LL.M. IP International Studies in Intellectual Property Law and Data Law

A sporty break from studying last Wednesday: On June 17, eight of us from LL.M. IP-TU Dresden joined the REWE Team Challenge and completed the 5 km run through Dresden together. We would like to express our sincere thanks for the financial support provided by the Alumni Association.
With 32,000 participants and the event completely sold out, the atmosphere was incredible from the very beginning. Our start time was 8 p.m., and the route led us from Postplatz through Dresden's historic city centre, past the Hygiene Museum, and all the way to the finish line at Rudolf Harbig Stadium.
Along the course, we were cheered on with signs and music, which made the run even more special. At the stadium, we were welcomed with more music, drinks, and snacks - the perfect reward after crossing the finish line.
The weather was very warm and sunny, so the 5 km were definitely sweaty, but we all made it to the finish at a strong pace and were proud to collect our medals at the end.
A great evening with team spirit, energy, and a welcome break from university life.
'

Beyond the theory: over the course of the summer semester, Dr. Johannes Gilch, LL.M. didn't just lecture our students on AI and data protection law. He had them run a full DPIA simulation as a real-world project.
It started with a kick-off together with the clients, followed by several rounds of coordination, with documents being exchanged back and forth, just as it works in actual practice. In small teams, our students worked through a Data Protection Impact Assessment from start to finish. Identifying the risks of an AI system, weighing them against the rights of affected individuals, and documenting concrete mitigation measures. Exactly the kind of structured thinking that companies need, but that rarely makes it into a textbook.
The whole project then culminated in a full-day seminar in Dresden as its closing chapter. 🎓
To wrap up such an intensive day, we headed out with the group to enjoy a relaxed summer evening at Biergarten Saloppe Dresden by the Elbe. 🍻
New and returning students came together, shared experiences, and kept the conversations going in a far more relaxed setting. 💭
A special thank you also goes to our Alumni Association, who invited the students to the first round of drinks! These exchanges on equal footing, with people who have already walked the path, are often where the most valuable orientation happens.
A great project, good company, and a fitting reminder that strong legal training is built on practice and people, not just on coursework. ✨

One of the special events of our master programme is our graduation ceremony traditionally held each year at Eckberg castle Dresden, which just took place on May 29, 2026. We are happy that so many graduates were able to come back to Dresden and bring along their families to receive their well-earned certificates from Prof. Anne Lauber-Rönsberg accompanied by much applause. Dr. Jeannette Viniol delivered a speech on the topic of environmental claims. Julius Grimm spoke to the guests as a representative of the students and Dr. Johannes Gilch, LL.M. from the Alumni Association presented an award to the 3 best graduates of the year - Josephine Klawon, Melanie Schain, Julius Grimm - congratulations! The ceremony ended with a joyful get-together and much sunshine in front of the beautiful scenery of the river Elbe and Dresden. Heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates - we wish all graduates all the best!
(c) Fotos: Bert Siegel - art2viz

Eine weitere herausragende Sitzung in unserem LL.M.-Programm!
Ein herzlicher Dank an Prof. Axel Nordemann für den wirklich inspirierenden Vortrag zu einem kürzlich dynamischen und sich wandelnden Bereich des Immaterialrechts: Geographische Hinweise.
Als langjähriger Dozent in unserem Programm beeindruckt Axel weiterhin mit seiner einzigartigen Fähigkeit, komplexe Rechtsentwicklungen zugänglich, ansprechend und hochrelevant zu machen. Angesichts der bedeutenden jüngeren Entwicklungen im Bereich der Geographischen Indikationen waren seine Einsichten besonders aktuell und wertvoll. Die Diskussion hob nicht nur den rechtlichen Rahmen, sondern auch die wachsende strategische Bedeutung von GIs für Unternehmen, Kulturerbe und internationalen Handel hervor.
Was Axels Vorträge so besonders macht, ist seine Fähigkeit, bahnbrechende juristische Entwicklungen mit praktischen Implikationen zu verknüpfen und so kritisches Denken und lebhafte Debatten zu fördern. Wieder einmal haben sich unsere Schüler mit exzellenten Fragen und durchdachten Beiträgen gestellt und so eine äußerst interaktive und anregende Lernumgebung geschaffen.
Danke, Axel, für Ihr anhaltendes Engagement für unser Programm, Ihre Expertise und Ihre Begeisterung. Sitzungen wie diese erinnern uns daran, warum das Immaterialrecht nach wie vor ein faszinierendes und sich rasant entwickelndes Fachgebiet ist.

