The Legal 500

Clifford Chance fully makes use of its international reach, advising on sigificant cross-border matters. Highlights included defending Europe’s largest aviation, space travel and defence group regarding claims by investors alleging delays in delivery of a high-volume aircraft, and advising a large Russian pipeline manufacturer regarding an industrial construction project in Russia. The team represented an international bank in connection with the enforcement of claims for criminal offences. Clients praise the ‘good overall service and appropriate advice’. Head of team Uwe Hornung is ‘pragmatic, quick and uncomplicated’, and Sebastian Rakob is ‘very thorough and efficient’. Düsseldorf-based Michael Kremer made partner, underlining the team’s commitment to maintain a substantial team in both Frankfurt and Düsseldorf. Counsel Wolfgang Jäger moved to DLA Piper.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer represented clients in a large number of complex high-value matters, with contentious matters from banking and capital markets clients making up a significant part of the workload. Lars Westpfahl heads a team that acted for Solvay in complex cartel damage claim proceedings with a claimed amount of €650m, involving 32 industry players. On the arbitration side, the firm acted for an international logistics group in a cross-border post-M&A dispute, consisting of three arbitrations under DIS rules and five state court proceedings with a total volume of €400m in respect of purchase price adjustments. It also represented UniCredit in various disputes relating to the business combination with HVB. A number of partners are praised, among them ‘exceptional lawyer’ Christian Duve, who is ‘amazingly calm and assertive in court’, the ‘brilliant’ Wilhelm Danelzik, and ‘creative thinker’ Rolf Trittmann.

Hengeler Mueller’s highly regarded corporate and capital markets expertise draws clients to the ‘specialised’ team for dispute resolution matters. Acting for banks and antitrust-related follow up litigation have been sources of work, with the team, including ‘experienced litigator’ Markus Meier, defending Deutsche Bank against claims of Leo Kirch against the bank owing to alleged credit damage as a result of a TV interview. New client Toll Collect instructed the team regarding claims against the Federal Republic of Germany relative to payment of compensation to operate the toll system. The team also advised Siemens regarding a claim against two former board members on compensation matters. The team has excellent relations with a significant number of blue chip companies. John Flüh is recommended for banking and insurance litigation.

Allen & Overy LLP bolstered the team with new practice head Daniel Busse, who moved over from Hogan Lovells International LLP. Hans-Christoph Ihrig is experienced in handling shareholder disputes, representing SAP, Evonik and Bilfinger Berger. Schaeffler Holding instructed the team regarding the election of a new member of the board of directors of Continental. International clients frequently point out the team’s great US network.

Baker & McKenzie has a major focus on alternative dispute resolution, while product liability matters are another area of expertise. Highlights included representing an international bank in a €15bn shareholder dispute, and representing a German company in an ICC arbitration concerning one of the world’s largest infrastructure projects. A German group of companies instructs the team in a multijurisdictional arbitration regarding the dissolution of a joint venture. Günter Pickrahn, Jürgen Mark and Jörg Risse are recommended.

CMS Hasche Sigle has seen a significant rise in post-M&A litigation, and features the ‘outstanding’ Klaus Sachs, rated by clients as ‘best German arbitrator available at the moment’. The team represented a former board member of Hypo Real Estate (HRE) as intervenor in 160 HRE investor cases, and Constantin Medien in preparation for the shareholders’ meeting to approve the waiving of claims for compensation against former board members and for settlement with D&O insurance providers. Dorothee Ruckteschler heads the team.

Gleiss Lutz’s ‘strong and successful’ team acted on several noteworthy capital markets-related matters, including defending Hypo Real Estate Holding against more than 200 actions for damages on account of alleged incorrect capital market information. The team also defended Infineon Technologies against claims of the insolvency administrator of Qimonda. The ‘impressive’ Stephan Wilske, Stefan Rützel and Gerhard Wegen, who maintains a ‘very good network of contacts’, are recommended.

Hogan Lovells International LLP’s clients comment on its partners’ ‘great industry knowledge’, leading to ‘very practical advice’. The team regularly acts for Royal Dutch Shell, and represented Quisda in litigation against the insolvency administrator. It also represented Equitable Life Assurance Society in a mass proceeding regarding allegedly misleading pension fund policies information. Jürgen Johannes Witte’s work is ‘cost effective’, providing ‘real value for money’, and Tanja Eisenblätter is ‘business-oriented and quick’. Detlef Hass heads the team that suffered the loss of ‘outstanding’ Daniel Busse, who now heads Allen & Overy LLP’s practice.

Latham & Watkins LLP has seen a drastic increase in banking litigation; the team frequently provided seamless advice working with offices in other jurisdictions, and offering a wide range of specialised practitioners covering areas such as M&A, private equity, media and antitrust-related contentious matters. The team represented listed chemical company Kemira Oyj in a €630m European cartel damages complaint filed by Cartel Damages Claims, and the Republic of Ukraine in an investment treaty dispute and ICSID arbitration procedure with GEA Group. Sebastian Seelmann-Eggebert and Volker Schäfer are singled out.

Linklaters LLP’s team, headed by Rupert Bellinghausen, has seen a rise in compliance and anti-corruption matters, in which a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles counts among its clients, as well as advising on D&O liability proceedings. A significant number of DAX 30 companies instruct the team, including representing IKB Deutsche Industriebank in fending off of more than 140 investor actions due to near insolvency. An international IT company instructed the firm in an internal investigation regarding alleged corruption, misappropriation and tax evasion. The team is noted for its close cooperation with the banking and restructuring practices.

