Copyright is based on Copyright Act (UrhG).Copyrights protect creations such as images, texts, music, films, computer programs, works of fine art, works of applied art and scientific or technical presentations. It automatically grants the author a number of rights, some of which not transferable. The is no “work for hire” in German copyright law. The creartor can determine the entire economic exploitation of his work, including reproduction, distribution and publication, and can also transfer (almost) all or part of his commercial rights to third parties.
Nearly all classic and new media thrive on the exploitation of copyrighted content. Copyright thus forms the economic foundation of the entire media and entertainment industry. The texts and images in newspapers, magazines, and books, as well as content in film, TV, and radio, represent copyrighted works and performances or are based on them.
In the advertising industry, the designs of professionals such as product designers, web designers, and creators of logos, graphics, and visualizations may be protected by copyright law. Copyrights for computer games, games, and other software are also of increasing economic importance. Copyright is also relevant for almost all areas of the internet. For certain social networks like YouTube, Instagram, etc., or streaming services like Spotify, it is even the fundamental basis.
In all these cases, it is imperative that the user of copyrighted material obtains all necessary rights from the author. Therefore, in all these areas, a legally compliant contractual agreement governing the necessary rights of use is vital.
If protected works or services are used by an unauthorized person, German and international copyright law offers a variety of possibilities to oblige the infringer to cease the unauthorized use and to remedy the infringement, as well as to demand information and compensation for the unauthorized use.
In particular, the amount of damages is the starting point for many disputes. The creator can, as is also the case in general tort law, initially demand compensation from the infringer for the actual damage they have suffered. Since such damage is often difficult to determine, for example, because the photographer does not know and/or cannot prove that they lost a contract with a specific order volume due to the infringement, the author has two further options for calculating their damages. In addition to claiming the specific damage, he has the option to demand from the infringer the profit made from exploiting his work or to claim reasonable royalty fees, which can also be determined by market-standard rates.
In addition, under the German Copyright Act, the author, e.g. the photographer, artist, graphic designer or musician, has an indispenable right to his work, which is also violated in the case of copyright infringement. This moral right includes, in addition to the author's right to decide on the manner of publication of his work, essentially two main cases. On the one hand, the author has a right of attribution, which allows him/her to identify the work with an author's name, e.g. his/her real name or a pseudonym. On the other hand, the author can defend himself against defacements of his work.
Publishing law
Publishing law consists of the legal regulations of the Publishing Act (VerlG) and from the Copyright Act (UrhG). and the publisher's right of use for the reproduction and distribution of a work of music or literature, which is derived from the Copyright Act (UrhG). In addition, the provisions of the Book Price Fixing Act (BuchPrG) and competition law play a major role in publishing law.
Publishing law governs the legal relationship between creators - e.g. authors, translators, illustrators, songwriters - and publishers. The author of a work enters into a publishing agreement to transfer the work to the publisher for reproduction and distribution. In return, the publisher agrees to produce and distribute the work in a specified number of copies and at its own expense in accordance with the agreement.
We assist our clients throughout the creative process and protect their rights by negotiating, drafting, and reviewing publishing and art publishing agreements, illustrator agreements, multi-author agreements, ghostwriting agreements, commission agreements, translation agreements, and film adaptation agreements. Our services also include reviewing and registering proposed titles of works to be published by filing title protection notices and arranging for the notarization of your manuscripts and other unpublished works.
When reviewing a publishing contract, the provisions of German civil law on General Terms and Conditions must always be observed, provided that the contract is a standard contract. The publishing contract must not unreasonably disadvantage the author; the provisions must be transparent and easy for the author to understand and must not contain any surprising clauses. For example, non-compete clauses in publishing contracts are permissible only if they are limited in time.
The system of press distribution, with its peculiarities of press wholesaling, national distribution and railway station bookstores, as well as the provisions on fixed book prices (BuchPrG), poses a special challenge for publishing law and gives rise to numerous special problems, especially with regard to competition law. Due to the large number of judgements, frequent forum shopping, a certain tendency towards case law, the frequent differences in case law in the various court districts and the sometimes complicated procedural issues, competition law as it relates to publishing is a highly complex matter.
In addition, the legal relationships with the respective collecting societies (organizations that collect royalties on behalf of copyright owners), such as GEMA, VG Wort and VG Bild und Kunst, must be taken into account and included in the overall advice.
Our expertise in copyright and publishing law German and international
copyright law in all its facets is one of our firm's specialties. We represent creators and users of copyrighted works in all areas of literature, science and art. We assist our clients at every stage of the creative process, from protecting ideas through confidentiality agreements and depositions to complex production, distribution and licensing agreements.
We also represent publishers, authors, musicians, producers and music associations throughout Germany in all matters of (music) publishing law and publishing-related competition law.
The defense against unjustified claims of third parties or the disputed enforcement of their rights by issuing or responding to cease-and-desist letters and conducting legal proceedings such as preliminary injunctions and main proceedings is one of the particular strengths of our law firm, thanks to the many years of practical experience and specialization of our lawyers specializing in copyright law.
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