The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Germany > Employment

CMS is regarded as one of the best contacts for all-encompassing employment law advice. The extremely stable team co-headed by Martina Hidalgo and Daniel Ludwig attracts praise for its expertise in implementing restructuring measures and regularly advises on related redundancies alongside employee retention. Assisting with co-determination schemes and the related conversion of an AG to a SE are other key areas of strength, which are frequently handled by the renowned Björn Gaul, who also advises on remuneration structure adjustments. Gerlind Wisskirchen is well versed in providing international corporates with strategic advice on collective employment law matters, while Nina Hartmann is the main contact for corporate transactions and outsourcing as well as negotiations with trade unions and works councils. The trending topic legaltech is part of the team's everyday business with corresponding applications being used in risk classifications and the deployment of external personnel.

Acting in conjunction with various other departments, Gleiss Lutz's team provides full-service advice and focuses on high-end work. Its broad spectrum includes restructuring, employment law compliance and advising supervisory boards, as well as matters at the intersection with data protection law and transactional work. The firm's national and international clients also receive advice on the implementation of new legal developments, such as the Trade Secrets Protection Act (Gesetz zum Schutz von Geschäftsgeheimnissen) and regulatory requirements for compensation systems in the financial sector. Thomas Winzer leads the practice and primarily advises on corporate reorganisations, while the renowned Christian Arnold regularly acts in negotiations with directors and board members and managing directors and assists with corporate co-determination matters. Martin Diller is a key contact for company pension schemes and Steffen Krieger has a specialism in insolvency employment law. Rut Steinhauser, who is particularly well versed in restructuring work and industrial constitution law, made partner in January 2019.

Allen & Overy LLP combines its national and international stand-alone work with cross-practice matters, which are handled in conjunction with various other offices within its network. As a result of this, the team led by Hans-Peter Löw has a particular focus on cross-border employment law matters, while also setting individual priorities: Löw's work is primarily focused on compensation issues and employee participation, while Thomas Ubber has a fine reputation for collective bargaining and industrial disputes, and counsel Peter Wehner is a key contact for company pension schemes. Other instructions include reorganisations and restructurings as well as matters concerning the deployment of external personnel and transactions, particularly in the banking and financial services sectors. In November 2018, HR compliance expert Markulf Behrendt took over the lead of the firm's global employment law practice from Tobias Neufeld, who left the firm to work independently neufeld Recht.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer provides advice on personnel strategies, remuneration models for executives, redundancies, dismissal protection issues and pension obligations. Klaus-Stefan Hohenstatt and Boris are the key contacts.

Working in conjunction with various other offices and practices is just as important for BEITEN BURKHARDT's employment law team as its international approach and individual lawyer specialisations. Since March 2019, the team has been under the leadership of Wolfgang Lipinski, whose focus on collective employment law leads to regular instructions on the strategic planning and subsequent implementation of reorganisation and restructuring measures. Thanks to the team's broad set-up, it can draw on a wealth of experience: Daniel Hund has particular expertise in employee data protection and Christian von Buddenbrock frequently handles company pension matters. Christopher Melms, who led the team before Lipinski took over, provides regular advice on collective bargaining and works constitution law. The firm has a particular focus on the healthcare, publishing and automotive sectors. Thomas Barthel, who made partner in January 2019, assists with restructurings, transactions and proceedings before arbitration boards.

Küttner Rechtsanwälte assists with employment law matters arising from projects of all sizes and handles corresponding negotiations and contentious proceedings. As well as its focus on restructuring, the team is also well equipped to guide clients through company pension schemes, works constitution law matters and the deployment of external personnel. Recently, the firm has also been focusing on expanding its data protection and employment law compliance offering. Tim Wißmann is experienced in collective bargaining and works constitution law and also advises on employment contracts for management board members and executives. Outsourcing and restructuring work as well as the implementation of new remuneration structures and working time regulations are part of Thomas Niklas' field of expertise. Jürgen Röller's client portfolio includes national and international companies from the information technology, automotive and manufacturing sectors, which benefit from his expertise in company pension schemes.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH works in close conjunction with its corporate, M&A and data protection teams and primarily advises on collective employment law. As well as its focus on restructuring-related work, the team led by Paul Schreiner puts significant emphasis on co-determination matters arising from group restructurings, while also advising on the implementation of new working models in the context of digitalisation, for example on the application of technical tools for employee monitoring and for agile work schemes. The team has particular expertise in the healthcare sector. Robert von Steinau-Steinrück advises on resignations, redundancies and outsourcing, while Schreiner handles collective employment law disputes. Cross-border projects are regularly dealt with by Axel Braun, and Volker Schneider applies his employment law expertise in insolvency-related scenarios.

