DLA Piper counts major publishing, telecoms, digital and social media, and advertising companies as clients, and has both contentious and non-contentious capabilities. The practice has led on preliminary injunctions and judicial review proceedings in higher courts, trademark and copyright infringement disputes, and advises on freedom of expression law for media clients. On the regulatory side, advisory work includes reputation management for companies and individuals alongside comprehensive press and media law counselling for cross-sector clients, with a focus on compliance with the Digital Services Act as well as on competition and advertising regulations. The practice is led by Stefan Engels, experienced in the application of IP law to media and press disputes for publishing and tech clients. Other key names are public law and regulatory specialist Michael Stulz-Herrnstadt, Beatrice Brunn, who advises on media contract law matters, and Anika Kruse who is experienced in IP and tech matters.

A boutique firm specialising in press and freedom of expression law cases, NESSELHAUF Rechtsanwälte specialises in acting on behalf of interests of those affected in media publications, with an extensive roster of commercial clients. With a dedicated team of experienced press lawyers, Till Dunckel, Stephanie Vendt, and Michael Nesselhauf head the practice.

Raue provides press law advice to major clients in media and publishing on contentious and non-contentious matters, and the practice is consulted by television and film producers for counsel on copyright law and personal rights protection. Notable recent instructions have included acting on social media generative AI concerns for national political parties. Media and press law specialist Jan Hegemann leads the practice, and he is joined by Anna-Sophie Hollenders, who is highly regarded by clients in television and film. Lisa Schopp acts in digital media rights cases, and Felix Stang has led in crisis situations and freedom of expression cases.

Schertz Bergmann Rechtsanwälte is renowned for its work representing celebrities and media figures in contentious press law matters, and also has a wide base of clients in auto manufacturing and sports and that has also grown to include political parties and federal ministries. The firm’s leading names in the field are Christian Schertz, Helge Reich, and Anna Sophie Heuchemer.

Bringing in experience from the firm’s technology, media and communications teams, CMS‘ press law team provides ongoing regulatory advice and representation in cases concerning freedom of expression and copyright law for clients including public broadcasters, media and publishing companies, as well as presenters and influencers. Recent highlights for the practice include injunctive relief proceedings and disputes on the interaction between data protection and artist’s rights. Practice head Michael Fricke is a key contact on the full range of press law matters.

Redeker Sellner Dahs

ADVANT Beiten represents groups of entertainment and publishing companies in freedom of expression, copyright and trademark, and competition law matters. The practice also has transactional capability and has recently led on portfolio acquisitions and re-tendering processes for broadcasters and publishers. The firm’s lawyers have experience in the application of intellectual property and IT law to media law matters: Practice head Andreas Lober is generally well versed in media law, Holger Weimann has experience as a newspaper editor and represents major news publishers.

LAUSEN specialises in advising media and entertainment companies on a range of legal concerns, with focus areas including data protection, platform law, and in large press disputes. With specialised experience, the practice has also led on a number of internal AI usage strategy mandates for publishers. The team is headed by Martin Schippan, who has led on a number of press law test cases, and Ursula Feindor-Schmidt, the firm's resident specialist on AI integration matters.

SKW Schwarz‘s media law advisory work includes copyright and contract law support for publishers interacting with authors, trademark and title protection in and out of court, and freedom of expression disputes concerning personality usage. With strong contentious capabilities, the practice has represented news publishers in press freedom proceedings against federal ministries. Johann Heyde heads the media and entertainment practice, focusing on film and television work, while Konstantin Wegner leads on regulatory matters for press and publishing companies.

Advice on legal communication and personal rights protections are the staples of BROST CLAßEN‘s media and press department. Clients span NGOs and public sector bodies, entertainment and social media, and the practice has provided media law advice tied to financial sector litigation. Firm heads Jörn Claßen and Lucas Brost are key contacts on media and press law issues.

Reputation protection and press law advice concerning statements in magazines and newspapers and on television are the focuses of BUSE‘s media law team. The firm leads on judicial and extrajudicial proceedings for clients across a range of industry sectors. Nina Lüssmann acts on press law matters at the domestic and international level. Volker Perten left the firm in December 2024.

CBH Rechtsanwälte provides counsel on copyright and personality rights in the context of advertising campaigns and internal platform and database development, and the practice has represented state media authorities in public law and media regulatory proceedings. Ingo Jung has a background in IP law, which is applied to trademark disputes and data usage matters.

DÜNNWALD LEGAL acts on media law matters between clients and social media platforms concerning the publication of untrue information, with services including cease and desist negotiations and program complaints to platforms and broadcasters. Dirk Dünnwald leads the firm’s press law offering, with strengths in reacting to media investigations and information protection.

GRAEF Rechtsanwälte advises major publishers and writers on publishing law in the context of book publications, as well as newspapers and press companies in press law litigation. Recent instructions have included manuscript reviews, IP litigation, and press law advice in the response to prolonged media investigations. Practice leader Ralph Oliver Graef is a media specialist whose expertise covers both press and publishing, as well as television and film.

Media Kanzlei Riemenschneider focuses on representation in hate speech and libel proceedings on behalf of media figures against publishers, as well as in reputation and content management cases, with some recent cases taking place in the context of elections. Severin Riemenschneider leads on matters of personality rights protection and crisis communications cases.

Prinz Rechtsanwälte specialises in acting in press law litigation for industry clients in libel, defamation, and protection of privacy cases, and the practice also provides ongoing media law advice to marketing companies and individuals. Matthias Prinz and Jan Felix Dein are the key contacts in the practice.

Taylor Wessing represents prominent social media platforms facing allegations of content infringement and breaches of contract, and in freedom of expression and press law disputes against international newspapers and media groups. Olaf Gillert and Dirk Wieddekind bring experience in trademark and competition law for clients in IT and media.