The US publisher Best Lawyers has once again worked with Handelsblatt to identify the best commercial lawyers in Germany for 2025. GRAEF Rechtsanwälte was listed in the areas of Entertainment Law, Media Law and Intellectual Property. We are delighted that attorney Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef has been recognized in the fields of Entertainment Law and Media Law and attorney Philipp Steinhübl in the field of Intellectual Property Law (www.bestlaywers.com).
Memory Media Lab / Film University Babelsberg | Copyright, personal rights and data protection framework for filmmakers in memory work
We are delighted that GRAEF Rechtsanwälte has once again been recognized as one of the best commercial law firms in Germany 2025 in the areas of “Media & Press Law” (5 out of 5 stars) and “Copyright Law” (4 out of 5 stars) by the magazine brand eins. Thank you very much for this award and trust!
The complete ranking can be found here.
Hamburg Media School & Produktionsallianz | Masterclass Werbefilm: In-depth study of copyright law, personality rights, contractual regulations for the use of AI output, AI annex to the collective agreement of the Produktionsallianz, the BFFS and ver.di
Register here
Hamburg Media School & Produktionsallianz | Masterclass Werbefilm: Introduction to the legal foundations of AI in advertising film production
Register here
medianet AI Talking Hour | Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the film and media world – from the script idea to post-production. AI talk with Paul Probst (CEO & founder of Gistable) and lawyer Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef, Managing Partner at GRAEF Rechtsanwälte.
Continuing Education for Board-Certified Attorneys, Hamburg | The new AI annex to the general collective agreement on the use of generative artificial intelligence in film productions
For 33 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 150 jurisdictions, the results of which can be viewed using the “Rankings” tab at https://www.legal500.de/rankings/ranking/c-deutschland/medien/entertainment/14430-graef-rechtsanwalte.
Legal500 highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. This year, we are once again pleased to be ranked in the Legal500 Germany for Entertainment Law and Gaming Law and to receive recognition from our clients: “GRAEF Rechtsanwälte advises a client base that includes film producers, studios and television broadcasters on film production and related copyright and advertising law issues. Practice head Ralph Oliver Graef, who is also well versed in gaming law, is active in these areas.”
References:
“Very competent, approachable, smart and forward-thinking.”
“Ralph Graef: Competent, clear and quick in his decisions. Responsive and attentive to individual needs.”
Film Commission Region Stuttgart together with MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg | Monday seminars: “AI and copyright – protection of AI input & output” (in German)
Retrospective
Kultur&Gut Café, Zeisehallen Hamburg | All you need is Law: “Artificial Intelligence” – Register here.
In a landmark ruling from the US the United States District Court for the District of Delaware held that the AI company Ross Intelligence is not allowed to use content from Thomson Reuter’s legal research platform Westlaw for the purpose of training its AI-based platform. Ross Intelligence’s fair use defense failed. The court argued that Ross Intelligence’s use of the data was commercial in nature and non-transformative because the use did not have a “further purpose or character” apart from Thompson Reuters’ use. Moreover, Ross Inteligence’ intended purpose was to compete with Thompson Reuters.
Our copyright law expert, Dr. Ralph Graef, who is also admitted as an attorney-at-law in the USA, in an interview with Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) [Download].
Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF/Erich Pommer Institute, Berlin | Master’s course: Contract Drafting Moving Image – The Distribution Contract
A serious and touching topic: on the trail of a catfish. A person who blogged under the fake identity Jule Stinkesocke as a supposedly paraplegic young woman. Jule Stinkesocke was a role model for many disabled people online, especially young disabled women. But instead, there are many indications that Jule is an older, non-disabled man. What a disappointment and a disaster for those affected.
Producing a movie like this over four episodes in a way that is unassailable under press law without taking away its “punch” and poignancy is an art form. We are pleased for all those affected, the producers and ZDF that we succeeded in doing this despite considerable headwinds in the run-up to the broadcast. 💪😊
‘Art, film and music as door openers’ – Dr Ralph Oliver Graef and Dr Timo Rosenkranz in the current BLS magazine.
The best lawyers know who the best lawyers are. According to this peer review principle, the US publisher Best Lawyers, together with the reknown magazine Handelsblatt, awards the best lawyers in Germany based on the ratings of colleagues. Now, for the first time, the best commercial law firms in Germany have also been identified for 2024. We are delighted that GRAEF Rechtsanwälte has been recognized in the fields of Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Law (www.bestlaywers.com).
“Film Reform in Focus – the Diversity Advisory Board”. Our annual panel with Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein on the occasion of the Hamburg Film Festival was one of the liveliest and best events in recent years. Thank you for the great moderation and the strong opinions of all participants.
Media – contract and copyright law
The media law boutique is in high demand, especially among film producers. Long-standing clients from the local Hamburg market and beyond rely on the experienced team for their film or TV series productions. Another focus of the firm is advising the publishing industry. For many years, various renowned publishing houses have relied on the services of the team in copyright matters. Another source of new clients is the review of content – both in print and moving pictures – for compliance with press law.
Strengths: Extensive experience with TV and film productions, review of scripts.
Frequently recommended: Dr. Ralph Graef (“very committed and extremely competent”, competitor)
Specialties: Advising film and TV companies and publishing houses. Copyright law, licensing. Advising artists and rights holders on copyright law, including litigation.
Clients: Black Forest Studios (legal advice on film law for various US co-productions); Estate of Michael Ende on new film rights for ‘The Neverending Story’; British production and marketing company (ongoing legal advice on film law); Network Movie on various productions.
Press law and freedom of speech
The Hamburg media law boutique specializes in press law and freedom of speech, in particular the review of manuscripts and scripts. It therefore has excellent contacts to the local publishing and film production industry. Occasionally, the law firm can also be seen on the side of those affected. The eam, which also advises on media and copyright law, is also consolidating its position in the international arena. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that two renowned British publishers, Cambridge and Oxford University Press, and the New York Times rely on the firm’s services for press law issues in Germany.
Often recommended: Dr. Ralph Graef (“professionally good”, client; “very committed and extremely competent”, competitor)
Specialties: Press law review of scripts and manuscripts.
Clients: New York Times, Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press (ongoing legal advice on press law issues); Kamphausen Media (legal advice on book reviews); Penguin Random House (legal advice on various matters, including reviews of manuscripts); Oetinger publishing group (ongoing legal advice on press law).
Hamburg Media School | Weekly Lecture Media and Online Law for MBA Students
It was nice. We’ll just have to turn off the rain next year.
What started 15 years ago as a small „indie conference“ is now a landmark event in the games industry. Thank you to our friends at Super Crowd GmbH and Gamecity Hamburg, Wolf Lang and Dennis Schoubye
Andthank you to all our speakers for their great speeches 
Sophie Vo
Brjann Sigurgeirsson
James Batchelor
Odile Limpach
Torsten Oppermann
Last not least thank you Elisabeth Heinisch and Altonaer Museum
Welcome to our team, Philipp Steinhübl. We look forward to lively discussions on press law, media law and entertainment law. It’s going to be a cool journey.