At its four offices, the dynamic employment law boutique Pusch Wahlig Workplace Law offers comprehensive advice on the full spectrum of employment law. In the course of this, the firm increasingly relies on legaltech solutions and is particularly well versed in handling trend topics such as platform economy, false self-employment and employee data protection. Other key areas of expertise include employment law compliance and internal investigations, M&A-related employment law as well as reorganisations and restructurings. Tobias Pusch has particular experience in corporate acquisitions and complex court proceedings, while Thomas Wahlig handles TUPE and collective bargaining law matters and represents employers in conciliation committee proceedings. Jochen Keilich is the main contact for public sector employers and for data protection issues, while Eva Wißler advises on remuneration and working time systems as well as on international employment law. In spring 2019, Thomas Thees joined the team from Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH and in autumn of the same year, Tobias Brors joined from Arqis Rechtsanwälte, while Kara Preedy moved to Greenberg Traurig Germany in May 2019. In December 2019, the Frankfurt office received a boost with the arrival of Alexander Lorenz from Baker Tilly Roelfs.

With the arrival of Anja Mengel from Altenburg Fachanwälte für Arbeitsrecht in early 2019, Schweibert Leßmann & Partner opened a new office in Berlin, which handles instructions from clients acquired by Mengel and her team, as well as cross-location work in conjunction with the firm's Frankfurt office. The boutique's key focus continues to lie on employment law compliance and employee data protection as well as restructuring measures. Ulrike Schweibert has a fine reputation for the last segment. Recently, the firm has been handling an increasing amount of transactional employment law work, which is regularly led by Rüdiger Hopfe. Nicole Engesser Means negotiates collective agreements with works councils and trade unions and advises on remuneration systems in financial institutions. Christoph Herrmann, who predominantly deals with restructuring work and contentious matters, made partner in January 2019.

vangard continues to grow and, alongside its ongoing expansion of its associate bench at various offices, the firm also opened a new office in Frankfurt in November 2018 following the arrival of Christoph Crisolli, Peter Hoppenstaedt and Frank Zaumseil from KLIEMT.Arbeitsrecht. As part of the American employment law boutique Littler Mendelson, P.C., the broad-based team handles the full spectrum of employment law and receives an increasing number of international instructions. Thomas Griebe predominately advises US-American clients, personnel service companies and medium-sized businesses. Frauke Biester-Junker is the main contact for restructuring work and also handles corresponding due diligence and post-merger integration issues. Stefan Röhrborn acts for managing directors, board members and executives, while Oliver Grimm is well versed in works constitution law and compliance.

Greenfort advises on a wide range of individual and collective employment law matters and also represents clients in court and out-of-court proceedings. Handling reorganisation measures, including redundancies and TUPE, as well as negotiations with works councils on social plans and the reconciliation of interests are key elements of the practice. The team co-led by Mark Lembke and Jens-Wilhelm Oberwinter predominately acts for employers but also advises managers and assists with the design of incentive schemes as well as with co-determination and works constitution law matters.

Hanover-based boutique Laborius handles the full range of employment law, including restructurings, company pension schemes, collective bargaining and litigation. Peter Schrader and Jens Siebert are the main contacts.

Linklaters' employment law practice gained momentum in March 2018 thanks to the arrival of Timon Grau from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and recently also added several associates to its ranks. In strong cooperation with its colleagues from the M&A team, the practice led by Matthew Devey now handles the full spectrum of employment law and focuses on high-end work. Devey has particular experience in Brexit-related employment law matters and Grau primarily deals with complex restructurings and reorganisations.

Taylor Wessing's employment law team specialises in the deployment of external personnel, HR compliance, restructuring and works constitution law and frequently advises US companies and recruitment industry clients. Marc André Gimmy heads the team as well as the Spanish Desk and focuses on transaction-related structuring work. This focus is shared by the frequently recommended Kilian Friemel. Advising on Work 4.0 matters such as crowdfunding, scrum and microchipping of employees is another key element of the practice. In February 2019, Sascha Grosjean moved to Dentons to set up its Düsseldorf office.

