5,0/5 Google · 167 reviewsWe do not check reviews of us on other platforms that we do not quote verbatim for authenticity. They may therefore also come from people who are not our clients. The rules of the respective platform apply. Reviews that we quote verbatim on our website, by contrast, have been checked for authenticity within the meaning of Section 5b(3) UWG (German Act against Unfair Competition): we compared the reviewers’ names with our client register. We also asked the respective platform to check the reviews for authenticity.Period: October 2016 to date · As of: 28 October 2026
Review software licence agreements
A licence model that fits the deployment
Software is to be purchased, rolled out across the group, passed on via partners or renewed? We check whether user group, transfer, third-party components, audit and exit fit your business model.
Please enter a short description first.
The first contact is free of charge. Before any fees apply, we will tell you explicitly.
Response within 24 hours on working days
As of: 23 October 2026
Licence agreement2 of 5
- User group and metricPresent
- Group useCheck
- Transfer and sublicenceCheck
- Audit clausePresent
- Consent of the vendorVendor decidesMissing
Point of review: Who may use the software?
- 1Send contract setContract and use
- 2Prioritise pointsScope to exit
- 3DecideSign-off or negotiation
Schematic illustration. Simplified example.
We review licences for
- Standard software
- SDKs
- Platform modules
- OEM models
- Corporate groups
Key points at a glance
- A general reference to rights of use is not enough for economically relevant software.
- Deployment model, user group, transfer, integrations, third-party components and audit must fit the business model.
- ITMR reviews and negotiates software licence agreements before approval, rollout, distribution, audit and renewal.
- Whether the vendor accepts changes is its own decision.
- Your contact is Jean Paul Bohne and his team. He is a specialist lawyer for IT law and for copyright and media law. Response on working days within 24 hours.
- Open source
- Software with open source code. Its use is governed by the respective licence.
Starting position
When does the licence agreement become critical?
When the software is to be used differently from how the contract describes it.
A licence agreement is robust when permitted use and actual operation match.
The standard licence agreement is available. It remains open who may use the software and to what extent.
Group use is to be included. Subsidiaries, shared services or service providers are to use the software without the contract covering this.
An OEM or white-label model is coming up. The business model depends on transfer, branding, integration and sublicensing.
An audit is looming. Usage metrics, indirect use or reporting obligations create pressure for additional licensing.
- For whom
- Procurement, product, sales, legal
- Trigger
- Approval, rollout, audit, renewal
- Core
- Use, transfer, audit, exit
- Consent
- by the vendor
Third-party components in the product and upcoming renewals shift the risk further. Open source, libraries or modules must be reflected in the chain of title.
If the rights question goes beyond software, licensing and rights clearance is a better fit. If licence texts, SBOM or copyleft are the focus, open source law gets you there more directly.
Send the contract and use model using the form. We will get back to you on working days within 24 hours.
Process
How do we review your licence agreement?
In three steps from contract set to a clear line.
01
Send contract set A licence agreement, vendor terms, product description, price sheet, audit clauses, maintenance annex or renewal offer are enough.
02
Prioritise points We reduce scope of use, user group, group use, transfer, audit, third-party components, maintenance and exit to what is economically essential.
03
Decide You go into approval, negotiation, renewal, true-up, additional licensing or separation with clear redlines.
Four review questions for your licence agreement
- 1
Does the permitted use fit? User group, installation locations, systems, environments, types of access, test and backup use and integrations must fit operations.
- 2
Is transfer regulated? Many contracts cover internal use but not shared services, subsidiaries, hosting, integrators, resellers or white label.
- 3
Is the chain of title in place? Third-party software, libraries, external modules and components subject to documentation duties must be reflected externally.
- 4
What applies to audit and exit? We read audit clauses, metrics, confidentiality, additional licensing, maintenance, updates, remaining term and handover before the conflict.
How long does it take? We complete most work steps within a few working days. How quickly it goes depends on the scope and your feedback. Do you have a fixed date, such as a launch? Tell us right away in your enquiry and we will plan for it.
Service
What does the review include?
Service package: software licence agreement
Before sign-off Tighten scope of use, user group, group use, transfer, audit, maintenance and exit.
Before rollout or distribution Check whether the use or distribution model is covered by the contract.
Before an audit or renewal Organise metrics, actual use, audit clauses and the consequences of additional licensing.
Interfaces Integrate open source, copyright and third-party components appropriately.
- For whom
- Licensees and providers of software
- First response
- within 24 hours on working days
- Costs
- We tell you the costs transparently before you instruct us.
- Not included
- Technical licence inventory. Licence consultants or SAM service providers handle this separately.
Who delivers what and who decides
- Licence agreement and vendor terms
- Price sheet and order form
- Description of actual use
- Audit letter, if any
- Review of the contract set
- Redlines and priorities
- Negotiation with the vendor
- Response to audits
- You decide on the line and residual risks
- The vendor decides on changes
How does the engagement work?
- 1
First assessment You send the contract and use model using the form. We assess which scope fits. The first contact is free of charge.
- 2
Offer Before we start, we tell you the scope and costs transparently.
- 3
Court steps separately We agree court proceedings and representation separately.
Review focus
What do we review in the licence agreement?
Four fields that make the difference in practice.
| Review area | Typical provisions | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of use | Named user, concurrent, device, core, usage-based models | Test, backup and indirect use and automated access |
| Group and transfer | Affiliates, shared services, service providers, resellers, OEM, white label | Sublicensing, branding and customer service roles |
| Chain of title | Ownership of rights, third-party software, SDKs, open source | Indemnities, warranties and documentation duties |
| Audit and exit | Audit clauses, true-up, maintenance, updates, termination | Scope, deadlines, confidentiality, cost consequences and continued use |
Misconceptions
Which assumptions are misleading?
