Hengeler Mueller offers clients comprehensive advice on corporate and capital market law, with a particular focus on structural measures and conversions, including SE conversions and squeeze-outs as well as corporate governance and compliance matters. The practice group also assists its client base, which consists of DAX and MDAX-listed corporations and family businesses, with virtual general meetings (where the team increasingly advises on sustainability and ESG issues) and corporate disputes such as shareholder litigation and liability cases. Andreas Austmann advises at the interface of corporate and capital market law and, just like restructuring expert Hartwin Bungert, is regularly instructed with the design of cross-border corporate structures, while Daniela Favoccia advises corporate bodies across the entire spectrum of corporate law. Maximilian Schiessl specializes in advising executive and supervisory boards and Lucina Berger is the key contact for corporate governance, compliance and liability issues.

Linklaters‘ corporate team advises DAX40 companies, international corporations and their supervisory boards on strategic corporate issues such as complex structural measures and project developments, virtual general meetings and capital market issues; due to its close cooperation with the M&A group, the practice also regularly assists with high-volume cross-border deals, mergers and joint ventures. The team further experienced a recent uptick in instructions for corporate disputes and other corporate proceedings which have been increasingly related to climate litigation in the automotive, industrial, chemical and energy sectors. Tim Johannsen-Roth advises at the interface of stock corporation and capital markets law and jointly heads the practice with Marco Carbonare; both advise on international transactions and restructuring, as does global M&A practice head Ralph Wollburg, who is further adept at defending clients against activist shareholders. Hans-Ulrich Wilsing has extensive experience in advising supervisory boards on general meetings and disputes among other matters, and Staffan Illert is the key contact for corporate governance and compliance issues.

Allen & Overy LLP's range of advice includes corporate, corporation, stock corporation and capital market law as well as corporate governance and compliance, resulting in regular instructions by listed companies, foreign corporations and their executive boards and supervisory boards related to disputes, liability, remuneration and contractual issues. Practice head Nicolaus Ascherfeld advises clients from the infrastructure, energy and transport sectors on M&A and private equity deals as well as on joint venture matters, while Christian Eichner (also stock corporation and corporate law) assists listed companies and private equity clients with cross-border transactions as well as conversions. Advice on general meetings, IPOs and corporate restructuring are key areas for capital market lawyer Hans Diekmann, who also assists with M&A deals. Stock corporation and capital markets lawyer Katharina Stüber joined Baker McKenzie in March 2022.

CMS' corporate practice is well equipped for cross-border corporate restructurings and possesses special expertise in SE conversions and business unit spin-offs. The team also advises on large transactions and joint ventures in the automotive, energy and telecommunications sectors, often in close cooperation with the firm's employment and tax teams, and further assists with governance and risk compliance; here, ESG issues as well as transaction and restructuring risks are becoming increasingly prevalent alongside classic matters such as executive board duties and due diligence. The team is led by corporate expert Antje Becker-Boley, transaction and restructuring specialist Richard Mitterhuber and private equity lawyer Jacob Siebert. The team also includes equity and capital markets attorneys Richard Mayer-Uellner and Karsten Heider as well as transaction expert Eckart Gottschalk, who is particularly visible in the aerospace, infrastructure and defense sectors.

In addition to corporate governance, compliance and ongoing corporate project management, DLA Piper places a strong focus on cross-border restructuring, structural measures and conversions. The group is also active in the transaction and project sphere, in the context of which practice heads Benjamin Parameswaran, who was also appointed co-head of the firm's global corporate law practice in October 2022, and Nils Krause (also corporate and corporation law), advise clients from the automotive and other sectors on M&A deals and joint ventures. Cornelius Frie complements the practice's capacities with his focus on joint ventures and corporate reorganizations, primarily acting for clients in the real estate, energy, IT and banking sectors. Governance, compliance and D&O liability issues represent another part of advisory services offered by the team, which also includes Kerstin Schnabel (well versed in stock corporation, group and capital market law) and Andreas Meyer-Landrut; the latter has experience in executive and supervisory board matters as well as in corporate litigation.

Gleiss Lutz's team, led by stock corporation and capital market expert Peter Steffen Carl , is experienced in advising supervisory boards, most recently particularly often in the automotive sector, and offers multifaceted expertise: Eike Bicker covers the interface to compliance and investigations, Gabriele Roßkopf advises on governance and restructuring, Michael Arnold on stock corporation and group law, while Adrian Bingel is well versed in corporate and capital markets law matters; the team is also adept at assisting with IPOs. Advice on stock corporation and group law for listed companies also forms part of the practice's expertise. Dirk Wasmann is experienced in appeal and appraisal proceedings while Vera Rothenburg  assists with ordinary and extraordinary general meetings among other matters. Martin Schockenhoff advises large and medium-sized companies as well as family offices on M&A deals and joint ventures. Counsel Thomas Kreuz (corporate compliance, supervisory board advice, insolvency law interface) joined Oppenländer Rechtsanwälte in January 2023.