AC Tischendorf Rechtsanwälte advises employers on all aspects of employment law with a focus on restructuring measures. Thanks to the continental European network of law firms, act legal, the team co-led by Sven Tischendorf and Stephan Schwilden also has an international footprint and is increasingly involved in cross-border mandates. Both practice heads focus on restructuring work with particular emphasis on relocations, redundancies and the reorganisation of company pension schemes. Thomas Block is particularly active in GDPR, with a focus on employee data protection, while new arrival Thomas Altenbach, who was previously at Deutsche Bank, has been expanding the team's compliance offering since spring 2019.

Acting from its three German offices in Munich, Hamburg and Berlin, Altenburg Fachanwälte für Arbeitsrecht advises national and international clients on various employment law matters, including social security law issues, compliance and matters pertaining to Work 4.0. Name partner Stephan Altenburg is the key contact.

In cooperation with its IP and IT practices, Arqis Rechtsanwälte puts particular focus on expanding its data protection offering, while handling co-determination issues from a company perspective constitutes another key element of the practice led by Andrea Panzer-Heemeier. She acts for employers and selected employee representatives and also handles contentious matters. Works council expert Tobias Brors joined Pusch Wahlig Workplace Law in October 2019, while Tobias Neufeld, who is particularly known for his interface competence between employment and data protection law, will strengthen the team as of March 2020. He was with Allen & Overy LLP until the end of 2018 and has acted independently in the meantime.

Caroline Bitsch, Thilo Mahnhold and Henning Reitz jointly head the team at JUSTEM Rechtsanwälte, which specialises in advising employers, and has particular expertise in dealing with matters at the intersection with employee data protection and contractor compliance. Bitsch is well versed in company reorganisations and restructurings, while Mahnhold is the main contact for compliance, and Reitz mainly handles contractual work. Julia Schweitzer, whose expertise in Work 4.0 leads to a steady stream of social media and mobile work-related instructions, left for Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in July 2020.

Mayer Brown LLP provides the full range of employment law advice combined with particular expertise in the automotive, chemical and financial sectors. This includes the modification and harmonisation of working conditions, pension law, HR data protection and outsourcing. Guido Zeppenfeld heads the practice and predominantly handles restructuring and reorganisation measures, assisting with transactions on a national and international level. In May 2019, Hagen Köckeritz joined from Baker McKenzie, deepening the team's expertise in corporate restructuring and mergers.

Buse Heberer Fromm provides clients with ongoing employment law advice on day-to-day issues and transactional matters as well as assistance with court proceedings. Thomas Geißler combines his corporate law expertise with experience in collective and individual employment law, where he advises, among other matters, on the structuring and negotiation of reconciliations of interests and social plans. Alexander Otto also handles work at this interface and specialises in litigation but also provides employment law advice on the acquisition and sale of companies. Sabine Feindura heads the team.

As part of the firm's Human Resources and Social Affairs group in Berlin and Cologne, CBH Rechtsanwälte Cornelius, Bartenbach, Haesemann & Partner advises clients on the full range of employment law. Strategic reorganisations, restructurings and day-to-day HR matters are significant elements of the practice. André Ueckert represents managing directors as well as members of executive and supervisory boards, while Ernst Eisenbeis deals with works constitution and co-determination matters. Thomas Ritter also covers compliance, dismissal protection and ecclesiastical employment law.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP focuses on employment law issues that arise from cross-border restructurings and on cross-departmental projects such as internal investigations and employee data protection. Brexit-related business restructuring work constitutes another key element of the practice. Team head Moritz Kunz regularly drafts employment contracts and assists with remuneration systems and various HR matters. Associate Anja Lingscheid advises on acquisitions, reorganisations and restructurings as well as employer-focused co-determination issues.

Thanks to the arrival of Jörg Podehl and two of his associates from Mütze Korsch Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH in November 2018, Hoffmann Liebs's employment law practice is now considerably more active in the market and also covers matters at the interface with various other practice areas. Its offering consists of the three pillars litigation, ongoing employment law assistance and restructuring, and is specifically aimed at manufacturing clients as well as telecommunications and banking sector clients. Wolfgang Bucksch and Heiko Langer co-head the team with new arrival Podehl. Julia Reinsch is experienced in restructurings, reconciliation of interests and social plan negotiations.

