CMS' strong media practice is leading in its advice to online platforms, content producers and media companies. Its specialisation in contractual and copyright law is at the heart of its advice portfolio and partly rests on the expertise and visibility of lawyers such as Pietro Graf Fringuelli, Ole Jani and practice head Sebastian Cording. The latter has a particular focus on sports law and advises the German football league, UEFA (along the firm network) as well as the World E-Sports Association among others; clients can also rely on his IT knowledge. Regulatory issues, litigation and media transactions are other central pillars of the practice. Patrick Ehinger  is one of the rising stars with regards to design of digital business models as well as acquisition and use of rights and licences for media usage.

Transactional firm Noerr has broad expertise in the media sector. Particularly in the transactional sphere the team assists several media companies with acquisitions as well as with the formation and realisation of joint ventures, yet copyright, licensing and sponsoring matters also belong to the practice's core competencies. The group's market relevance additionally shows in its commitment to most current topics such as tariff contracts for short-time work in the film industry, where the team's expertise in employment and corporate law is of particular value. In the content space, the team around Johannes Kreile advises producers as well as streaming providers. The practice further focuses on gaming advice in relation to both betting regulation as well as video games and e-sports. Of counsel Ulrich Michel specialises in copyright, film, TV, music, advertisement and PR as well as in online law. Katharina Domnick  joined Brehm & v. Moers in January 2020.

SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte continues to be one of the most important media firms in Germany. In recent years, the practice's traditional core expertise in film advice has been supplemented by new elements which are now contributing to the group's continuous success. While the service offering was expanded by music rights expertise, the advice to the film industry continues to attract the highest praise and merit. Here, Mathias Schwarz was able to negotiate a tariff contract for short-term work during film productions, which lightened the burden of filmmakers unsettled by the pandemic; thereby, the group's expertise in employment law was particularly important. The highly regarded Martin Diesbach advises the largest companies worldwide on media and copyright law as well as regulatory and licensing issues. And practice head Norbert Klingner specialises in film and series productions where he represents producers, animation service providers and global distribution companies.

Stefan Engels  and his media team are one of DLA Piper's most dynamic practices nationwide. The group acts both on consulting as well as forensic level and offers solutions to the most current issues such as content distribution and innovative business models, but also on more traditional matters such as copyright, licensing and contracts as well as regulatory issues and right of privacy. Gaming, including gambling and video games, sports and e-sport are additional mainstays of the practice and also the focus of Kai Tumbrägel. The group represents clients such as TV stations and publishers in media litigation before the highest courts. Alongside its traditionally strong transactional practice, music right represents a growing practice for the group.

Greenberg Traurig Germany's media advice is not limited to regulatory advice, but spans the whole array of media law including the development of business models, contractual design and media litigation. Owing to its close cooperation with the firm's IT, employment, tax as well financing, telecoms and antitrust practices, the group is considered a full-service advisor for the media sector. The team maintains intensive client relationships with companies from the film and TV, digital media and streaming industries - both in Germany as well as internationally - and is able to competently advise them on matters such as film financing and film funding, music rights and licensing. Stefan Lütje heads the practice; in the market, his name is associated with his advice to Netflix on local content productions. Rising star and senior associate Laura Zentner focuses on copyright and media law as well as on IP and contractual law.

With a longstanding positioning among the strongest firms in the media law space Morrison & Foerster LLP was able to confirm the sustainability of its practice and its traditional assistance with cross-border media transactions and strategic developments came to fruition once again. The transactional as well as the global media practice revolves around Christoph Wagner, who advises high-profile clients from Germany and particularly from the US (Silicon Valley and Hollywood), while latter instructions emerge via its global firm network. The highly renowned Christiane Stützle, a specialist lawyer for copyright and media law, heads the global film and entertainment group. She advises financing, production and distribution projects stemming from the traditional film industry, although the team also acts in content- and technology-related as well as regulatory matters. The latter segment is Andreas Grünwald's area of expertise.

