Frankfurt 
Legal Representation of Book Publishing Companies and Music Publishing Companies in legal disputes
ZELLER & SEYFERT is a German litigation law firm whose attorneys are specialized in the legal representation of music publishing companies and book publishing companies in legal disputes before German courts. Head of the copyright and media law department of our law firm is Attorney Dr. Christian Seyfert, LL.M. (USA), who is a Certified Copyright & Media Law Specialist as well as a Certified IP Law Specialist. Atty. Dr. Seyfert has been representing international music publishing companies, book publishing companies, book authors and music composers in Germany for many years. He is a valued expert in the enforcement of publishing rights in Germany in and out of court. He is familiar with the book and music publishing business and speaks the IP language of his clients.
Typical cases of application / areas of publishing law in Germany:
- Construction of publishing contracts
- Scope of granted publishing rights
- Termination of publishing agreements: validity of termination
- Right to withdraw from a publishing contract because of changed circumstances
- Right of revocation of publishing rights for non-exercise
- Right of revocation of publishing rights for changed conviction
- Contractual quality standards of the work (book, musical composition, etc.)
- Timeliness of the delivery of the agreed upon work
- Contributions to periodic compilations in Germany
- Bestseller paragraph according to German law
- Rules of remuneration for authors of belletrist literary works
- Ghost Writer Agreements (Germany)
- Translation Agreements (Germany)
- Editor Agreements (Germany)
- Illustration Agreements (Germany)
- Agreements to publish a literary works as an audio book
- Offline and online uses of literary works (CD-ROMs, online journals, etc.)
- Agreements on screen adaptations of literary works
Legal Representation of Book Publishing Companies and Music Publishing Companies before the Copyright Courts and General Courts in Germany
ZELLER & SEYFERT is a German litigation law firm with experienced attorneys who specialize – amongst other things – in representing book publishing companies and music publishing companies before German courts. Responsible in Germany for court review of copyright disputes concerning book and music publishing rights are the specialized courts for copyright litigation within the general civil courts. The civil departments in the general German courts have jurisdiction for any other types of civil disputes between parties, e.g. issues of privacy and publicity of the authors and music composers. Litigation in publishing law matters is our attorneys’ forte. Please just contact our attorneys to have a discussion about your publishing law case.
Legal Representation of Book Publishing Companies and Music Publishing Companies in Summary Proceedings (Speedy Trials)
In publishing law cases of particular urgency our attorneys will speedily enforce the publishing rights of your book publishing company or music publishing company in a summary proceeding (speedy trial) before the responsible German court. Our attorneys are familiar with the peculiarities of injunction proceedings in book and music publishing law disputes before German courts. Please just contact us to talk with us about the facts of your publishing law case in Germany.
Cease and Desist Letters on behalf of Book Publishing Companies and Music Publishing Companies – Pre-Litigation Representation out of court
According to German law, claimants generally have the obligation to inform the infringing party with a cease and desist letter out of court about its legal violations. This is also true for publishing law cases. Rushing to court with your publishing law claim without having tried an out of court settlement beforehand with the infringer upon your publishing rights may otherwise have the consequence of having to pay the entire court fees and attorney fees of both parties, even if your book or music publishing company later wins the lawsuit.
Our attorneys will demand from the infringing party on behalf of your book or music publishing company that it shall cease and desist from infringing upon your publishing rights. Our attorneys will also claim damages on behalf of your book or music publishing company. If the infringing party is not willing to cooperate with our attorneys, our attorneys will enforce your publishing rights before German courts.
Defending Book Publishing Companies and Music Publishing Companies in Legal Matters
If legal claims have been put forward against your book publishing company or music publishing company in Germany, our attorneys will swiftly evaluate the legal situation for your publishing company. Your publishing company needs to act quickly, if it has already received documents from a German court or such documents have been served to your publishing company otherwise. In such cases a quick response by a German attorney is usually necessary to meet all pending deadlines set by the German court. Litigation is our attorneys’ forte. Our attorneys will defend your publishing company proficiently before German courts.