What an inspiring and energetic session in our Fashion Law seminar!
A huge thank you to Katharina Hein, founder of the newly established creative SUSI Creative Agency, for sharing her invaluable insights into one of the most fascinating and challenging areas of the fashion industry: Intellectual Property Law in practice. Drawing on her extensive experience with RIANNA + NINA — still an important part of her professional work and perspective — Katharina provided a highly practical look at the real-world challenges designers face when protecting creativity, originality, and brand identity. From design protection and copyright issues to enforcement strategies and everyday IP pitfalls, the discussion offered exactly the kind of practical perspective that law students rarely get from textbooks alone. What made the event especially memorable was the incredible engagement of our students. They asked thoughtful questions, challenged assumptions, and contributed genuinely valuable perspectives to the discussion. The exchange was dynamic, insightful, and a perfect example of how much we can learn when academia and industry come together.
Thank you, Katharina, for your openness, expertise, and inspiring contribution. And congratulations to our students for making the session such an interactive and enriching experience!

We were delighted to welcome Judith Hesse as a guest speaker in our Trademark, Design & Data Law in Practice series for an inspiring session on “Likelihood of Confusion in the EU – Recent Cases.” Drawing on her extensive experience as an attorney in intellectual property law, Judith provided valuable insights into recent European trademark case law and highlighted the practical relevance of the likelihood of confusion assessment in modern trademark practice. As founder of the IP boutique, she advises clients in trademark, design, competition, copyright and media law and combines legal expertise with a highly practical perspective.
Thank you, Judith, for sharing your expertise and practical experiences with our students and for making this session such a valuable and inspiring exchange.

A great start to the week with an engaging session on Music and Entertainment Law as part of the module Characteristics of German IP Law.
Many thanks to Prof. Dr. Hanno Fierdag, who — despite the online format — created a highly interactive and dynamic lecture experience. With his many years of teaching experience, he once again demonstrated how fascinating and practical intellectual property law can be, especially in the context of the music and entertainment industries. The lecture provided valuable insights into copyright protection, licensing structures, artists’ rights, and the legal challenges arising from digital media and the evolving entertainment landscape. A truly interesting and inspiring Monday session with excellent discussions and practical perspectives on German IP law.

https://sws-law.com/prof-dr-jur-hanno-fierdag/

Prof. Dr. jur. Hanno Fierdag – SWS Law Dr. jur. Andreas Scheuermann Dr. jur. Angelika Strittmatter Burkhard Westerhoff LL.M. Eur. Constanze Kopf Prof. Dr. jur. Hanno Fierdag Klaus Weber LL.M. oec Dr. jur. Matthias Werner Oliver Poche Dr. jur. Robert Geiger LL.M. Serhat H. Sevengül Theresa Rebien Prof. Dr. jur. Hanno Fierdag Partner bei ...

A beautiful Friday morning in May dedicated to discussing pharmaceutical advertising and the evolving legal landscape under European law.
Many thanks to Dr. Jeannette Viniol von JBViniol for her highly insightful presentation on the regulatory boundaries and opportunities of pharmaceutical advertising within the European legal framework.
The session explored key questions around what is legally permissible in pharmaceutical marketing, how EU regulations shape communication strategies, and the increasing importance of compliance in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment. An engaging exchange of perspectives at the intersection of law, healthcare, and innovation — and a great opportunity to connect with experts and professionals from the field.

https://jbviniol.de/anwaelte/jeannette-viniol/

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Diana Ettig back to TU Dresden for a guest lecture on Data Protection and Minors on May 8th. As a former graduate of our program and now a lawyer specializing in data protection and digital law, Dr. Ettig advises companies on matters related to GDPR compliance, digital regulation, and legal issues concerning online platforms and data-driven technologies. In her lecture, she addressed the particular challenges of protecting children and adolescents in the digital environment, focusing on consent, online platforms, privacy rights, and targeted advertising under European data protection law. By combining academic expertise with practical legal experience, Dr. Ettig offered our students valuable insights into one of the most relevant and rapidly evolving fields of law. We sincerely thank Dr. Ettig for this insightful contribution to our programme!

To prepare German-speaking students as effectively as possible for the challenges of intellectual property and data law, our programme offers the option of taking the module ‘Characteristics in German IP Law’ in German. In addition to the specific features of national trade mark, patent, copyright and design law, we also discuss unfair competition law in depth with students as an exciting area of law. As part of our practical lectures, we were particularly delighted that last Monday our long-standing and esteemed lecturer Dr Hauke Hansen from the law firm FPS delivered a lecture on the topic ‘What is actually permitted in advertising’, which was as informative and entertaining as ever. Many thanks to Hauke and the entire FPS team!

Dr. Hauke Hansen | FPS Law Hauke Hansen ist Experte für IT-Recht, Cybersecurity und Datenschutz. Seit 20 Jahren begleitet er Unternehmen und die öffentliche Hand bei der Digitalisierung ihrer Prozesse – Cybersecurity, Künstliche Intelligenz und die smarte Nutzung von Daten rücken dabei immer mehr in das Zentrum der Digi...