Verena von Bomhard has been involved with EU trademarks from the very beginning, having founded her former firm’s office in Alicante in early 1996. She has extensive experience in all matters relating to prosecution and enforcement of EU trade marks and designs, has handled over 100 proceedings before the General Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg, and advises on complex IP conflicts in the European Union and effective dispute resolution.
Verena holds a doctorate in law from the University of Munich. She is co-editor of two leading commentaries (in German and English) on EU trademark law and an English language commentary on EU design law, has authored and co-authored numerous books and articles on EU trademarks and design, and is a frequent speaker on these topics. She teaches European trademark law at the Magister Lucentinus, the IP Master Program of the University of Alicante.
A very active member of INTA for many years, Verena received the 2014 Volunteer Service Award for the Advancement of Trademark Law, and currently serves on the INTA Trademark Reporter Committee as a senior editor. She is also a member of the Expert Committee for Trademark and Competition Law of GRUR, as well as of ECTA, PTMG, and ASIPI.
Apart from her native German, Verena is fluent in English and Spanish and can read French and Italian.
Education
1994: Doctorate Degree s.c.l. and Bar admission
1985 – 1989: Ludwig Maximilian Universität Munich (law)
1983 – 1985: Universities of Würzburg, Salamanca and Heidelberg (languages, art history)
Work Experience
Since 2015: BomhardIP
1999 – 2014: Boesebeck Droste, then Lovells, then Hogan Lovells, Partner
1994 – 1998: Droste, then Boesebeck Droste Rechtsanwälte, Associate
Publications
SELECTION – ENGLISH
Concise European Design Law (article-by-article commentary), 2023 (co-editor with Alexander von Mühlendahl, co-author)
Gömböc—stand upright!—CJEU on the functionality of shapes, Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice, Volume 15, Issue 8, August 2020, Pages 580–581, Oxford Academy, Published on 24 July 2020
Concise European Trademark Law (article-by-article commentary), 2018 (co‑editor with Alexander von Mühlendahl, co‑author; new edition in the making)
European Trade Mark Law, in: Annette Kur / Martin Senftleben – Oxford University Press, 2017 (here)
Unregistered Trademarks in EU Trademark Law, with A. Geier, INTA Trademark Reporter, May-June, 2017 Vol. 107 No. 3
Co-editor of Kluwer Trademark Blog (here)
INTA Oppositions Guide (regularly updated) – EUTM chapter (here)
Licences in OHIM Practice, with Hugh O’Neill and Anat Paz – INTA Trademark Reporter May-June, 2009, Vol. 99 No. 3
Dormant Trademarks in the European Union — Swords of Damocles? – INTA Trademark Reporter September-October, 2006 Vol. 96 No. 5
Sweet & Maxwell’s European Litigation Handbook (Chapter on Community Trademark), 2002
SELECTION – GERMAN
BeckOK Markenrecht (online article-by-article commentary), regular updates since 2014; co-editor with Annette Kur and Friedrich Albrecht
SKY v SKYKICK, Sic! online, Published on 7 August 2020
Nicht eingetragene Markenrechte (with A. Geier), MarkenR 2016, p. 497 et seq.
Zwischenrechte im europäischen Markenrecht, MarkenR 2008, 291 ff.
Die Gemeinschaftsmarke (v. Mühlendahl / Ohlgart / v. Bomhard), Munich 1998
Recent Speakings Engagements
2025, August – INGRES Workshop, Ittingen, Switzerland [Aktuelle Herausforderungen im Unionsrecht (Philipp von Kapff (EUIPO) & Verena von Bomhard (Alicante)]
2025, June – ECTA 42nd Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany – [Bears on the loose – My name is Law, EU Case Law Review (Gabriele Steinfatt, Judge, GC – Bartosz Krakowiak, Polservice – Nina Korjus, Chair 4th BoA, EUIPO – Dr Verena von Bomhard, BomhardIP) ]
2023, September – MARQUES 37th Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany [In Brands we trust, the next frontier, Case Law Update (Sven Stürmann, Chairperson 2nd Board of Appeal, EUIPO & Dr. Verena v. Bomhard, BomhardIP)]
2021, June – International Law Talk Podcast: “Bad Faith in European Trademark Law” – here
2019, March – EUIPO Education Programme, Alicante, Spain [Proceedings before the GC and CJEU]
2018, October – IPIC 92nd Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada [Trademark Trolls]
2018, September – EUIPO Education Programme, Alicante, Spain [Characteristics of the EUTM]
2018, June – EUIPO Webinar [Unitary character of EUTM]
2018, April – AIPPI Annual Conference, Tel Aviv, Israel [Designs and Trademarks in the EU]
2018, February – Frankfurter Forum Designrecht, Frankfurt, Germany [3D Marks and Designs in the EU]
