Digital transformation, Industry 4.0, explosive development of Internet commerce, data as the raw material of the digital economy – information technology (IT) is and will remain the core of the economy of the future.
For 19 years I have been offering my clients advice and representation in the field of IT law, since 2008 as a specialist lawyer for information technology law (IT law). Even before I became a lawyer, I was active in the digital field in various ways. In this field I have a high specialization and a lot of practical experience. Continuing education is, moreover, mandatory for the title of specialist lawyer.
IT law – also known as EDP law, computer law, etc. – deals with the legal aspects of the digital world. Specialization is necessary here because the digital sphere – from the individual PC to the cloud – has produced its own rules and customs. These must be known by a lawyer who wants to move successfully in this field.
As a specialist, I studied computer science for a few semesters myself and understand the technical background. As a lawyer with many years of experience in this field, I know the problems and the economic conditions of the players – the programmers, the software providers, as well as the customers and clients.
I have been frequently and successfully active e.g. in the law of software development (development contracts, web design contracts, drafting of general terms and conditions, contract negotiations etc.), in domain law and in all questions of e-commerce, trading on the Internet (e.g. via Amazon or eBay). Of course, I also have a great deal of experience in data protection law, which has become increasingly important in recent years.
The specialist lawyer for IT law plays a particularly relevant role when it comes to IT projects. Especially for IT projects – starting with an individually created website – it is true that legal advice before starting the project in many cases saves trouble, costs and time. In larger projects (“Industry 4.0”), no step should be taken without the support of a lawyer!
IT projects are characterized by their very own problems and dynamics: The subject matter is – very – complex and often difficult to grasp, the possibilities are often very diverse, the knowledge involved is often distributed asymmetrically; moreover, the phase of cooperation between software provider and customer can stretch over several years, during which a lot can happen.
IT projects therefore unfortunately fail at a high percentage! The failure of an IT project is very often due to the completely unclear distribution of rights and obligations of the participants. This is where legal support from the outset can help – and more than pays for itself.
For IT projects from about € 10,000 upwards, it is negligent to forego legal support. For IT projects below this amount, you should in any case obtain a basic orientation in an initial consultation and, if necessary, have the agreements made or to be made with your contractual partner assessed.
I have accompanied or worked through many small, medium and large IT projects out of court and extensively in court. So you benefit directly from my experience in this field.
Trade via the Internet is also an increasingly important factor. The legal regulations in this area are constantly changing. To protect your sales and continue to grow, a short line to an attorney who knows the ropes is essential. I have advised a great many web stores, from very small to large. Benefit here from my many years of experience in this field!
I completed my training as a specialist lawyer in 2007 with very good results at the prestigious German Lawyers Academy.
As a specialist lawyer in information technology law, I have acquired and demonstrated special knowledge and extensive practical experience in the field of the law of these technologies.
In order to be allowed to continue to use the title of specialist lawyer, I regularly attend further training courses in this field. This ensures, especially in this dynamic field, that the quality of my work is and remains high.
Pursuant to § 14k of the Specialist Lawyer Regulations, special knowledge must be demonstrated for the specialist area of information technology law in the areas of:
1. contract law of information technologies, including the drafting of individual contracts and GTC,
2. e-commerce law, including the drafting of provider contracts and terms of use (online/mobile business),
3. basic features of intellectual property law in the field of information technologies, references to trademark law, in particular domain law,
4. law of data protection and security of information technologies including encryptions and signatures as well as their profession-specific peculiarities,
5. the law of communications networks and services, in particular the law of telecommunications and its services,
6. public procurement of information technology services (including e-government) with references to European and German antitrust law,
7. international relations including private international law,
8. peculiarities of criminal law in the field of information technologies,
9. peculiarities of the conduct of proceedings and litigation.