IP services / International IP strategy and foreign associates
HORAK · INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
International IP strategy and foreign associates
Coordinate German, European and international IP work with a clear lead contact and a territory-by-territory plan. We assist businesses and foreign counsel with filings, prosecution, portfolio transfers and contentious matters.
Choose the right route for each right
Patents, trade marks and designs use different international systems. The PCT, Madrid and Hague systems simplify aspects of filing but do not provide identical territorial rights or universal substantive approval. Copyright and trade secrets require a different protection approach.
Give local instructions that answer the real question
We identify the applicant, deadlines, documents, product objectives and reporting requirements at the outset. Foreign counsel may need translations, powers of attorney or specific evidence. A clear instruction reduces duplication and avoids assumptions about what local representation includes.
Coordinate budgets and reporting
The plan distinguishes initial filing, prosecution, registration or grant, translations and later maintenance. We track country decisions against commercial milestones. For disputes, we coordinate evidence and strategy while respecting differences in national procedure and available remedies.
Three practical examples
Illustrative situations; outcomes depend on the facts and the applicable law.
01
US counsel needs a European phase entry: we review the priority chain, application documents and immediate requirements.
02
A German business launches a branded product internationally: patent, design and trade mark filings follow coordinated but separate routes.
03
A portfolio changes representative: file completeness and upcoming deadlines are checked before the transfer is treated as complete.
What to prepare
Rights and application numbers, priority dates, target territories, existing representatives, reporting preferences and budget.
How we approach your matter
01 · Assess
We identify the objective, the relevant rights and the next deadline. Existing documents and the technical or commercial background determine the scope of the review.
02 · Agree
We explain the available routes, material risks and expected stages. The instruction distinguishes professional fees from official charges, translations and external costs.
03 · Act
We carry out the agreed work, report material developments and identify the next decision. Filing, registration or a particular dispute outcome cannot be guaranteed.
Further information
Official guidance relevant to this topic. Individual advice requires a review of the particular documents, facts and deadlines.
International filing strategy · Portfolio review · IP disputes
Discuss the next step
Tell us what you want to protect, the markets involved and any filing, launch or response deadline. We will clarify the scope of the instruction, the documents needed and the basis of the fees before starting the agreed work. Please identify the parties first so that we can check for conflicts and arrange a suitable channel for sensitive technical information.
Hannover headquarters · Advice for German and international businesses · Our offices
Enquire about international IP filing strategy
Request coordinated IP protection across several countries. Tell us about the product, existing rights and priority markets so we can outline a staged filing and representation strategy. All fields are optional.