German, English
Degree in Law from the University of Bremen
Legal Clerkship at the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court
JUVE Marken- und Wettbewerbsrecht 2025: Oft empfohlen
Leaders League 2025: Trademark Prosecution – Excellent – Tier 1, Trademark Litigation – Highly Recommended – Tier 2
Leaders League 2024: Trademark Litigation - Highly recommended und Trademark Prosecution - Excellent
JUVE 2023/2024: “toller IP-Rechtler, immer auf den Punkt, großartig als Mitstreiter sowie als Gegner, Wettbewerber”
WTR 2023: "Nilgen ist ein vielseitiger Anwalt mit Fähigkeiten in der Verwaltung von Portfolios, der Bearbeitung von Rechtsstreitigkeiten und der Organisation von Zollbeschlagnahmungen." (Empfohlene Anwälte - Bronze)
WTR 2021: Empfohlener Anwalt (Bronze-Ranking)
WTR 2020: “Straight forward and solution oriented, Nilgen is a lawyer with whom you can openly discuss alternative solutions.”
Oliver Nilgen advises and represents national and international clients in the entire spectrum of trademark, competition, copyright, media and design law as well as in commercial, corporate and contract law.
Oliver Nilgen has been involved for many years, among other things, as a member of the design team at MARQUES, a European interest group for trademark owners, and in the GRUR design committee. Within the scope of his committee activities, he has been intensively involved, among other things, with the proposals of the European Commission on the upcoming design law reform.
Due to his many years of experience, his commitment and his in-depth knowledge, Mr. Nilgen is a sought-after expert and the contact person for clients for all questions of trademark and design law.
His activities include strategic trademark counseling, contract negotiations and representation of trademark owners in all proceedings before the Offices and the European Court of Justice. The focus of his forensic practice ranges from short-term, pragmatic out-of-court advice to the judicial enforcement of complex trademark and design infringements, including measures of interim relief. In addition, he assists numerous clients in border seizure cases.
Oliver Nilgen was admitted to the bar in 2007 and joined Meissner Bolte in 2008.
Virtual “study visit” on the subject of intellectual property - by IRZ
Nilgen, Unzulässige Berichterstattung eines Presseunternehmens als Eigenwerbung („Schleichwerbung“), GRUR-Prax 2026, 486.
Open PDFOur colleague and Head of Trademarks and Designs, Oliver Nilgen, highlights a landmark ruling for digital youth protection: the VG Neustadt considers the DSA to take precedence over JMStV blocking rules, fundamentally challenging the long-standing practice of German media authorities in restricting EU-based porn platforms.
Open publicationOliver Nilgen, "Einzigartige Finesse von Herstellern", NJW-aktuell, Law in Business, Issue 8/2026.
The Labubu hype surrounding Kasing Lung's plush collectible figures is causing Pop Mart 2025 problems due to imitations such as the Lafufus. The case highlights the rapid race for intellectual property rights in trendy products and sheds light on the legal options available in the EU.
In the following article, Oliver Nilgen and Nicole Vossius explain the legal instruments available to Pop Mart in the European Union. (German)
Open publicationNilgen, Oliver: Wie viele Nutzer braucht es zur Beurteilung der Nichtigkeit eines Designs? Zur Einführung eines außenstehenden Beobachters (EuGH, Urteil vom 16. Februar 2023, Az. C-472/21), in: Fitzner (ed.), Festschrift aus Anlass des 125-jährigen Bestehens des Patentanwaltsberufs, 1st ed. 2025, p. 547-560
Open publicationAttorney at law Andreas Haberl, attorney at law Eva Maierski and attorney at law Oliver Nilgen, GRUR 2025, 297, 06.02.2025
Case C-323/24
Lawyer Oliver Nilgen, Meissner Bolte, Munich
GRUR-Prax 2025, 11 (in German language)
Open publicationHenning Hartwig, Oliver Nilgen, Comments of the GRUR Committee for Design Law on the Request for a Preliminary Ruling in Case C-211/24 – LEGO A/S v. Pozitív Energiaforrás Kft, GRUR International, 2024;, ikae137, doi.org/10.1093/grurint/ikae137
Open publicationContributor Oliver Nilgen
Oliver Nilgen, GRUR-Prax 21/2024, S. 681, BGH 11.9.2024 - | ZR 140/23, GRUR 2024
Open publicationPublished in German language
Open publicationThis article was first published on Lexis+ UK on 17/07/2023
Open publication
This article was first published by LexisPSL on 12 June 2023
Staatlich genehmigte Gesellschaft der Autoren, Komponisten und Musikverleger Reg Gen nbH (AKM) v Canal+ Luxembourg Sàrl Case C-290/21
Chapter „Germany" (co-author), World Trademark Review
Open publicationIn German language
Open publicationIn German language
Open publicationpublished in World Trademark Review, issue December 2017 / January 2018, edited by IP Media Group
Open publicationpublished in World Trademark Review, issue June/July 2017, edited by IP Media Group
Open publicationMarkenR 2016 Heft 9, 440-445 (with Armin Hans) [„commercial participation in the Olympic Games – the scope of protection of olympic designations and emblem
Chapter „Germany“ (Co-Author), World Trademark Review
Wolters Kluwer, Special Issue 2016
Hrsg. Sitter/Solmecke, Co-author of the chapters "Direktmarketing durch unverlangte Werbung", "Haftung von Marketplacehändlern für Angebote bei Amazon" and "Streaming", Deubner Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
published in Read Me! Customer Magazine of KOMMA Werbeagentur, isue 06, 2014
published in IPPro The Internet, Conference Special 2014
published in World Trademark Review, issue February/March 2014, edited by IP Media Group
Open publication