Baker McKenzie advises listed and large foreign corporations in the automotive, financial and life sciences industries on cross-border corporate restructurings, including carve and squeeze-outs as well as mergers, and also assists with the preparation of general meetings; the team has further expertise in representing supervisory boards in litigation related to executive liability, governance and antitrust law. The practice group is jointly headed by M&A specialists Christian Atzler and Berthold Hummel who both advise clients on international transactions as well as on private equity and venture capital deals. In addition, Peter Wand assists with joint venture matters, with a special focus on institutional investors and funds, while Christian Vocke is the key contact for stock corporation and group law. In March 2022, stock corporation and capital market lawyer Katharina Stüber joined from Allen & Overy LLP.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP covers the entire spectrum of corporate law, with a particular focus on corporate governance, compliance, restructuring and delisting issues, on which it advises listed corporations as well as family offices and their governing bodies. With Ferdinand Fromholzer, the group also specializes in advising supervisory boards and on general meetings as well as transactions, while also supporting traditional M&A transactions and private equity deals in cooperation with the capital market and compliance teams. Lutz Englisch, Dirk Oberbracht and Markus Nauheim focus on cross-border M&A deals and are also active in the PE area where they assist with stock corporation law, joint ventures and management participations. Wilhelm Reinhardt is experienced in public takeovers on both buyer and seller side, while of counsel Silke Beiter advises private and listed companies on general meetings, corporate governance issues and structural measures.

The corporate team at Düsseldorf boutique Glade Michel Wirtz advises family and medium-sized as well as DAX-listed companies and their supervisory boards on corporate and related capital market matters as well as on compliance issues and general meetings. The case load also includes cross-border mergers and spin-offs, in the context of which the team assists with structural measures under stock corporation and transformation law. The practice, and especially Jochen Markgraf, also has experience at the interface to insolvency law where it advises on pre-insolvency restructuring and subsequent proceedings. Alexander Retsch and Friedrich Schulenberg are both experienced in stock corporation and capital market law, while founding partner Achim Glade is primarily visible in joint ventures and transactions; Marco Sustmann focuses on corporate and capital market law and further possesses compliance expertise; and Andreas Merkner, who has accumulated extensive experience in general meetings and structural measures, also has a focus on corporate and capital market law.

Taylor Wessing advises large, often listed companies and stock corporations and their supervisory boards on restructuring, the drafting of company and control agreements, amendments to the articles of association, mergers and spin-offs, takeovers and general meetings. The practice also easily covers US-related matters and further advises on corporate aspects of project development and contract within its internal China group. Klaus Grossmann heads the corporate and M&A practice and focuses on cross-border transactions, including joint ventures. Listed companies can rely on experienced capital market and corporate expert Sebastian Beyer who also assist with M&A and capital market transactions as well as IPOs; Lars-Gerrit Lüßmann has the same focus and joined Gowling WLG in spring 2023.

In addition to general corporate issues, Arqis Rechtsanwälte is regularly instructed to advise on employment- as well as insolvency-related matters and is also frequently active in post-M&A disputes and other corporate conflicts. Conversions, and in particular SE conversions, are another focus of the team which also impresses with a deep understanding of the Japanese market; notably, Shigeo Yamaguchi supports German and Japanese clients in M&A transactions and joint ventures. He jointly heads the practice with Jörn-Christian Schulze who advises on cross-border M&A deals as well as VC and PE matters.

Ashurst LLP focuses its advice on the automotive, energy, real estate and consumer goods sectors, the digital economy as well as healthcare and life sciences and rests it upon two pillars: on one hand, it comprehensively assists with corporate and stock corporation matters, where the internationally embedded team advises on relevant aspects of cross-border M&A and private equity deals as well as on contracts and joint ventures. Practice heads Benedikt von Schorlemer, who focuses in particular on private M&A, Thomas Sacher and Jan Krekeler are all active in these areas; furthermore, Gerrit Clasen assists listed companies with capital increases and delistings and is also experienced in structural measures. The practice's other mainstay focuses on corporate governance and compliance, for which Sacher and Drinhausen are key contacts. Notably, the practice strengthened its corporate advisory capacities in June 2021 with the addition of former Deutsche Bank GC Florian Drinhausen (SE law, corporate governance, M&A).

Greenfort's corporate law expertise extends to stock corporation and LLC law, company formations and restructurings as well as shareholder and general meetings, while the practice also possesses capacities in corporate disputes including post-M&A litigation. Carsten Angersbach's instructions often entail US references, Andreas von Oppen is well versed in M&A disputes, Daniel Röder focuses on commercial and corporate law and Gunther Weiss is considered a compliance and corporate governance specialist. The core team also includes financing lawyer Ahn-Duc Cordalis, restructuring and joint venture expert Martin Asmuß and Tobias Glienke, who specializes in dispute resolution.

