Tim Heitmann

Expertise Tim Advises Experience Highlights Career History Testimonials

Partner

Intellectual Property and IT

+49 178 3293 069

Expertise

Tim Heitmann is an experienced lawyer specialising in intellectual property law, in particular trademark law. He has 15 years’ experience as a lawyer and in-house counsel. Through his many years working in the IP department of a major German automotive manufacturer, he has acquired in-depth knowledge of the automotive industry.

Tim has extensive experience in managing large national and international trademark portfolios, as well as in enforcing trademark rights internationally, particularly in China and the Middle East. In this context, he draws on an established network of long-standing partner law firms.

He also has particular expertise in proceedings before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which he has handled on numerous occasions both as a lawyer and as in-house counsel. In addition, Tim has many years of experience in negotiating and drafting IP-related contracts, particularly trademark licence agreements.

Tim also provides interim IP counsel services upon request.

He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property Law.

Tim Advises

  • Start-ups and medium-sized companies
  • Legal departments and marketing divisions of international corporations
  • Trademark owners requiring protection across Europe and internationally

Experience Highlights

  • Strategically managed the trademark portfolio of a large automotive manufacturer in 50+ jurisdictions, with a particular focus on the Chinese, Middle Eastern and African markets
  • Coordinated trademark enforcement and brand protection activities for a global automotive manufacturer in 15+ jurisdictions, particularly in China, supervising regional brand protection managers and external counsel
  • Led a team of in-house counsel, paralegals and external counsel tasked with defending several trademarks against multiple revocation and invalidity actions simultaneously filed at the EUIPO
  • Advised a global car manufacturer on intellectual property law aspects relating to the use of artificial intelligence
  • Advised on intellectual property aspects of a research and development collaboration between two global car manufacturers in the field of hydrogen technology

Career History

Previous experience

  • 2016 – 2025: BMW AG, Munich, Germany, Legal Counsel
  • 2014 – 2016: JONAS Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne, Germany, Lawyer
  • 2011 – 2014: Hogan Lovells (Alicante) S.L. & Cia, Spain, Associate

Memberships

  • ECTA (European Communities Trademark Association)
  • GRUR (German Association for Intellectual Property Law)

Education

  • 2008 – 2010 Legal clerkship program, Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Germany
  • 2007 – 2008 Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property Law, Queen Mary University of London
  • 2002 – 2007 Legal studies, University of Bonn (Germany) and University of Sevilla (Spain)

 

 

 

Tim is a partner in gunnercooke GmbH, whose registered office is Kurfuerstendamm 15, 10719 Berlin, AG Charlottenburg, HRB 224488 B. All lawyers of gunnercooke GmbH are admitted either in Germany or Austria to practise as Rechtsanwalt or Rechtsanwaeltin and are members of and regulated by the relevant local Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer).

Expertise

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Tim Heitmann is an experienced lawyer specialising in intellectual property law, in particular trademark law. He has 15 years’ experience as a lawyer and in-house counsel. Through his many years working in the IP department of a major German automotive manufacturer, he has acquired in-depth knowledge of the automotive industry.

Tim has extensive experience in managing large national and international trademark portfolios, as well as in enforcing trademark rights internationally, particularly in China and the Middle East. In this context, he draws on an established network of long-standing partner law firms.

He also has particular expertise in proceedings before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which he has handled on numerous occasions both as a lawyer and as in-house counsel. In addition, Tim has many years of experience in negotiating and drafting IP-related contracts, particularly trademark licence agreements.

Tim also provides interim IP counsel services upon request.

He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property Law.

Tim Advises

Back to top
  • Start-ups and medium-sized companies
  • Legal departments and marketing divisions of international corporations
  • Trademark owners requiring protection across Europe and internationally

Experience Highlights

Back to top
  • Strategically managed the trademark portfolio of a large automotive manufacturer in 50+ jurisdictions, with a particular focus on the Chinese, Middle Eastern and African markets
  • Coordinated trademark enforcement and brand protection activities for a global automotive manufacturer in 15+ jurisdictions, particularly in China, supervising regional brand protection managers and external counsel
  • Led a team of in-house counsel, paralegals and external counsel tasked with defending several trademarks against multiple revocation and invalidity actions simultaneously filed at the EUIPO
  • Advised a global car manufacturer on intellectual property law aspects relating to the use of artificial intelligence
  • Advised on intellectual property aspects of a research and development collaboration between two global car manufacturers in the field of hydrogen technology

Career History

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Previous experience

  • 2016 – 2025: BMW AG, Munich, Germany, Legal Counsel
  • 2014 – 2016: JONAS Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne, Germany, Lawyer
  • 2011 – 2014: Hogan Lovells (Alicante) S.L. & Cia, Spain, Associate

Memberships

  • ECTA (European Communities Trademark Association)
  • GRUR (German Association for Intellectual Property Law)

Education

  • 2008 – 2010 Legal clerkship program, Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Germany
  • 2007 – 2008 Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property Law, Queen Mary University of London
  • 2002 – 2007 Legal studies, University of Bonn (Germany) and University of Sevilla (Spain)

Back to top

 

 

 

Tim is a partner in gunnercooke GmbH, whose registered office is Kurfuerstendamm 15, 10719 Berlin, AG Charlottenburg, HRB 224488 B. All lawyers of gunnercooke GmbH are admitted either in Germany or Austria to practise as Rechtsanwalt or Rechtsanwaeltin and are members of and regulated by the relevant local Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer).

Testimonials