Employees Inventions In Germany

This practical guide for professionals and managers in patent and HR departments, both in Germany and abroad, provides a quick and reliable introduction to this important law. Among the book's very useful features are the following: An expert overview on all relevant practical problems which might arise from employees' inventions in Germany; diagrams which visualize how service inventions are treated from the moment that they are created to the final

Although employers are required to pay compensation for employee inventions under the laws in many countries, existing legal literature has never critically examined whether such compensation actually gives employee inventors an incentive to invent as the legislature intends. This book addresses the issue through reference to recent, large-scale surveys on the motivation of employee inventors (in Europe, the United States and Japan) and studies in social psychology and econometrics, arguing that the compensation is unlikely to boost the motivation, productivity and creativity of employee inventors, and thereby encourage the creation of inventions. It also discusses the ownership of inventions made by university researchers, giving due consideration to the need to ensure open science and their academic freedom. Challenging popular assumptions, this book provides a solution to a critical issue by arguing that compensation for employee inventions should not be made mandatory regardless of jurisdiction because there is no legitimate reason to require employers to pay it. This means that patent law does not need to give employee inventors an 'incentive to invent' separately from the 'incentive to innovate' which is already given to employers.

Germany’s patent system presents unique opportunities for patent holders, as well as risks for companies doing business there. Germany is one of the world’s top jurisdictions for patent enforcement because of the expertise of German courts, their unique procedures, and the speed of these proceedings. Winning a patent suit in Germany is tantamount to winning the European market, and gives the patent owner substantial leverage over opponents to achieve a worldwide settlement. In addition, suits in Germany frequently resolve well ahead of United States counterpart suits, at a fraction of the cost. This handbook, now in its second, fully updated edition, provides international lawyers with a practical understanding of Germany’s patent system, including the many legal changes that have occurred since the book’s original publication in 2011. It also addresses the implications of the upcoming Unified Patent Court. This second edition provides an in-depth, step-by-step procedural analysis of aspects of current patent practice in Germany, including the following: • Germany’s split system that bifurcates infringement from validity cases; • Obtaining discovery; • Claim construction; • Budgeting; • Implications of the upcoming new patent system, in particular the Unified Patent Court; • Germany’s labor law regarding employee inventions; and • Customs actions. The authors — both experienced patent lawyers, one German, one American — present proceedings in Germany in parallel with corresponding patent litigation stages in the United States. The chapters track the structure of patent disputes, starting with the overall structure of the German judicial system, followed by topics such as patentability, patent procurement, oppositions, infringement trials and customs enforcement actions. This book concludes with an extensive selection of forms and legislative material. Understanding the opportunities available in Germany provides companies with a broader toolkit for enforcing their intellectual property rights and defending against challenges brought by others. Practicing patent lawyers will not find a more complete, informed and practical guide than this book explaining the framework for patent procurement, enforcement and defense in Germany. Many will find surprising options without parallel in the United States.

Labour Law and Industrial Relations in Germany gives the reader a broad understanding of German labour law covering all important aspects. The book deals with the sources of labour law, individual employment relationships, collective bargaining, remuneration, working conditions, and dispute settlement.