The Legal 500

‘Undoubtedly among the leading boutique firms’, Dolde Mayen & Partner is recognised for environmental and planning law advice, but the broad offering encompasses advice on PPP, energy and public procurement matters with a particular focus on regulatory issues. The team advised the city of Stuttgart regarding the highly disputed project Stuttgart21, advised MVV Energie on the erection and operation of power plants, and represented the administrative district of Böblingen against DSD regarding paper collection issues. Various health insurance companies such as AOK Hessen, IKK classic and BKK Baden-Württemberg instruct the team. Klaus-Peter Dolde and the ‘impressive’ Thomas Mayen, who frequently receives ‘particularly interesting instructions’, are recommended. The team has a good reputation for advising on contentious matters.

‘Simply the best’, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s team, headed by Wolf Friedrich Spieth, not only follows but anticipates trends, particularly on emerging fields of law, including setting up a low carbon energy group. Recent highlights include advising the Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development on the structural reform of foreign aid organisations, and Hexal in connection with the act reforming the supply of pharmaceuticals. E.ON instructs the team on planning law matters regarding a black coal power station, and a consortium of bidders regarding tender procedures for the extension, financing and operation of the A8 and A9 motorways. Herbert Posser and Juliane Hilf are among the numerous partners praised.

Gleiss Lutz has been increasingly visible in contentious matters, and has an exquisite reputation for its broad coverage and numerous highly regarded individuals; Olaf Otting, Michael Uechtritz and Markus Deutsch. DEHOGA and the German Hotel Association instructed the team regarding the permissibility to levy a local expenditure tax on hotel stays, and the team provided public procurement law advice to the City of Hanau in the competitive dialogue on the remodelling of the city centre. Scottish and Southern Energy and Airtricity instructed the team on a complex high-value development procedure for three wind farms to be built in an area used for marine and air force exercises. The team has been strengthened through the addition of constitutional and administrative law expert Ulrich Battis.

CMS Hasche Sigle is highly regarded for its planning, environmental and energy project advice, with the ‘impressive’ Fritz von Hammerstein, a ‘model of a lawyer’, particularly recognised. The team advised an energy supply company regarding the award of contracts relating to water, energy, transport and communication, and an international pipeline consortium instructed the team regarding the planning permission procedure for an international natural gas pipeline. Advising the Federal State of Brandenburg on a PPP project for the construction of buildings for three Brandenburg ministries was another highlight. Volkmar Wagner is recommended for administrative law advice.

Linklaters LLP can draw on the firm’s finance capabilities, complementing its advice on environmental, energy or infrastructure projects. Public procurement and regulatory advice are further pillars of the practice. Jan Endler heads the ‘impressive’ team which advised the German Federal Ministry of Transport in €6bn arbitration proceedings against a private consortium regarding claims for damages for the late commissioning of the German truck toll system. A consortium of Bilfinger Berger, John Laing and Johann Bunte instructed the team on the extension, maintenance and operation of German motorway sections. It also advised the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology on drafting a bill regarding the bank restructuring.

Noerr LLP combines practice areas with affinity to public law in a newly established regulatory and governmental affairs group. The team acted for US mining company Minera on the only German copper mining project in Brandenburg and Saxony, and for the European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association regarding the allocation of carbon allowances for the chemical industry under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. It also advised several neighbouring communities on legal proceedings regarding the expansion of Frankfurt Airport, and the German Railway Industry Association on potential amendments of the General Rail Act intended by the German government. Holger Schmitz and Alexander Birnstiel head the group, which was joined by Florian Bentele from Hengeler Mueller.

Redeker Sellner Dahs is recommended for environment, planning and constitutional law matters and has a focus on regulated industries, particularly the railway sector. The team acted for Hamburg Port Authority regarding the remodelling of the Elbe, a ministry regarding the planning of motorway BAB 44, and Redos Real Estate regarding a shopping mall development. In the energy sector, the team advised an energy supplier on offshore windparks, and Steag Evonik on CO2 trading issues. Gambling law is another focus, representing Happybet Sportwetten in litigation regarding the German sports betting monopoly. A number of lawyers come in for praise, including Dieter Sellner, Ulrich Karpenstein and Tobias Masing.

White & Case LLP is highly regarded for its energy and public procurement expertise, representing Anglo American in a dispute concerning a mining law prospecting permit for a potential copper mine, and advising the Federal Ministry of the Interior on public procurement, administrative and regulatory law regarding its D115 project. It also advises The European Investment Bank on environmental and planning law aspects in connection with the financing of the world’s second largest photovoltaic power plant, and Nord Stream on the Nord Stream Project, a planned gas pipeline from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany, a cross-border project involving a number of the firm’s European offices. Kersten Wagner-Cardenal and Norbert Wimmer head the team.

Baker & McKenzie maintains an ‘exceptionally strong’ regulatory practice, with Ulrich Ellinghaus and Joachim Scherer particularly singled out. Public procurement, planning and environmental law complete the offering. Several leading pharmaceutical companies have been represented in tender procedures concerning rebate contracts for pharmaceuticals, and the firm advised MAT on environmental and subsidy issues relating to the acquisition of two foundries. Hewlett-Packard and Eaton are further clients.

