Profile
Rüdiger started his career as a lawyer with rospatt in 2005 and became a partner in 2012.
His practice, experience, and clientele are very broad. He has worked on several high-profile cases that have led to famous landmark decisions of the highest Courts in the fields of trademark, design and patent law, such as
- «Testarossa», CJEU C720/18 and C721/18 on genuine use of vintage trademarks
- «Cornereye», GC T688/18 on likelihood of confusion of weakly distinctive elements
- «BretarisGenuair», BGH [2017] GRUR 1160 on parallel imports of medicinal products
- «Front Kit I», BGH [2020] GRUR 392; “Ferrari v Mansory and WH”, CJEU C‑123/20; “Front Kit II”, BGH [2022] GRUR 1061, all on Unregistered Community Design protection for partial areas of a complex product
- «Coating process», BGH [2016] GRUR 1257 on joint inventorship
- «Vehicle steel component», BGH [2016] GRUR 265 on entitlement to an invention
- «Pallet container II and III», BGH [2012] GRUR 1118 and 1122 on replacement vs remanufacturing and on equivalence
Rüdiger has handled series of entitlement proceedings in patent and design law as well as complex litigation for recovering damages.
In addition to his high-end litigation activity, Rüdiger is an expert in combatting grey imports and in testing the boundaries of permissible parallel imports. He has deep experience in developing anti-counterfeiting strategies and effectively enforces clients’ rights at tradeshows and in cooperation with the customs authorities.
Rüdiger advises on R&D agreements, research collaborations, cross-licence agreements, and the law on employee inventions.
In Haedicke/Timmann «Patent Law Handbook», 2nd edition 2020, C.H. Beck-Verlag, Rüdiger has authored the chapter on patent entitlement.
Key cases
- Almirall v Emramed (BretarisGenuair)
- ArcelorMittal v Tata Steel (steel coating)
- Exploitatiemaatschappij De Berghaaf (Stoneridge group) v EUIPO and Brigade Electronics Group (automotive components)
- Ferrari v Autec (scale model cars)
- Ferrari v DU (vintage car brands)
- Ferrari v Kik (model cars)
- Ferrari v Mansory and WH (hyper sports cars)
- Ferrari v Ninco (slot cars)
- Flooring Industries (Unilin group) v Classen (flooring)
- Innova (Doppelmayr group) v LST and MND (chair lifts)
- Isofloc v Isocell (insulating material)
- Lucas Industries (ZF TRW group) v Magna (autonomous cruise control)
- Mauser v Schütz (plastic drums)
- Protechna v Mauser (IBC)
- Puma v New Wave Mode (football jerseys)
- Schneider Electric v various (uninterruptible power supplies)
- Steiner v Maserati (luxury cars)
- Tecnopat v Bottero (bevelling cut glass)
- Victocor v Benteler (steel coating)
Education
1995 – 1999 University of Konstanz
2000 – 2002 Doctorate degree at University of Konstanz, Prof. Dr. Rainer Hausmann
2001 – 2002 University of Oxford, Lincoln College, M. Jur. degree in European and Comparative law
2003 – 2005 Legal practice training at Higher Regional Court of Hamburg
Connections & Networks
GRUR, AIGLI, DJJV, DIJV, Mercurio
Awards & Recognitions
State graduate scholarship of Baden-Württemberg
DAAD scholarship
Erich and Rochelle Friedmann Endowed Prize in Music, Lincoln College
Schiesser-Allweiler Award for dissertation
JUVE Patent Germany 2022: Recommended Individual
IAM Patent 1000: Silver for Patent Infringement
Legal 500 2022: Key Lawyer Patent Litigation: Solicitors
Legal 500 2022: Key Lawyer Trademarks