2018, February – Markenrechtstagung 2018, Deutsche Richterakademie, Trier, Germany [The New EU Trademark Law]
2018, February – ECTA Round Table, Alicante, Spain [Unitary character of EU Trademarks]
Spotlights & Interviews
Contact
Phone
Vcard
Rankings & Awards
2026 Best Lawyers in Spain – here
WTR Global Leaders 2025: Private Practice – Spain – here
MIP IP Star 2025 – here
Managing IP´s Top 250 Women in IP 2025 – Spain
WIPR Most Influential Women in IP 2025
WIPR Leaders 2024 Spain – here
MIP IP Star 2024 – here
Managing IP´s Top 250 Women in IP 2024 – Spain
2024 WTR 1000 (Gold Ranking: “Verena von Bomhard is a globally renowned leader with more than 20 years’ experience in EU IP law. She has authored two of the leading commentaries on the subject and knows virtually all there is to know about the EUIPO.”) – Social card here
2024 Best Lawyers in Spain – here
2023 Best Lawyers in Spain – here
WIPR Leaders 2023 Spain – here
MIP IP Star 2023 – here
Managing IP´s Top 250 Women in IP 2023 – Spain
2023 WTR 1000 (Gold Ranking: “Verena von Bomhard is well known and respected in the IP field. Adored by peers and clients alike, she has an excellent track record in EU-related work.”) – Social card here
2022 WTR 1000 (Gold Ranking: “The insightful and bold Verena von Bomhard is a role model and mentor to many in the industry. Her breadth of knowledge and experience is virtually unmatched”) – Social card here
2022 Best Lawyers in Spain
2021 WTR 1000 (Gold Ranking: “Verena is an absolute star of the trademark world and a leading authority on the subject of EU trademarks.”) – Social card here
2021 Chambers Global 2021 (PDF)
Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders: Global Elite 2021 (PDF)
WTR Global Leaders 2020 (Private practice) – Spain
Managing IP´s Top 250 Women in IP 2020 – Europe, Middle East & Africa
2020 WTR 1000 (Gold Ranking: “Verena von Bomhard sits at the top table of global trademark practice leaders and is famous for her encyclopaedic knowledge of EU trademark and design law. Her strategically sharp mind, outstanding advocacy skills and international network, make her the essential choice for complex multi-jurisdictional matters.”) – Social card here
Acritas Stars Nomination 2020: “She’s sharp as a tack, knows her subject matter well, always offers very timely and brilliant advice, and she’s worked with us a long time so we have a very long-standing collaboration with her. She’s a brilliant litigator, very precise in her opinions, her results are stellar, and she is able to come up with creative solutions for us. We really love working with her.”
Best Lawyers 2020
WIPR influential Women in IP 2019
Who´s Who Legal: Trademark 2019 – Spain (PDF)
2019 WTR 1000 (Gold Ranking: “Verena von Bomhard is the ensemble talisman. “She is highly adept at all aspects of trademark work and an awesome litigator with exceptional written and oral advocacy skills. She provides legal advice that can be easily implemented in a business context.”)
2019 Chambers and Partners: “Interviewees recognise Verena von Bomhard of BomhardIP as “a very influential person” thanks to her extensive experience in the prosecution and enforcement of EU trade marks and designs.”
2019 Client Choice: Winner of the 2019 Client Choice award for Trademarks in Spain
Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders: Global Elite 2019 (PDF)
MIP IP Star 2018/19
2017/2018 Legal Awards CorporateLiveWire – Trademark Lawyer of the year (PDF)
WIPR Leaders 2018 – Spain (”Verena is an outstanding European trademark lawyer. She provides excellent practical and substantive advice to her clients and is cost effective and great to work with.”)
2018 WTR 1000 ( Gold Ranking; “The heart of the practice”)
2017 Who´s Who Legal – Trademarks – Spain
Chambers Europe 2017 (“Verena von Bomhard is very experienced and doing great work.” Her practice spans all aspects of trade marks, from strategy and filing to enforcement and disputes. She frequently appears in Luxembourg at the ECJ and General Court.)
2017 Legal Awards: Best IP Dispute Resolution Practice – Spain & EU Trademark Enforcer of the Year – Spain
2017 WTR 1000 (Gold ranking; Numerous interviewees hail “creative problem solver” Verena von Bomhard as the world’s leading EU trademark expert)
WIPR Leaders 2016 – Spain
The Top 250 Women in IP (2016) – Managing IP (here)
2016 WTR 1000 (Gold ranking; “nothing short of phantastic”)
2014 WTR 1000 (Gold ranking; “a simply brilliant strategic adviser and highly experienced in litigation before the European courts”)