Legal opinions are an error in the meaning of the UWG

Already a few times I had to tell clients that one should be very careful when one communicates – possibly even as a legal layman, legal views to his clients. This has at least one PR effect that could be reconsidered. Recently, the Federal Court of Justice has also had to consider whether this can also be relevant under competition law by the UWG.

The BGH concluded that information suitable for deception within the meaning of Section 5 para. 1 Sentence 2 Case 2 UWG may not only be statements of fact, but may also be expressions of opinion under certain conditions. In that case, it is relevant for the question whether statements on the legal situation of Paragraph 5(5) of the 1 UWG is decisive in the way in which the consumer views the trader’s statement, taking into account all the circumstances of the individual case, in particular the manner in which the statement is expressed. In the event that it is apparent to the public concerned that it is a legal view expressed in the context of legal proceedings or defence, a statement of opinion lacks the appropriateness necessary to carry out the offence of deception. Deception.

On the other hand, paragraph 5(5) of the 1 UWG statements in which the trader claims a clear legal situation with regard to consumers, which does not in fact exist, provided that the customer in the customer in which the customer in which is addressed does not see the statement as a statement of a legal opinion, but as a statement. Similarly, objectively incorrect legal information provided by a trader, which he gives in response to an express request from the consumer, is liable to mislead and influence the consumer. In such cases, the legal views of competitors, which may also be expressed publicly, could be admonished.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.