Franchise Law Firm of the Year BUSSE & MIESSEN Lawfirm

Franchise Law Group Oxford Str. 21, 53111 Bonn, Germany

Phone: +49 (0)228 98391-26 Fax: +49 (0)228 630283 E-Mail: buero.giesler@busse-miessen.de Website: www.busse-miessen.de

ABOUT BUSSE & MIESSEN

BUSSE & MIESSEN combines a fresh perspective with more than 60 of tradition. With a total of more than 25 lawyers, BUSSE & MIESSEN, a medium-sized operation by German standards, pursues a policy preferring strict quality standards, highly personalized client-lawyer relations and arm's length working processes over rapid growth. Long-standing relationships provide a high degree of insight into clients' specific legal concerns, financial issues or personal situation, allowing the professionals at BUSSE & MIESSEN to identify, avoid or resolve conflict, and enabling sensitive and capable problem-solving.

The firm is active in the field of Franchise Law throughout Germany and other European

countries. Today, BUSSE & MIESSEN are advisors to more than 150 franchisors in Europe and North America. The firm has particular experience in the development, reorganization and expansion of franchise networks. Its Franchise Practice Group focuses exclusively on advising Franchisors and Master Franchisees in the optimization and management of franchise network. It is BUSSE & MIESSEN's paramount priority to advise Franchisors not only in the field of Franchising Law but, equally important, also in strategic questions with respect to international expansion.

According to the Who’s Who Legal, Dr. Patrick Giesler, who is an essential part of the Franchise Practice Group, is one of the leading German

Trade Marks Lawyer of the Year

Alexandra Dellmeier Founder and Managing Partner LexDellmeier IP Law Firm

Tel: +49 89 55 87 987 0 info@lexdellmeier.com www.lexdellmeier.com

FIRM PROFILE

Experienced - Innovative - Client-oriented - LexDellmeier offers innovative and creative in-depth IP counseling in Germany and throughout Europe. The attorneys-at-law at LexDellmeier IP Law Firm offer first-class expertise in the fields of trademark, design, IT and copyright law, as well as licensing and IP related unfair competition law.

Alexandra Dellmeier, LexDellmeier IP Law Firm founder and managing partner, stated: “Our firm takes a fresh approach when it comes to our clients’ IP needs. We go beyond merely offering ‘dry academic expertise’. We strive to understand our clients’ business so we can be our clients’ ‘strategic partners’. We combine ‘out-of- the-box’ thinking with technical excellence, proactive strategies and clear communication to maximise our clients’ IP protection.”

The range of the firm’s activities reaches from prosecution, appeals, and revocation/nullity proceedings to litigation before the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO), the Community Trademark and Design Office (OHIM), the European Patent Office (EPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European General Court (GC), the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and all German courts.

The firm represents large and medium sized corporations, as well as individuals based in Europe, the Americas and Asia. It has thus developed an international network of associates with whom it cooperates on a worldwide basis in the field of IP prosecution and litigation. Strategic thinking, planning and protecting IP rights beyond country borders are of major importance in this globalized world and are the basis of its clients’ success.

Ms Dellmeier stated: “We very much enjoy tackling such daily challenges and perform our work with passion. Being actively involved at the ‘birth’ of an idea, product and cutting-edge technology and working internationally with people of different cultural backgrounds and different laws makes our work and profession exciting, challenging and rewarding.”

In recent years, LexDellmeier IP law firm has received several awards, including:

- Trademark Law Firm of the Year in Germany (Finance Monthly Law Awards 2011),

- Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year (Finance Monthly Global Awards 2013).

The firm takes pride in planning, creating, maintaining and reviewing its clients’ IP portfolio. And if IP rights are ever violated or challenged, the client has with LexDellmeier a coordinated team of experts that can handle complex litigation to defend and enforce a company’s valuable IP rights.

Knowledge - Power - Success - LexDellmeier believes that knowledge is power – the basis of its clients’ success.

31

franchise lawyers. He is the author of numerous books and publications on Franchising Law. Furthermore, Dr. Giesler is President and founder of the International Franchise Lawyers’ Association, a world-spanning network of law firms specializing in this field.

Catering to the needs of foreign clients also outside and beyond the domain of franchising, BUSSE & MIESSEN, from its Berlin, Bonn and Leipzig offices, operates several practice groups where lawyers fully conversant in English provide advice and guidance to companies from all fields of business life, to banks, real estate partnerships and individual investors. Other key specialisations are in Real Estate, Construction and Labour law.

GERMANY

GERMANY