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Protect business knowledge and employee-created assets with rules that fit German employment and intellectual property law.
What we help you decide
Employee inventions, confidentiality and non-compete clauses. We assess the relevant documents, explain the available routes and agree the scope of advice before taking further steps.
Inventions and other work results
Employee inventions have a statutory framework distinct from ordinary copyright and contractual confidentiality. Identify the creator, employment context, reporting process and employer response. Remuneration and ownership should not be assumed from a broad global IP clause.
Confidentiality and trade secrets
Define the information requiring protection and use practical access controls, classification and return procedures. A confidentiality clause alone may not establish the reasonable secrecy measures required for trade-secret protection.
Post-contractual restrictions
A post-employment non-compete requires particular scrutiny, including form, legitimate scope, duration and compensation. Invalid or non-binding wording can undermine the commercial objective and create payment disputes. Review solicitation restrictions and penalty clauses individually.
Practical example
An engineer leaves for a competitor after developing a new process. We separate invention rights, confidential information, devices and any restrictive covenant before deciding which requests or court measures are justified.
Documents for an initial review
- Contract and restrictive covenants
- Invention reports and employer responses
- Confidentiality policy and access controls
- Exit correspondence and evidence
Related advice
Employee data, AI and internal investigations · Executive employment and directors’ service contracts · All employment law services · Discuss your matter
Legal sources
Reviewed: 8 November 2026. The application of these rules depends on the facts, the relevant documents and any applicable collective arrangements.