Four statements we often hear on licensing questions.
What matters is what the scope of use, user group, systems, transfer and additional environments permit.
Without clear inclusion of affiliates, shared services or service providers, internal cooperation becomes a licensing issue.
If third-party components play a role, a robust chain of rights and evidence is needed.
In audits too, scope, deadlines, confidentiality, costs and the consequences of a deviation count.
Under pressure
What to do in an audit or renewal?
Then a robust trail of use and contracts counts.
We put the licence agreement, terms, price sheet, maintenance annex, audit announcement and actual deployment model into a reviewable order.
We clarify whether the problem lies in the use, in unclear terms, in partner structures or in the audit clause.
Depending on the situation, additional licensing, a side letter, clarification, settlement or a narrow response to the audit fits.
Procurement, legal, IT and management work along the same line so that no questions remain open at the next renewal.
Legal framework
Which rules apply to software licences?
Reproduction, modification and distribution of a computer program require the rightholder's consent under Section 69c UrhG.
For intended use and the backup copy, Section 69d UrhG permits certain acts even without separate consent.
Under Section 35 UrhG, the licensee may only grant further rights of use with the author's consent. Without a clear provision, the purpose of the contract determines the scope under Section 31(5) UrhG.
Vendor licence terms are usually standard terms and conditions and are subject to content review under Section 307 BGB even between businesses.
- Section 69c UrhG Acts requiring consent.
- Section 69d UrhG Exceptions.
- Section 35 UrhG Granting further rights of use.
- Section 31 UrhG Granting of rights of use.
- Section 307 BGB Review of content.
Limits
What does the review not cover?
Clear limits protect your planning.
- 1
No licence inventory SAM service providers handle the technical recording of use separately.
- 2
No promise of outcome Whether the vendor accepts changes or settlements is its own decision.
- 3
No full OSS review The in-depth open source review is a separate package.
- 4
The decision remains yours Which line you choose is your decision.
What you can expect as a result
- A prioritised list of redlines.
- Clarity on user group, transfer and audit.
- One line for negotiation or audit response.
Your contact
Lawyer and mediator · Partner · Specialist lawyer for IT law · Specialist lawyer for copyright and media law
View profile Düsseldorf, Schirmerstraße 80 · Hamburg, Palmaille 124
TOP lawyer 2027 · Business lawyers · Intellectual property
F.A.Z.-Institut and QuantiQuest. Based on recommendations from peers and assessments by in-house counsel. Source (opens in a new tab)
ReviewsWe do not check reviews of us on other platforms that we do not quote verbatim for authenticity. They may therefore also come from people who are not our clients. The rules of the respective platform apply. Reviews that we quote verbatim on our website, by contrast, have been checked for authenticity within the meaning of Section 5b(3) UWG (German Act against Unfair Competition): we compared the reviewers’ names with our client register. We also asked the respective platform to check the reviews for authenticity.
What clients say
5,0 von 5 · 71 Bewertungen auf anwalt.dePeriod: October 2018 to date · As of: 28 October 2026
“Mr Bohne advised me thoroughly and comprehensively. His expertise is impressive. Highly recommended. I would consult him again at any time. Prof. Dr. Stefan Piasecki” (translated from German)
“Very competent, eloquent and honest advice. Within 2 weeks, the whole case was settled by Mr Bohne with a terrific result! I can warmly recommend him!” (translated from German)
“Very good and comprehensive expert advice! Mr Bohne took time for us and explained the legal situation very clearly. We can only warmly recommend Mr Bohne and his firm. We have found the IT and media law expert we trust here.” (translated from German)
FAQ
What do companies ask about software licences?
Is the vendor's standard EULA enough?
Only if scope of use, user group, group use, transfer, audit, maintenance and exit fit the deployment. We rarely see that in larger set-ups.
May group companies automatically share use?
Not without more. What matters is whether affiliates, shared services, external operating models or service providers are expressly covered in the contract.
What is tricky about OEM or reseller models?
It becomes tricky where transfer, branding, customer service roles, sublicensing, integration and warranties of rights are not interlinked.
Why are audit clauses so important?
They determine who may audit, which data are disclosed, how far the scope of the audit extends and what financial consequences a deviation has.
Does open source belong on this page?
Yes, insofar as open source becomes relevant in the licence agreement, in warranties or in the chain of title. For an in-depth review, open source law and open source compliance are a better fit.
Do you help with an audit announcement?
Yes. We then organise the use model, contract terms, audit clauses and additional licensing risks and set the negotiation line.
Next step
Does your licence agreement fit actual use?
Before procurement, before rollout, under audit pressure or before renewal, we check whether the contract covers your use and distribution model.
Helpful for your enquiry
- Licence agreement and vendor terms
- Price sheet and order form
- Description of use
- Audit letter, if any
To get started, the contract with a short description is enough.
Classify a software licence agreement
For companies before approval, rollout, distribution, audit or renewal.
Briefly describe the licence model and occasion.
Related services
IT-Recht Fundamental questions on software.Open source law Licence texts, copyleft, SBOM.OS-Compliance Licence obligations in code.Review a SaaS contract Negotiate SaaS contracts.IT-Software-Vertrag IT contracts at a glance.Service packages All packages.
From our blog: MG4 and open source