 "cooperative and dedicated“, competitor, JUVE Handbook 2018/2019, "very pleasant and good at trademark law", competitor, JUVE Handbook 2019/2020 „good negotiator“, competitor, JUVE Handbook 2020/2021 „excellent unfair competition lawyer and litigator “, client; „strategically thinking and adept litigator“, competitor, JUVE Handbook 2021/2022 "flexible mindset, good strategist, solution-oriented", "very prudent support", clients, JUVE Handbook 2022/2023
  • Acknowledged by The Legal 500: " Christoph Rieken is combative when it counts" and by WTR 1000: "He has made the consumer goods industry his own and is also well connected in the textiles field" and Managing Intellectual Property – IP Stars (2018): “Christoph Rieken is a key trade mark partner in the IP department.” Acknowledged by Handelsblatt 2021: Best Lawyers IP

Career

Studied law at the Universities of Würzburg and London
Admitted to the Munich Chamber of Lawyers in 2006
Worked several years for international law firms
With Noerr since 2015

Memberships

  • German Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (GRUR)
  • International Trademark Association (INTA)
  • AIPPI

Publications

  • Der Schutz olympischer Symbole: Schutzrechte an den Olympischen Ringen und den olympischen Bezeichnungen in Deutschland, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2008
  • Inderst/Bannenberg/Poppe Compliance, 3rd edition; C.F. Müller 2017; Intellectual Property 366 - 380
    Borges/Keil - Rechtshandbuch Big Data: § 9 UWG
  • MarkenR 2019, 399-403: Kennzeichnung von Influencer-Werbung (with Dr. Stefanie Hermann)
  • GRUR-Prax 2017, 428: Faktoren zur Bestimmung der bösgläubigen Unionsmarkenanmeldung
  • GRUR-Prax 2016, 440: Anm. zu BPatG: Verwechslungsgefahr zwischen Salamander und Sanamander
  • GRUR-Prax 2016, 148: Anm. zu High Court of Justice: KitKat-Keine Unterscheidungskraft durch Benutzung MarkenR 2006, 439-445
  • MarkenR 2015, 173-178: Zum Schutz olympischer Bezeichnungen nach der BGH Entscheidung "Olympia-Rabatt"
  • MarkenR 2014, 365-370: Zum erweiterten Schutz bekannter Marken gegen Keyword-Advertising in Deutschland
  • MarkenR 2013, 334-339: Umfang und Grenzen des Schutzes olympischer Symbole
  • MarkenR 2013, 63-66: Insolvenzfeste Gestaltung von Lizenzen nach M2Trade/Take Five (with Timo Conraths);
  • MarkenR 2012, 449-454: Löschungsansprüche gegen rechtsverletzende Domainnamen
  • MarkenR 2006, 439-445: Die Eventmarke – Eine neue Markenform zur rechtlichen Absicherung des Sponsoring und Merchandising?