Under the leadership of Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche, Taylor Wessing's media practice assists online platforms, publishing companies and startups with matters pertaining to innovative business models, freedom of speech as well as issues touching on IP law. However, the TMT practice of the firm is much broader and therefore able to advise media companies and internet providers not only on ongoing issues, but also on legislative processes and disputes before European courts. In Hamburg, Gregor Schmidt further focuses on copyright, e-commerce and transactions. In Frankfurt, Svenja-Ariane Maucher acts for longstanding clients from the video gaming sphere in IT-related matters. Jonathan Kropp and two other lawyers made salary partner.

The compact media team at McDermott Will & Emery Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater LLP also takes on big and challenging tasks. The experienced lawyers around Wolfgang von Frentz and Ralf Weisser act in ambitious proceedings, particularly with regards to internet ad blocks, transmission and tariff rights as well as copyright, thereby attracting German as well as international market leaders from the media industry as clients. Von Frentz also advises on matters touching on IT law as well as on transactions and Weisser focuses on regulatory issues in the TMT sector.

BEITEN BURKHARDT has one of the most renowned gaming teams in Germany that is frequently instructed by international firms as their preferred local partner for copyright, compliance and youth protection law. Andreas Lober is the key contact and advises on the marketing and distribution as well as on copyright protection of video games, but also on contractual and litigious matters. Gaming lawyer Wotjek Ropel is also recommended. In the content space, the client base is comprised of social media players, streaming providers and influencers, with SPIEGEL Online and SPIEGEL TV being new clients of the team.

In Munich, Bird & Bird LLP fields a strong practice for media, entertainment and sports law. With its particularly sophisticated sports law advice, the team has been able to win the trust of notable German and international clients that are seeking advice on league promotion and relegation, disciplinary measures as well as testimonial contracts. Here, practice head Joseph Fesenmair is the key contact. On the contrary, Markus Körner is adept in media, competition and copyright law as well as in regulatory issues; this expertise is put to use in high-profile projects for clients such as Deutsche Medienagentur and GEMA, but also for IT and telecoms companies.

The small Frankfurt-based media team at Klinkert Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB splits its advice offering between its copyright and sports law practice, which are under the leadership of Piet Bubenzer and André Soldner respectively. The service portfolio includes licensing and other contracts, the assessment of business models as well as the representation of German, internationally operating companies in litigious matters. Sports lawyer Hermann Schlindwein left the firm in Dezember 2019 to practice independently.

GRAEF Rechtsanwälte's team behind Ralph Oliver Graef is particularly valued for its assistance with gaming matters. In this area, the group recently attracted several new clients such as an organiser of several e-sports tournaments and leagues. Additionally, the team advises on film and copyright law, including acquisitions of TV programmes, assistance with internationally co-produced series projects as well as litigation.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek's media teams are based in Düsseldorf and Cologne and are respectively led by Michael Schmittmann and Dominik Eickemeier, who took on this role in 2019. The group's client base includes TV stations, broadcasting companies, lottery companies and events organisers which the team advises on the optimisation of copyright licenses, retransmission rights and contractual design among other matters.

Hermann Waldhauser heads Heussen Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH's IP, IT and media team and advises clients from traditional industries such as film, TV, radio, music and advertisement, but also from the new media sector and software producers. Particularly players of the latter segment can confidently turn to the firm in matters touching on IP and IT law. Social media companies, streaming platforms, viral advertising agencies, e-commerce and online-based companies make up the majority of the group's client roster.

White & Case LLP's entertainment team is highly regarded for its 'very strong performance in court', its close cooperation with the firm's telecoms and antitrust teams and the internationality of its practice; Norbert Wimmer, an expert in telecoms, media and broadcasting law, heads the team. He advises public entities, companies and private investors from Germany and abroad. Counsel Katharina Nawrath possesses 'magnificent market knowledge'.