The Legal 500

CMS Hasche Sigle’s ‘extremely strong’ group had an active year on the ship financing side, where Marc Riede is a noted expert, and handles wet and dry shipping matters for a wide range of clients such as German and international shipping lines, marine insurers, and shipyards. It recently advised a marine survey company on contracts regarding offshore projects, and represented an English insurer in disputes arising from transport by sea. Shipping expert Jan Wölper is ‘an authority on the subject’, and was recently appointed chairman of the German Maritime Arbitration Association. Jost Kienzle is also highly recommended.

Dabelstein & Passehl maintains an ‘incredible market presence’, and has very broad expertise covering international maritime matters, freight forwarding, marine insurance, the wider transport sector and also offshore renewable energy. Clients include shipyards, banks, port authorities and P&I clubs. Dieter Schwampe is ‘a fantastic lawyer and elder statesman’, and Olaf Hartenstein ‘knows the law’ and has a reassuringly ‘precise manner’. Jan Dreyer is also recommended.

‘Always a good recommendation’, Lebuhn & Puchta’s broad practice displays outstanding expertise at the intersection of corporate and maritime law, and is also regarded for related insurance, offshore renewable energy and ship finance matters. The team has been busy appearing in London arbitrations regarding the rescission of shipbuilding contracts. Heinrich-Werner Goltz, Christian Breitzke and the ‘superb’ Johannes Trost are recommended.

Dr Schackow & Partner’s ‘excellent’ and ‘absolutely recommendable’ practice has seen an active year in the areas of renewables and ship financing. The team also acts for foreign marine hull insurers as well as charterers, shipowners and agents. Martime project development expert Julius Drumm is recommended along with Kai Busch, who advises on maritime and other transport matters.

Ahlers & Vogel advises clients from shipping and other transport sectors, and its broad client base includes forwarding agents, insurers, shipping fund issuing houses, P&I clubs and shipyards. The ‘energetic and creative’ Wilm Steingröver is recommended, as are Bernd Laudien and the ‘outstanding’ Hartmuth Sager, who is ‘diligent, calm and reliable’.

Arnecke Siebold Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft has a particular focus on transport and logistics matters, notably in the aviation industry, where Holger Buerskens and Ulrich Steppler are acknowledged experts. The team is instructed by well-known domestic and foreign airlines in wide-ranging matters including regulatory advice, claims handling, aircraft registration and representation in accident investigations or before the authorities.

Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow, Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft’s lawyers are ‘absolute experts in ship financing’ with several clients stating that they ‘won’t work without them’. Its financing experience spans three decades. Other areas of expertise are the restructuring of existing deals, distressed sales, and the general sale or purchase and registration of ships and containers.

Ince & Co suffered the loss of the well-regarded Axel Salander and his team who, together with several former Taylor Wessing partners, set up Fleet Hamburg LLP. However, the team maintains a strong English law practice, advising on contentious and non-contentious matters including numerous renewable energy matters. It is also strong on maritime insurance law. Detlef Zschoche and reinsurance group head Jan Heuvels are recommended.

Blaum Dettmers Rabstein advises on insurance, transport and chartering law, and has a focus on financing matters through financing expert Daja Böhlhoff. Kay Uwe Bahnsen and Joachim Bartels are also well regarded.

Cyrus Makowski’s broad practice advises clients from the maritime, insurance and banking sector. Christine Wegner is recommended, but the team lost Ulf Bertheau, who joined Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH.

Carsten Grau is the key figure in DLA Piper’s practice, which recently advised a Chinese client regarding actions against a collapsed German shipping company, a matter where it was able to draw on international resources. Stiftung Hamburg Maritim and Samskip Group are also clients.

Remé Rechtsanwälte excels at domestic and cross-border shipping matters and also has a wider transport practice under Ingo Gercke. Shipbuilding, sale and purchase transactions, shipping safety advice and port authority controls are among the team’s areas of expertise. Clients include insurers, agents and shipping lines. Hartmut von Brevern is the key shipping law contact.