Product Design - From Cradle to Eternity
MARQUES Design Symposium
MARQUES Design Symposium
Thursday, 29th and Friday 30th January 2026
Hotel NH Collection Frankfurt Spin Tower, Güterplatz 1,D-60327 Frankfurt Am Main
Hotel NH Collection Frankfurt Spin Tower, Güterplatz 1,D-60327 Frankfurt Am Main
PROGRAMME
| Thursday 29th January 2026 | |
| Formal Opening | |
| Claudia Pappas, Thyssenkrupp Intellectual Property
GmbH, Germany Chair of the MARQUES Council |
|
| Lutz Dietzold, CEO of German Design Counsel | |
| 10.00 hrs | Session 1 - The Design and its
Designer Design protection involves vague concepts like ‘creativity’, ‘originality’ and ‘functionality’, which lawyers need defined objectively. Designers often perceive their creativity differently from the legal approach. Courts look to the subjective intention of the designer, highlighting the need for mutual understanding between both fields. This session gathers perspectives from a designer, in-house lawyer and litigator, set against the background of the ECJ Mio and Konektra case (AG conclusion) |
| Session Chair: Moïra Truijens, Klos CS, The Netherlands Member of the MARQUES Designs Team |
|
| Speakers: Sven Klos, Klos cs, The Netherlands |
|
| Speaker TBC | |
| 11.15 hrs | Coffee Break |
| 11.45 hrs | Session 2 - Proof of creation and ownership We will explore the importance of understanding creation and ownership in the AI-driven design world. It covers best practices for documenting the creation process to support intellectual property protection and enforcement. You'll learn strategies to ensure your designs are recognised as original rather than AI-generated and how to handle complex contracts, gaining insights from experts to stay ahead in the evolving product design landscape. |
| Session Chair:
Simon Casinader, K & L Gates LLP, U.K Member of the MARQUES Copyright Team |
|
| Speakers:
Olivia Dhordian, Outboxing IP, ex-Deputy Chief IP Counsel at Richemont, Switzerland |
|
| Sam F. Breeze, K&L Gates, USA | |
| 12.45 hrs | Lunch |
| 14.15 hrs | Choice of Workshop |
| Workshop 1: Strategic use of the different types of protection Part 1 of this interactive workshop will examine how different IP rights and other legal instruments intertwine and combine with procedural strategies to enable effective protection, enforcement, and defense approaches. Participants will gain an overview of the relevant legal aspects and have the opportunity to share their own experiences in the context of tailored case studies |
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| Chair: Inga George, Boesling IP Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB, Germany Co-Chair MARQUES Designs Team |
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| Speakers: Daphne Vervaet, Fencer, Belgium - Member of the MARQUES Designs Team |
|
| Axel Munier, Bardehle Pagenberg, France – Member of the MARQUES Designs Team | |
| Workshop 2: Multi-national design registrations
and Online enforcement The workshop will start by looking at The Hague System which offers a smart and efficient business solution for protecting up to 100 designs across 99 countries - all with just one international application. For companies operating in today’s global marketplace, it’s the easiest and most cost-effective path to securing international design rights. One challenge: applicants must submit a single set of drawings that meets the requirements of every country where protection is sought. But don’t worry - we’ll share proven tips and tricks to help you navigate these rules with ease and ensure your designs are registered smoothly and successfully. |
|
| Chair: Oliver Nilgen, Meissner Bolte Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB, Germany Member of the MARQUES Designs Team |
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| Speakers: Julian Klagge, Nordemann, Germany |
|
| Terese Pederzini, Bulgari S.p.A., Italy Member of the MARQUES Designs Team |
|
| 15.15 hrs | Coffee break |
| 15.45 hrs | Continuation of workshops |
| Workshop 1: Strategic use of the different types of protection Part 2... |
|
| Workshop 2: Multi-national design registrations
and Online enforcement Following the coffee break we will delve into the dynamics of current online topics, like Dropshipping and Ultra-Fast Fashion. This section of the workshop will provide insights into the legal frameworks governing these industries, addressing issues such as sustainability, consumer protection, and intellectual property. You will gain practical strategies to navigate compliance and leverage opportunities within the digital commerce landscape. |
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| Chair: Thomas Hertl, Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein, Germany Vice-Chair MARQUES Copyright Team |
|
| 19.00 hrs | Reception and Walking Dinner |
| Keynote Speaker: Kai Rosenstein, Chief Experience Officer, WDC26, Germany |
|
| Friday 30th January 2026 | |
| 09.00 hrs | Summation of preceding day |
| Claudia Pappas, Thyssenkrupp Intellectual Property GmbH, Germany Chair of the MARQUES Council |
|
| 09.15 hrs | Session 3: The added value of design registrations While copyright can provide automatic and long-lasting protection, it often leaves room for uncertainty in scope and enforceability. Design registrations, by contrast, offer clarity, stronger legal certainty, and market advantages—but require proactive steps from creators. This session will explore how businesses and designers can balance these tools to best safeguard creativity and competitiveness |
| Session Chair: Mikas Miniotas AAA Legal Services, Estonia Co-Chair MARQUES Designs Team |
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| Speakers: Eva Maierski, Lubberger Lehment, Germany Member of the MARQUES Designs Team |
|
| John Coldham, Gowling WLG (UK) LLP Member of the MARQUES Designs Team |
|
| 10.15 hrs | Session 4: The harmonization of unfair competition During this session, Jorn Torenbosch will discuss findings of his PhD research on unfair competition as a topic of harmonized law, as well as the material impact this may have on the practice of product design protection throughout the EU. |
| Speaker: Jorn Torenbosch, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands |
|
| 10.45 hrs | Coffee Break |
| 11.15 hrs | Session 5: Trademark protection of product designs The protection of product design as a trademark is a rarity in the EU. The big exception are position marks. This session investigates why position marks appear to be having an easier ride, why other types of marks should follow suit and what we can learn from trade dress protection in the US. |
| Session Chair: Jesse Hofhuis, The Netherlands Member MARQUES Programming Team |
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| Speakers: Michael Goldmann, Harte-Bavendamm, Germany Member MARQUES Dispute Resolution Team |
|
| Harley Lewin, Lewinconsult LLC, USA | |
| Catherine Shapiro, Head of IP, Airwair International Ltd | |
| 12.30 hrs | Symposium Summation and Close |
| Claudia Pappas, Thyssenkrupp Intellectual Property GmbH, Germany Chair of the MARQUES Council |
|
| 12.45 hrs | Lunch |
