Copyright Law · Berlin
Protecting the value of creative work.
Copyra advises creators, rights holders and companies on copyright, licensing and enforcement under German, EU and international law — with focus, discretion and on terms agreed in writing.
The Firm
Copyra is a Berlin law practice led by Rechtsanwalt Alex Bildman, devoted to copyright. We advise creators, rights holders and companies whose business rests on content.
Focus is our strength. We concentrate on a single field of law and follow its development closely — from the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union to the new rules on artificial intelligence.
Every matter is handled personally, with the discretion our profession demands and a clear view of the commercial interests at stake.
Practice
From first draft to final judgment.
The protection, exploitation and defence of creative and digital works — advisory, transactional and contentious.
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01
Copyright advisory
Protectability of works, authorship and ownership, moral rights, exceptions and limitations, and clearance of content before publication.
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02
Licensing & contracts
Drafting and negotiating licence, publishing, commissioning and rights-transfer agreements, including open-source and Creative Commons compliance.
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03
Enforcement
Preserving evidence, cease-and-desist letters, notices to online platforms under the Digital Services Act, injunctions and claims for damages.
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04
Defence against claims
Review of warning letters and infringement allegations, negotiation with the claimant, and defence in out-of-court and court proceedings.
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05
Digital platforms & AI
Platform liability under Article 17 of the DSM Directive, text and data mining opt-outs, copyright in AI training and output, and AI Act obligations.
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06
Transactions & portfolios
IP due diligence, chain-of-title review for investments and acquisitions, catalogue transactions and audits of existing rights portfolios.
Approach
A clear process. No surprises.
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i.
First contact
You briefly describe the matter by email or phone. Before reviewing any details, we check for conflicts of interest.
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ii.
Assessment
We review the documents and explain your legal position, options and risks in plain language.
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iii.
Engagement
Scope, fees and timeline are agreed in writing before any chargeable work begins.
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iv.
Implementation
We negotiate, draft or litigate on your behalf and keep you informed at every step.
Clients
Those whose business is built on content.
Whether you create, publish, license or use protected works — we advise on both sides of a dispute, and on the agreements that prevent one.
- Authors & artists
- Music & audiovisual
- Publishing & media
- Software & SaaS
- Brands & e-commerce
- Agencies & creators
- Research & education
- AI developers & users
Legal framework
Grounded in the rules that govern your rights.
- UrheberrechtsgesetzGerman Copyright Act (UrhG)
- Directive 2001/29/ECCopyright in the information society
- Directive (EU) 2019/790Copyright in the Digital Single Market
- Regulation (EU) 2022/2065Digital Services Act — notice and action
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689AI Act — copyright policy of general-purpose AI model providers
- Berne ConventionInternational protection of literary and artistic works
Principles
What you can expect from us.
Discretion.
Everything you tell us is protected by professional secrecy. Client information is never disclosed without your consent.
Clarity.
We explain the law, your options and the risks in plain language — and agree the fee basis in writing before we begin.
Precision.
A single area of law, known in depth. Careful analysis and meticulous drafting in every document we sign.
FAQ
Before you get in touch.
I received a copyright infringement letter. What should I do?
Take it seriously, but do not act in haste. As a general rule:
- note the deadline and seek advice well before it expires;
- do not sign a cease-and-desist declaration or pay the amount demanded before the claim has been reviewed;
- do not contact the other side without considering what you say — statements can be used as evidence;
- keep the letter, the envelope or email, and any material relating to the alleged use.
Whether a claim is justified, and whether the amount demanded is appropriate, depends on the facts and the applicable law.
Do I need to register my copyright?
No. In Germany, in the other EU Member States and in all countries party to the Berne Convention, copyright arises automatically when an original work is created. There is no registration requirement. It is nevertheless advisable to keep evidence of authorship and of the date of creation, which can be decisive in a dispute.
How are your fees calculated?
Depending on the matter, we work on an hourly basis, for a fixed fee or in agreed stages, within the limits of the German Lawyers’ Remuneration Act (RVG). The fee basis is always agreed in writing before chargeable work begins. If an initial assessment is chargeable, we tell you the cost in advance.
Can you help if the matter involves another country?
Yes. We advise on German, EU and international copyright law. Where court proceedings must be conducted in a jurisdiction in which we are not admitted, we work together with qualified local counsel and coordinate the matter for you.
Does contacting you create a lawyer–client relationship?
No. An engagement is only established once we have confirmed that there is no conflict of interest and its terms have been agreed in writing. Until then, please do not send us confidential documents.
The information on this website is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice for your individual case.
Contact
Arrange a confidential consultation.
Send us a short description of the matter and the names of the other parties involved, so that we can check for conflicts of interest before we respond.
Write to us- alex@copyra.eu
- Phone
- +49 177 6654849
- Office
- Bergfriedstraße 20
10969 Berlin - Hours
- Monday–Friday, 9:00–18:00 (Berlin time)
Regular email is not end-to-end encrypted. Please do not send confidential documents until the engagement is confirmed — on request, we provide a secure channel. See our Privacy Policy.