Baumeister, Rechtsanwälte remains a good choice for environmental and planning law, particularly relating to the energy sector. The expertise regarding natural gas storage and pipelines brings in a steady flow of mandates from both public entities and energy companies, such as EnBW and RWE. BP Germany instructed the firm regarding the expansion of a refinery, and the team also acted for the City of Wilhelmshaven regarding the JadeWeserPort project. Andreas Kersting and Klaus Grünewald are recommended.

Clifford Chance is ‘visible in energy matters’, frequently advising at the intersection of energy, corporate and public law matters, including advice to the lenders on the financing of the Nord Stream pipeline project. Horst Schlemminger is noted in a team that remains a popular choice with foreign clients, particulary from the US; the team advised the US government on selling a contaminated area in Munich. KfW and EIB instructed the team regarding emission trading issues.

Gaßner, Groth, Siederer & Coll has a focus on renewable energy matters, particularly in the geothermal sector. The World Bank Group instructed the team regarding risk management issues relating to geothermal projects in Djibouti, and the Federal Ministry of Environment was advised on the usage of sea water energy in the German North Sea. The three name partners, Hartmut Gaßner, Klaus-Martin Groth and Wolfgang Siederer, are well regarded.

Graf von Westphalen is regarded for its contentious advice, and frequently represents clients from the food retail industry, recently several food companies regarding the reimbursement of CMA-fees. The team represented the State of Hamburg in litigation regarding HSH Nordbank. Ronald Steiling and Carsten Bittner are recommended, in a team which has been strengthened with Bettina Schmitt-Rady joining from HFK Rechtsanwälte LLP.

Hengeler Mueller frequently advises on transactions and complex contentious matters, with the ‘excellent’ Wolfgang Spoerr particularly singled out. The team advised Tennet TSO on the acquisition of E.ON Netz, Deutsche Telekom on the arbitration proceedings regarding Toll Collect, and the City of Düsseldorf on the port area redevelopment project. Tunnissen instructed the team in litigation regarding the extension of German motorway BAB 57. Dirk Uwer and Thomas Schmidt-Kötters are recommended. Florian Bentele moved over to Noerr LLP.

Post-merger Hogan Lovells International LLP is well positioned to bolster its US client base, where the group can draw on the newly added network of regulatory specialists. The team frequently receives instructions from municipal utilities and represented Industry Funds Management on the €810m joint acquisition of 50Hertz Transmission from Vattenfall. It also advised Autobahn Tank & Rast on the trunk road act and on general public law issues. The team, headed by Bernhard Kuhn, provides seamless environmental and planning law advice, in cooperation with the real estate group.

Avocado rechtsanwälte has expertise advising on environmental and planning law matters, and a special focus on energy, emission trading and waste matters, with several international companies counting as clients. A chemical company, a paper company and an airline all instruct the team, which includes the recommended Markus Figgen and Thomas Gerhold.

Becker Büttner Held, Rechtsanwälte Wirtschaftsprüfer Steuerberater is one of the leading specialised energy law firms, traditionally advising a large number of German municipalities. 350 municipal utilities have been represented in regulatory matters before the Federal Network Agency, and around 200 local authorities receive ongoing advice on contentious matters. Ines Zenke and Peter Becker are recommended.

Bird & Bird LLP has a good reputation for public procurement law matters, particularly relating to the transport sector. A German research centre instructed the team in a Europe-wide public procurement procedure to implement the legal infrastructure of the PRACE project, and a worldwide operator of container terminals was advised regarding the JadeWeserPort project. Jan Byok heads the team that bolstered its public procurement expertise with Hans von Gehlen joining from Orrick Hölters & Elsing.

GSK Stockmann + Kollegen’s Munich office has been busy advising on infrastructure projects, but the Berlin office gained visibility, particularly in the real estate sector. The Board of Mines Stralsund instructed the team on a plan approval procedure for natural gas pipelines, and Center Parcs Europe received comprehensive advice on the development of new holiday park. Andreas Geiger and Wolfgang Würfel are singled out.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s head of team Ute Jasper is highly regarded for advising on PPP projects, particularly regarding restructuring matters. The team advised the district of Lippe on a €200m long-term road management PPP project, and Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr on services regarding regional rail transport. Local authorities frequently consult the team on high-volume projects.

Boutique firm Lenz and Johlen counts among the long-established firms for environmental and planning law matters, in which name partner Heribert Johlen has an excellent reputation. The team advised Ford on environmental law, Deutz on waste water matters, the Ministry of Environment regarding nuclear power issues and an airline regarding the extension of Frankfurt Airport. Retailers such as Aldi and Ikea count among the clients.

Taylor Wessing has a particular focus on project development within environmental and planning law, advising the City of Wertheim on setting up a zoning plan for a large solar power plant, with Catalyst Capital and the City of Munich further clients. Torsten van Jeger heads the team, which includes the ‘very fast and professional’ Christoph Brandenburg, Walter Potthast, who ‘is available any time’, and the ‘highly competent’ Dieter Lang, who is ‘able to deal with non-standard legal issues’. ‘Money spent is well invested’, say clients.