Thomas Koch

Thomas Koch is a German judge serving on the Federal Court of Justice, the highest civil court in Germany. He recently gained attention for his ruling regarding the Birkenstock sandal brand, where he determined that the company's sandals do not qualify for copyright protection, stating that they are not protected as works of applied art. This decision upheld a lower court’s verdict and allowed for the continued sale of imitation products, prompting Birkenstock to consider legal action in other countries for better copyright protection.