Employee data protection, employment law compliance and external personnel deployment are Lutz Abel Rechtsanwalts PartG mbB's main areas of expertise. In Hamburg, the team including key contact Henning Abraham focuses on the renewable energy, healthcare, venture capital and public sectors. Following the move of team head Philipp Byers and associate Kathrin Wenzel to Watson Farley & Williams LLP at the beginning of 2020, Abraham was tasked to rebuild the team and took over its lead. As as first step, employee data protection expert Thomas Müller joined the Munich office from Ecovis in January 2020, while, at the same time Claudia Knuth was made partner and left Hamburg for the firm's newly opened office in Berlin.

michels.pmks Rechtsanwälte provides companies of all sizes with nationwide employment law advice, while founding partner Marcus Michels also assists board members, managing directors and executives with various employment law matters. Gunther Mävers is a key contact for international mandates and advises foreign clients on local employment law issues as well as German companies on projects abroad. Jannis Kamann, who was elevated to the partnership in January 2019, is well versed in handling matters at the intersection between employment and health law. This area of expertise is shared by Ulrich Kortmann, who also represents hospitals in proceedings with funding agencies. Other key members of the team include Markus Pillok, who has particular expertise in advising construction, retail and mineral oil industry clients as well as IT companies, and Tilman Isenhardt, who covers the full spectrum of individual and collective employment law.

As a specialised employment law firm, Ogletree Deakins LLP's Berlin-based team provides advice on collective bargaining law and restructurings. Thanks to its close cooperation with its US parent company, the team's client portfolio contains several well-known global players, who also make use of the team's business immigration services. Managing partner and team head Ulrike Conradi has extensive experience in redundancies and privatisations, while counsel Anja Becher focuses on company pension schemes.

Oppenhoff & Partner's employment law advice focuses on the automotive, IT, manufacturing and insurance sectors. Restructurnings, co-determination, compliance and internal investigations are key elements of Gilbert Wurth's practice. Wurth is well versed in mediating in internal conflict situations and regularly acts for employers in conciliation board and court proceedings. Company pension law matters, most notably in the context of M&A transactions, are frequently handled by Jörn Kuhn.

The employment law practice at Osborne Clarke is well equipped to guide clients through the requirements of the changing world of work and therefore regularly advises on transformation processes pertaining to digitalisation such as flexible working time and workplaces as well as outsourcing. Handling restructuring and post-merger integration procedures constitutes another key element of the practice led by Thomas Leister. He routinely advises on the implementation of flexibility and agility concepts, while Anke Freckmann focuses on the deployment of external personnel and IT usage-related employment law matters.

Restructuring projects, know-how protection matters as well as employment and social insurance law compliance are key strengths of Pinsent Masons Germany LLP's team. Led by Manfred Schmid, it has a focus on the technology, life sciences, energy, financial services and real estate sectors and benefits from the application of industry-specific legaltech solutions. Schmid also advises on outsourcing und technology transactions, while Peter Christ routinely represents clients in negotiations and court proceedings. Kathrin Brügger, who made partner in May 2019, is dedicated to personnel leasing matters.

Internal investigations, transactional advice as well as assistance with  converting a stock corporation into a SE are key elements of Staudacher Annuss Arbeitsrecht.'s portfolio of services. Alongside its industry focus on insurance and financial services, the firm also continues to build up further expertise in the automotive and retail sectors. Peter Staudacher advises board members, managing directors and executives on contract structuring and contract termination, while also providing assistance with the enforcement of and defence against claims. Georg Annuß, who co-heads the team with Staudacher, specialises in advising board members and supervisory boards on various board matters.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP provides large groups and companies with employment law support with complex restructuring and reorganisation measures, such as large-scale staff reduction projects. Team head Nikolaus Krienke focuses on works constitution and collective bargaining issues and also handles data protection work. Andreas Wiegreffe deals with employment law aspects arising from transactions as well as those pertaining to the restructuring of companies. Anne Kleffmann moved to Latham & Watkins LLP in mid-March 2019, while Philipp Byers joined the team in January 2020 from LUTZ | ABEL RECHTSANWALTS PARTG MBB. Together with two new associates, he will further strengthen the firm's restructuring practice in Munich.