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Legal representative

When is an agent required?

Generally speaking, an applicant may themself file a patent application with the DPMA. The following particulars should be observed:

German nationals/persons resident inside Germany
Applicants may call on assistance from advisors experienced in the field of industrial property and authorised to act as legal advisors (lawyer, patent attorney or holder of certificate of representation). These advisors may represent the applicant in the grant procedure.

Foreign nationals/persons resident outside Germany
Applicants having neither a residence nor a principal place of business nor an establishment in the Federal Republic of Germany must appoint (even if they are German citizens) a patent attorney or a lawyer in Germany as representative who is authorised to represent them in proceedings before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, before the Federal Patent Court and in civil litigation affecting the patent, as well as to file an application for criminal prosecution (Sec. 25(1) Patent Act [Patentgesetz], Sec. 28(1) Utility Model Act [Gebrauchsmustergesetz], Sec. 96(1) Trade Mark Act [Markengesetz], Sec. 58(1) Design Act [Designgesetz]).

Find information also in the leaflets Information for Patent, Utility Model, Trade Marks and Design Applicants.

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Representation according to the Act on the Activities of European Lawyers in Germany and the Act on the Activities of Patent Attorneys from EU Member States in Germany

Representation is also possible through lawyers or patent attorneys from a member state of the European Union, a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Switzerland if they are authorised and empowered to represent applicants in proceedings before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, the Federal Patent Court and in civil litigation affecting a patent, as well as to file motions for criminal prosecution. The authorisation is subject to relevant provisions governing admission to the profession of lawyer or patent attorney as well as to the provisions concerning temporary provision of services (cf. Act on the Activities of European Lawyers in Germany [Gesetz über die Tätigkeit von europäischen Rechtsanwälten in Deutschland], Act on the Activities of Patent Attorneys from EU Member States in Germany [Gesetz über die Tätigkeit europäischer Patentanwälte in Deutschland] as well as Federal Lawyers' Act [Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung] and Patent Attorney Code [Patentanwaltsordnung]).

Also admitted are patent attorneys from EU member states who are either active as admitted patent attorneys (Secs. 1, 12 Act on the Activities of Patent Attorneys from EU Member States in Germany) or as patent attorneys providing services (Sec. 13 Act on the Activities of Patent Attorneys from EU Member States in Germany). The chambers of lawyers or the Chamber of Patent Attorneys decide on the type and scope of the admissible activities of European lawyers and patent attorneys from EU member states.

The chambers publish in publicly accessible registers which European lawyers (with the exception of lawyers providing services and in-house lawyers) or patent attorneys from EU member states are admitted to be active in Germany.

• Official Register of Lawyers of the German Federal Bar
• Official register of patent attorneys
• Register of patent attorneys from EU member states providing services (in German)

The DPMA may review the authorisation of the empowered lawyer or patent attorney of the applicant having neither a residence nor principal place of business nor an establishment in Germany during IP proceedings, particularly based on the publications by the chambers.

The list of professional titles which are comparable to German lawyers can be consulted here: Gesetze im Internet.

Last updated: 25 October 2023