Unfair Competition Law

The Law Against Unfair Competition (UWG) has been repeatedly amended in recent years, this mainly under the influence of European directives. As a result, consumer protection has become far more important. In the near future, another EU directive will fundamentally restructure the framework and limits of know-how protection. For our domestic and foreign clients active in a wide range of product and service sectors, these developments present ever-new risks but likewise new opportunities.

Aside from cases of misleading or comparative advertising, our practice focuses particularly on the pursuit of competition law claims against imitations. This concerns both, replicas of goods and the unfair copying of distinctive design elements of the packaging of consumer products. Other areas of speciality concern advising on advertising concepts and promotion measures as well as litigating cases of betrayal of trade and business secrets or of unfair obstruction of competitors.

Harte-Bavendamm