Services at a Glance
E-Commerce and Online Retail
Whoever sells goods or services online operates within a dense network of statutory disclosure obligations — under the BGB, the Price Indication Regulation, the UWG and increasingly also EU regulations such as the Omnibus Directive and the P2B Regulation. Defective or missing information on withdrawal rights, prices, delivery times or product labelling are frequent and avoidable grounds for cease-and-desist warnings. Response deadlines are tight — often only 7 days from the date the letter is sent.
Representation is available on both sides: defending against unjustified warnings as well as pursuing claims against unfair competitors. Typical instructions include legally compliant online shop structure with mandatory disclosures and withdrawal notices, warnings for defective price labelling or review manipulation, the requirements of the Omnibus Directive on discount advertising and personalised pricing, and rights and obligations on marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay or Etsy. Commercial social media presence and disclosure obligations for influencer advertising are also recurring topics.
Commercial and Distribution Law
Distribution structures regularly give rise to legal questions that are rarely adequately addressed in general commercial agreements. In commercial agency law, the compensation claim under § 89b HGB is frequently at the centre of attention: on termination of a commercial agency agreement, the agent may be entitled to substantial compensation for the customer base built up — or conversely, the principal may need to defend against inflated claims. Further disputes arise over ordinary and extraordinary termination of agency agreements, non-compete obligations and commission on post-termination transactions.
Similar questions arise in relation to authorised dealers and exclusive distribution arrangements, which do not directly fall under commercial agency law but are treated comparably by the courts. Franchise agreements have their own particularities regarding disclosure obligations, territorial protection and exit arrangements. In day-to-day commercial transactions, the formal letter of confirmation (kaufmännisches Bestätigungsschreiben) and the drafting and enforcement of purchasing and sales terms in B2B dealings are also regular topics.
Domains and Business Identifiers
Domains are more than technical addresses — they can establish or infringe distinctive sign rights. Domain grabbing, i.e. the abusive registration of domains with the intention of selling them to the rightful holder at inflated prices, can be challenged via name law claims under § 12 BGB or trademark rights. For international domains, UDRP proceedings before WIPO are available, which are faster and less expensive than litigation.
Business identifiers under § 5 MarkenG arise through use in the course of trade and can establish rights against later marks and company names without registration. Conflicts between business identifiers, registered trademarks and company names are a frequent topic — particularly where businesses operate in the same sectors and regions.
Corporate Law
Corporate law questions rarely arise on schedule. Clients typically get in touch when shareholders develop conflicting visions for the company, when shares are to be transferred and the agreements do not govern this clearly, or when a managing director is to be removed and it is unclear whether the articles of association permit this.
Transferring GmbH shares requires notarial certification — but the real work lies in the contractual drafting: purchase price mechanisms, warranties, indemnities, non-compete obligations and earn-out provisions must be drafted clearly and with balanced interests. Shareholders' agreements govern what the articles of association leave open — voting rights, pre-emption rights, tag-along rights and distribution arrangements. In shareholder disputes, a swift and realistic assessment of one's own position is critical; many disputes can be resolved out of court if legal clarity is established at an early stage.
Commercial Contracts in B2B
Alongside the specific contract types of IP and IT law, general commercial contracts arise regularly in business practice: B2B loan agreements between shareholders or affiliated companies, guarantees and other credit security, framework agreements for ongoing supply relationships. These contracts are often less standardised than assumed — and the errors only become apparent when enforcement is attempted.
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GDPR and Data Protection
Data protection law is an operational obligation for businesses. Any organisation processing personal data operates within a dense network of statutory requirements; violations can be sanctioned with substantial fines and — since the German Federal Court of Justice ruling of March 2025 — can also trigger competition law warnings from competitors. Advice covers privacy policies and records of processing activities, data processing agreements (DPA), consent solutions for cookies and newsletters, and support in subject access requests and supervisory authority proceedings. Data protection is not a one-off project — new tools, changed processes and new service providers can give rise to updating needs at any time.