The Legal 500

Germany

Antitrust

Within: Antitrust

With its ‘outstanding level of service’ DLA Piper provides ‘timely and high-quality’ advice. The practice covers abuse proceedings, merger control and damage claim proceedings with particular expertise in the automotive, chemical, healthcare, finance and media sectors. In cooperation with the Brussels team the firm represented regular client Merck in proceedings against the Federal Cartel Office regarding distribution law issues; it also defended the client in resulting damage claim proceedings at the Regional Court Stuttgart. Continued antitrust advice to Qualcomm regarding the establishment of a joint venture with TDK Corporation also contributed to the steady work load. Ludger Giesberts and Jan Dreyer are recommended.

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Compliance

Within: Compliance

DLA Piper’s cross-practice approach is based on a close co-operation with the firm’s antitrust, IT, tax, employment and white-collar crime departments. With data protection work on the increase, the team handles various issues pertaining to the collection, processing and use of personal data, which includes the implementation of company-wide compliance programmes and data protection audits. It also focuses on product compliance with relevant expertise in environmental protection, health and export control, which is frequently called upon by companies from the pharmaceutical, insurance and automotive sectors, whereas financial industry players routinely instruct the team with white-collar crime and other criminal law matters. The team is led by Ludger Giesberts and was augmented with the addition of counsel Florian Gero Kirstein, who joined in June 2016 from the public prosecutor’s office of Hamburg. Jürgen Taschke and Christian Schoop are noted for their expertise in internal investigations.

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Germany: Compliance

Internal investigations

Within: Internal investigations

Following a multi-disciplinary approach, DLA Piper’s clients benefit from the team’s close co-operation with the firm’s antitrust, IT, tax, employment law and white-collar crime departments, leading to a steady flow of internal investigation mandates. As a result, the team led by Ludger Giesberts, which recently increased its bench strength by adding counsel Florian Gero Kirstein from the public prosecutor’s office of Hamburg, acts for various manufacturing industry clients in internal investigations pertaining to foreign trade and antitrust violations alongside subsidy fraud, corruption, bribery and tax evasion allegations. Jürgen Taschke and Christian Schoop are recommended.

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Germany: Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation

Within: Commercial litigation

Clients appreciate DLA Piper’s ‘uncomplicated co-operation and comprehensive advice’ on commercial and contractual disputes, which frequently stand in relation to D&O, insolvency law and compliance. Daniel Sharma represented a client in damage claim proceedings against a former subcontractor before the Regional Court of Stuttgart. Counsel David Buntenbroich, who stands out for his ‘excellent legal analysis’, is recommended along with Thomas Gädtke and team head Ludger Giesberts. Stefan Dittmer moved to Dentons.

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Germany: Public sector

PPP

Within: PPP

DLA Piper acts in many fields of the infrastructure industry, with the group consisting of experts in dispute resolution and public, construction, procurement, corporate and regulatory law. The main contact person, Ludger Giesberts, has been representing the Cologne/Bonn airport company in a dispute – concerning the admission of further airport hotels despite contrary contractual agreements – since 2013. Newly made-up partner Guido Kleve, who has developed a specialisation with regard to port instructions, is representing NiedersachsenPorts in a dispute before the Lueneburg higher administrative court concerning the provision of port space to port users.

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Planning and environment

Within: Planning and environment

Guido Kleve, who made partner in May 2017, and Ludger Giesberts are the key contacts for environmental and planning law at DLA Piper. Alongside counsel Thilo Streit, Ludger Giesberts advised the Finnish company Ernsto in connection with the acquisition of Ritter Starkstromtechnik; the key areas addressed were soil contamination and environmental liability matters. Another new instruction is the advice on a water permit for Mondelēz’s production plant in Bad Fallingbostel. Köhler Renewable Energy and GE Healthcare are other clients.

Guido Kleve, who made partner in May 2017, and Ludger Giesberts are the key contacts for environmental and planning law at DLA Piper. Alongside counsel Thilo Streit, Ludger Giesberts advised the Finnish company Ernsto in connection with the acquisition of Ritter Starkstromtechnik; the key areas addressed were soil contamination and environmental liability matters. Another new instruction is the advice on a water permit for Mondelēz’s production plant in Bad Fallingbostel. Köhler Renewable Energy and GE Healthcare are other clients.

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