Noerr LLP snagged the nationwide litigation representation of Deutsche Bank, represented the insolvent German hockey team Kassel Huskies, and defended chemical producer Arkema against a damage claim. In the field of white-collar crime, the team represented Puma in a €115m fraud case. Michael Molitoris and Oliver Sieg are recommended, and Anke Meier joined from an experienced Den Haag arbitrator, boosting the team’s capabilities. Hans-Christian Kirchner is well regarded for his banking litigation expertise.

White & Case LLP saw a significant increase in work coming from the finance sector, with a major German provider of financial services instructing the team in several hundred cases brought by customers regarding faulty investment advice and flawed prospectuses. It also advised a leading German mortgage bank on asserting loan repayment claims relating to a €450m distressed syndicated loan. Christian Wirth heads the team, that includes international arbitration expert Patricia Nacimiento.

Haver & Mailänder has seen an increase in instructions from the banking sector, prompting a growth on associate level to cope with the workload. A major bank and several savings banks were represented in a large scale litigation brought by investors regarding Lehman certificates, and the team also represented a listed company against WestLB. Debitel and Robert Bosch are further clients. Klaus Gerstenmaier has an ‘excellent reputation’ for arbitration matters.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s busy corporate practice generates a fair amount of contentious mandates. Highlights included advising Kaupthing Bank in various proceedings regarding investors’ claims, Holborn Europa Raffinerie on damage claims regarding the late manufacturing of a plant, and representing former board members of a listed group company regarding claims for compensation of damages and compliance issues. Elke Umbeck and Thomas Wambach are recommended.

Energy and telecoms disputes are a focus for Orrick Hölters & Elsing; the team frequently advised on post-M&A disputes. The team represented an insolvency administrator in ICC proceedings with a volume of €400m, and acted for a publishing house in ad hoc proceedings. Siegfried Elsing is a highly regarded arbitrator, heading the firm’s internationally recognised arbitration practice.

Shearman & Sterling LLP is regarded for compliance work, and has a great reputation representing US clients in arbitration matters. The team represented IKB Deutsche Industriebank’s supervisory board in connection with the financial crisis of IKB, and defended an American biotech company in ICC proceedings in France against a German pharmaceutical industry company. Richard Kreindler and Markus Rieder are recommended.

Taylor Wessing’s team includes the recognised Harald Bechteler and features ‘excellent mediator’ Axel Bösch, who ‘knows his stuff’. A major international solar cell producer instructed the team in a dispute arising under complex long-term supply contracts, and the team regularly acts for Bayer Schering regarding defending international claims for damages relating to Lipobay. Product liability and restructuring and insolvency-related cases are two areas of specialism.

Beiten Burkhardt represented a former Hammonds partner against the firm following his voluntary cancellation notice. Highlights for the team also included representing Robinson Club in an ICC-arbitration procedure against a UAE real estate investor, and defending former chairman of the board of Siemens against compensation claims. Holger Peres heads the team. The firm’s network of Eastern European offices is frequently commented on.

DLA Piper strengthened its expertise with product liability and post-M&A arbitrator Wolfgang Jäger from Clifford Chance. Ludger Giesberts heads the integrated litigation and regulatory group with a focus on regulatory disputes. Highlights included advising the Federal Republic of Germany in relation to a state liability claim, and Energis in relation to claims based on tort against Hamburg multi-millionaire Alexander Falk.

Ince & Co advises on commercial, shipping, and insurance and reinsurance disputes, with a large proportion of the work being cross-border litigation. The team also increasingly acts in international insolvency disputes. British insurers instructed the team in litigation regarding damage to an oil pipeline on the sea bed, and the team also advised a British and Dutch P&I Club in litigation regarding extensive damage to port facilities. Jan Heuvels and Axel Salander head the group.

Jones Day grew its team with of counsel Dieter Strubenhoff joining from Hogan Lovells International LLP. The firm is able to draw on additional resources in the US, Brussels and Paris. Cross-border litigation makes up a large part of the workload, and the firm frequently receives instructions from German companies regarding litigation in the US. SAP is a long standing client. Thomas Mahlich is recommended.

Kantenwein Zimmermann Fox Kröck & Partner operates out of its strong Munich base, but acts on an impressive range of international matters; the highly regarded Alexander Kröck maintains valuable US contacts. Banking and post-M&A litigation are strengths, a private equity firm instructed the team in a post-M&A dispute, and the team represented an IT company in arbitration.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH features the experienced arbitrators Ulrich Theune and Richard Happ, and construction expert Jutta Wittler, who is noted for sector-related insurance litigation skills. Highlights included representing a German state in a €500m arbitration regarding a privatisation project in the utility industry, and a European bank in enforcement proceedings against an African state for repayment of a loan.

Mayer Brown LLP is particularly active in the arbitration arena, with compliance a main focus. Highlights included representing Gazprom in a €8bn claim initiated by Moncrief International regarding one of the world´s largest natural gas fields, and acting for UBS in compliance with its obligations resulting from an agreement with the US tax authority. Mark Hilgard heads the team which is experienced in cross-border matters, particularly with a US angle.

Oppenhoff & Partner has good expertise in banking and finance related litigation, advising major client IKB Deutsche Industriebank, among others, regarding the defence against investor claims with respect to a press release. DEG instructed the team in several claims for reimbursements of subsidies granted. Peter Klappich and Michael Bonsau head the team.

Part of a strong US network, Weil, Gotshal & Manges is a good choice for corporate litigation, and remains active in contentious M&A matters. Britta Grauke is rated as ‘extremely smart’, part of a team that advised several banks and a shareholder in banking litigation regarding hybrid instruments, and a pharmaceutical company on terminating a distribution agreement.