Oppenländer Rechtsanwälte advises listed and medium-sized companies on corporate governance, compliance and stock corporation law, but also has a extensive experience in corporate litigation; here, it represents shareholders, managing directors and board members in liability proceedings and other disputes. Practice head Thomas Trölitzsch advises on compliance and corporate succession as well as M&A transactions and, like Rolf Leinekugel, also on commercial law issues. Thomas Kreuz, an expert for corporate compliance, supervisory board advice and insolvency-related issues, joined from Gleiss Lutz in January 2023.

Orth Kluth Rechtsanwälte focuses its corporate advice on medium-sized financial investors, companies and start-ups, which the group supports from foundation to sale and recently often stemmed from the energy sector. Contracts, transactions and joint ventures as well as representation in corporate disputes all form part of the team's advisory capabilities, but it is also well versed in corporate governance and housekeeping. The group and transformation expert Marc Henze, D&O liability specialist Kai-Michael König, financing lawyer Boris Körner, Christian Meyer, who specializes in D&O proceedings, and Robert Orth, who specialises in commercial and inheritance law as well as corporate succession, jointly lead the team.

The corporate practice of Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB advises clients from the life sciences, technology, energy and real estate industries on the entire spectrum of corporate matters and was recently frequently involved in assisting with restructuring and integration measures related to joint ventures and post-M&A matters. Practice head and since October 2022 also Head of Germany Thomas Peschke oversees M&A transactions comprehensively, including bidding processes, share agreements and due diligence, while Nina Leonard assists with transactions as well as restructuring and shareholder disputes. Sven Schulte-Hillen's corporate advice primarily extends to disputes and insolvency-related matters.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton advises on all corporate issues with a particular focus on corporate governance, where the team assists executives and supervisory boards with duties and liability risks. It also advises chemical and healthcare companies on structural measures, including mergers, demergers and business unit spin-offs, and is also active in the transactional sphere; Michael Ulmer is among the key contacts for M&A and subsequent restructuring. Michael Brems, who is also well versed in employment law, advises on cross-border M&A transactions, while Jens Hafemann signs responsible for tax-related issues. With the arrival of Nico Abel (previously at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP) in June 2022, the group was able to enhance its corporate and M&A capacities in the fintech arena.

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner advises German and international medium-sized companies on all corporate issues, with a particular focus on companies from the life sciences and healthcare sectors. The practice is especially adept at assisting with M&A-related corporate aspects, corporate governance and contracts as well as with contentious matters, particularly manager liability litigation. Since Gerhard Manz, Barbara Mayer and Jan Barth joined ADVANT Beiten in August 2022, the practice has been jointly led by transaction specialists Arnt Göppert and Annette Bödeker, transformation expert Albert Schröder, commercial lawyer Hendrik Thies and financing lawyer Alexander Hartmann.

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB primarily advises on restructuring, joint ventures and group financing systems, in particular cash pooling systems. At the interface of M&A, corporate and insolvency law, the practice also frequently assists with liability issues, particularly in the area of executive and group liability; here, the practice fields an experienced advisor in Alexander Kessler who is further adept at corporate structuring and emergency meetings in the private equity field. For M&A, PE and VC advice, clients from the technology, media and internet, healthcare, financial services and automotive industries turn to practice heads Bernt Paudtke and Tobias Fenck, while Matthias Menke assists with complex joint venture structures, corporate governance and compliance.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP's corporate group advises clients from the aviation, automotive and infrastructure sectors as well as financial services providers on corporate aspects of international M&A transactions, joint ventures and restructurings, but also assists various domestic and foreign investors with acquisitions and sales of shares. Sönke Becker covers corporate and transaction issues and is also experienced in crisis management and compliance, Christoph Nawroth focuses on corporate and transaction advice on PE, VC, infrastructure and real estate deals, while Julius Brandt is the key contact for listed companies, especially in public and private M&A transactions. Nico Abel (corporate and M&A with a focus on fintech) joined Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in June 2022.

POELLATH advises listed companies, shareholders and family offices on the entire spectrum of corporate issues, including assistance with general and shareholder meetings as well as domestic and foreign restructuring, spin-offs and mergers; the practice also acts in the context of public takeovers. Eva Nase is sought after by both companies and their boards while Stefanie Jahn is well versed in corporate governance, compliance and corporate disputes.

With excellent international connections, PwC Legal (PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal AG Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft) advises on cross-border transactions and the entire range of corporate issues; here, post-M&A integration of companies represents a clear focus for the practice. As head of its Global Transformation Group, Simon Dürr assists DAX40 companies with their takeovers of smaller corporations, while Frederic Mirza Khanian oversees international restructuring projects among other matters. Steffen Schniepp and Gerhard Wacker jointly head the team.