Your partner in procedural law

Frequently asked questions

• How do I increase my chances in legal proceedings?

  Attention makes everything better. A successful outcome in legal proceedings depends not only on the facts, but also on how you cooperate with your legal counsel during the case. Putting time and energy into providing facts and evidence to strengthen your position is super important.

  In pleasant cooperation between you and your legal team often lies the key to success. By actively providing information and documents yourself that are either requested or suspected to be important, you help your attorney develop the best strategy. Some clients are exceptionally good at this and understand exactly what is needed, but not everyone is as experienced or detailed. 

  A well-constructed case – based on facts, clear communication and active cooperation – can make all the difference. Smart and strategic work can also be decisive during the proceedings themselves.

  Get guidance from a legal expert who not only understands your case, but with whom you will work well.

• I am considering a lawsuit. What should I consider?

  Talking as a law firm, this may be against our own wallet, but our most important advice is: reflect before you begin. Litigation can be complex, time-consuming and costly, and even if you win, you often won’t get back all the costs incurred, such as attorney fees.

  Take a disputed claim in debt collection proceedings. What seems simple often turns out to be a tough case that is difficult to chart. Many such cases escalate to proceedings on the merits, with additional costs and longer processing times. 

  Rule of thumb: in a dispute involving an amount of 25,000 euros or less, you should carefully consider whether litigation is worthwhile. 

  Is it a matter of principle? Then realize that litigation costs a lot of energy. We more often see scenarios with parties who have been involved in a legal battle for 5 years, with major personal and financial consequences.

  Before you litigate, think about what you want to achieve and what risks you are willing to take. Are there alternatives, such as settlement, which might better serve your interests? 

  A strategic consultation with Good Law can help you realistically identify your opportunities and possibilities. It prevents you from ending up in an endless legal process without the desired outcome.

• Registering a brand name: is contracting a registration agency online enough?

  With the rise of the internet, it seems easy to register a brand name or other intellectual property yourself, whether in collaboration with a trademark registration agency or not. However, it is good to realise that what you record during this process is legally binding and not always easy to amend afterwards.

  In practice, we see that registrations sometimes turn out to be less strong than thought, for instance because not all relevant legal aspects were properly considered beforehand. Think of the right classes, regional coverage or possibilities for future expansion. This can lead to disputes later on, for instance if someone else objects to your registration or if you find that your protection is more limited than desired.

  Trademark registration agencies are professional organisations, which we also work with. However, often it is also useful to seek legal certainty.

  In the event of an intellectual property dispute, you will have to prove in legal proceedings that your registration is valid and sufficient. This can become time-consuming and costly, especially if it turns out afterwards that certain choices would have been better made differently.

  Good Law deals with your situation enthusiastically and pragmatically and always looks for the best approach within the possibilities. We help you strategically set up the registration of trademark rights and/or design rights and, if necessary, bring you into contact with a specialized party. In this way, we ensure that your registration is not only properly arranged today but also remains optimally in line with your plans for the future.

• What should I do if a problem doesn’t seem solvable without a procedure?

  When a problem does not seem solvable without litigation, it is wise to first schedule a strategic consultation with Good Law. In such a prescan-like meeting, we will look at your situation together, assess your chances and discuss how wise it would be to initiate proceedings. 

  Where something initially seems like a major problem, perhaps a targeted strategy can still avoid lengthy and costly litigation. 

  Suppose a large company launches a trademark with the same name as your product. Perhaps by filing a so-called opposition against that trademark and by doing an additional trademark registration, it might be possible to resolve the conflict without going directly to court. 

  So, the purpose of a strategic conversation is not only to determine whether litigation is necessary, but also to explore possible alternatives. Sometimes there are creative legal solutions that are less burdensome and less expensive than full-blown litigation. Should litigation still be the only option, do so with a realistic view of the opportunities, risks and costs.

  And, with the assurance that it will be done right. Litigation: where it is needed, we are happy to do it!

  A clear legal plan will strengthen your position and prevent unnecessary escalations!