13.05.2025

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

06.05.2025

Hamburg Media School & Produktionsallianz | Masterclass Werbefilm: Introduction to the legal foundations of AI in advertising film production

Legal 500 Germany 2025

Legal 500 2025

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.”

31.03.2025

Film Commission Region Stuttgart together with MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg | Monday seminars: “AI and copyright – protection of AI input & output” (in German)

26.03.2025

Kultur&Gut Café, Zeisehallen Hamburg | All you need is Law: “Artificial Intelligence” – Register here.

11.02.2025

Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF/Erich Pommer Institute, Berlin | Master’s course: Contract Drafting Moving Image – The Distribution Contract

06.11.-11.12.2024

Hamburg Media School | Weekly Lecture Media and Online Law for MBA Students

Best Lawyers® Germany 2024

Best lawyers share

The US publisher Best Lawyers has once again worked with Handelsblatt to identify the best commercial lawyers in Germany for 2024. We are delighted that Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef has once again been recognized in the field of Entertainment Law (www.bestlaywers.com).

29.11.2024

Hamburg Media School | Lecture Media and Online Law for Executive MBA Students

23.11.2024

Hamburg Media School | Lecture Media and Online Law for Executive MBA Students

03.06.2024

Lichtmess-Kino Hamburg | All you need is Law: “Artificial intelligence – will the hype continue in 2024? An analysis of the state of the art for text, audio and film and the first court cases from the USA and Germany”

Discussion by Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef on the OLG Cologne decision of 26.01.2024 (GRUR-RS 2024, 1143 – “Birkenstock”-Sandalen)

Grur 2024

The decision deals with the requirements of the concept of a work of applied art and the distinction from design law; the case in question involved “Birkenstock” sandals. The background to the current proceedings concerning “Birkenstock” sandals before the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg and the Higher Regional Court of Cologne, and their diametrically opposed decisions in the instances, show how important it is to establish a uniform concept of work under European law. In particular, if objects were purely functional in their product history, copyright protection must be correctly denied.

Read more

18.04.2024

Erich Pommer Institut | Update Copyright in Production – Current Cases and Case Law for Advanced Students

06.03.2024

Hamburg Games Conference | Legal Roundtable: State of the Art of Artificial Intelligence use cases in the Games and Entertainment Industries

18.02.2024

Berlinale | Panel “Is GAP the new equity? New paths in the funding jungle”

06.02.2024

Animation Institute of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg | Lecture on IP and media law

02.02.2024

Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF/Erich Pommer Institute, Berlin | Master’s course: Contract Drafting Moving Image – The Distribution Contract

02.02.2024

future!publish conference, Berlin | Annual update on publishing law and the law of electronic publishing

Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef LL.M. (NYU)

Drgraef

Partner | Attorney
Attorney-at-law (New York)
Board-Certified Attorney for Copyright and Media Law
Board-Certified Attorney for Intellectual Property Law


Areas of Practice

Film & Entertainment Law
German and International Copyright Law
Press and Publishing Law
Law of Computer Games

→ to Practices and Industries

Contact

GRAEF Rechtsanwälte
Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef
Jungfrauenthal 8
20149 Hamburg

Tel.: +49 40 80 6000 9 0
Fax: +49 40 80 6000 9 10
Email: graef@graef.law

LinkedIn | IMDB


Discussion by Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef on the BGH decision GRUR-Prax 2023, 682 – The right to no longer be a victim).

Das+recht+nicht+mehr+opfer+zu+sein+grur prax+2023,+682.pdf seite 1

The background to this was a 2018 ZDF film about abducted children. This shed light on two abduction cases from the perspective of a journalist involved in the liberations. ZDF also reported on the abduction of the then eight-year-old plaintiff, which ended with her release after a ransom was paid, mentioning her birth name. To illustrate this, ZDF used two photos of the plaintiff, which her parents had made available to the investigating authorities for a public search. In addition, the cover page of a magazine was shown on which the plaintiff was pictured with her mother after her release. The Federal Court of Justice sets the duty of care of the press to obtain consent to use the images extremely high – even more than 30 years after the crimes. Too high, in the opinion of Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef.

PDF version