Due to the restructuring of the practice structure at Hogan Lovells International LLP, implemented in January 2021, the newly founded Strategic Operations, Agreements and Regulation practice is responsible for commercial, distribution and logistics law advice and is integrated into the Global Regulatory & IPMT group. Distribution systems, franchise law and commercial contracts are among the core topics, as well as regulatory advice and support in digitisation trends, e-commerce and market entries in Germany. Traditionally, the industry focus is on the automotive industry, with other sectors such as consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and life sciences also comprehensively covered. Patrick Ayad, whose advisory portfolio covers regulatory issues, collaborations and licensing agreements, heads the global part of the practice group. Clients from the pharmaceutical, medical and biotech sectors rely on Jörg Schickert's expertise, while Florian Unseld, as head of the German department, oversees the operative business, including innovative purchasing and distribution models as well as entry into new markets. Christiane Alpers made counsel in January 2020 and, together with Thomas Salomon , focuses on the consumer goods and food industry. Counsel Sebastian Schnell assists clients with commercial and distribution law issues as well as with product-related regulatory issues.

Noerr fields a sizeable team in the commercial and distribution law space. Accordingly, clients often benefit from the team’s highly specialised expertise. The interdisciplinary structure of the firm also serves numerous interfaces, offering a one-stop shop approach. Key topics in this area are distribution, franchise and official distributor systems as well as the development of e-commerce businesses and platforms. The practice also has a particularly strong footing in the automotive industry, with comprehensive advice on all distribution and antitrust law issues. A recent growth area is the topic digitisation, which is increasingly expanding. Michael Reiling is particularly well versed in franchising and the transnational restructuring of distribution systems. Clients from the automotive and telecoms industries rely on Albin Ströbl for distribution and antitrust matters, while Karsten Metzlaff has extensive experience in franchise law. Mansur Pour Rafsendjani covers matters pertaining to the digitisation of the supply chain and Tom Billing has experience in the areas of e-commerce and distribution law and is particularly active in the contractual implementation of distribution systems. Cathrin Wentzel made associated partner in January 2021, and contributes expertise in the areas of supply contracts and international supply relationships, among other things.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH‘s commercial, distribution and logistics law practice advises on all aspects of the supply chain. These include matters pertaining to raw material supply, market launch of products, consumer agreements and product compliance. Volker Steimle‘s team focuses on the automotive and healthcare sectors, with automotive distribution a particular core topic of the service offering. The team is also experienced in representing clients in contentious proceedings before courts and arbitrational courts. Steimle advises clients on distribution agreements, product liability and disputes. The latter is a focus of Anne Caroline Wegner, who also covers the interface with antitrust law. Maximilian Dorndorf has particular expertise in outsourcing, IT and logistics. In July 2021, the partner roster was expanded with the promotions of Kuuya Josef Chibanguza, who focuses on product liability risks in the digital context, and Christiane Kühn, who has expertise in international commercial law.

In commercial and distribution law, Taylor Wessing has a broad practice, which assists clients in the distribution of consumer and industrial goods. The group has industry-specific expertise in the areas automotive, logistics and transport, healthcare as well as consumer goods and retail with a special geographical focus on Italy and China. Other core topics incude product compliance, smart products, mobility, e-commerce and franchising. Recently, efforts have also been made to expand the range of advice on CSR and the restructuring of supply chains and distribution systems. Martin Rothermel heads the Commercial Agreement & Distribution department and convinces with broad experience in the field, including product liability and commercial agency systems. The automotive industry is primarily covered by Peter Hofbauer, while Julia Wulf focuses on technology-oriented companies. Benedikt Rohrßen made partner in May 2021 and advises on commercial, franchise and distribution law, he plays a key role in the development and expansion of the Italy desk.

DLA Piper offers clients a one-stop shop for all aspects of trade, distribution and logistics. The automotive, chemical, retail and consumer goods sectors are industry focuses, which are supported at the interface with IT and digitisation. The firm’s advisory portfolio includes all aspects of the supply chain and distribution channels, contract law, licensing agreements and cooperation in the form of strategic alliances and joint ventures. Most recently, the main focus was on Covid-19-related issues, such as the disruption of supply chains, force majeure and alternative business models. Thilo von Bodungen heads the practice and is primarily active in aspects of contract law and operational business, particularly in the industrial, consumer goods and retail sectors. Sylvia Ebersberger has extensive experience in supporting transformation processes and innovation projects, in which she often accompanies data-based business models. Contract law expert Susanne Weckbach and Silke Goschler, who specialises in distribution systems, are key contacts at counsel level.

Eversheds Sutherland 's commercial team assists clients in the areas of trade, distribution and logistics with strategic planning and operational issues in day-to-day business. Topics such as franchising, contract law and purchasing and logistics contracts are an integral part of the advisory services, as well as claims management, including product liability. In the areas of digitisation and e-commerce, clients benefit from the close cooperation with the IP, IT and data protection groups. Team leader Alexander Niethammer has in-depth expertise in the automotive sector and on questions relating to digitisation, while co-leader Joos Hellert focuses on contentious disputes and franchise law. Tobias Maier combines commercial and distribution law competencies with the pharmaceuticals sector as co-head of the Health & Life Sciences practice group.

Clifford Chance ‘s sector-specific approach enables the firm to precisely tailor its advice to the needs of clients with regard to commercial and distribution law. Thus, the expertise from across practices and topics, such as commercial agency, official distributor, franchise, license and distribution antitrust law can be bundled into combined solutions. Among the most recent topics are matters pertaining to ESG. The distribution law group is headed by Gunnar Sachs, who has particular expertise in IP-related matters and is well versed in the healthcare and tech sectors. Marc Besen assists clients with distribution antitrust issues.

The commercial law practice group of Deloitte Legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH has core competencies in the restructuring and redesign of complex supply chains and distribution systems, most recently against the background of the increased need for restructuring of supply businesses due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The team is also experienced in advising on special distribution models, including official distributor structures and franchise systems. The practice group is headed by Andreas Leclaire, who, in addition to commercial and distribution law, is also experienced in intellectual property law. Distribution networks, commercial transactions and the regulatory framework of operational business are core areas of Johannes Passas‘ expertise, who also supports clients with product liability issues. In the summer of 2020, the team was reinforced with the two digital business experts Klaus Brisch and Marco Müller-ter Jung from DWF. 

Dentons' commercial, trade and distribution law practice group, which was founded in the reporting period, benefits from the firm's national and international reach and thus includes well-known companies in its portfolio. The team advises on a wide range of distribution and commercial law issues, including franchise systems, official distributor and logistics law as well as IT-related topics. Under the leadership of Christiane Zedelius, the industry focuses are primarily on consumer goods, for example in the areas of fashion, cosmetics and food. Zedelius joined the team in May 2020 and previously worked for a startup. She advises clients from the Munich office on, among other things, multi-channel distribution systems, franchise and licensing agreements, and sourcing and quality agreements. Stefan Dittmer is regularly instructed on IP and IT-related matters.

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB convinces in commercial and distribution law through comprehensive advice on multinational distribution law issues and contentious matters. Industry-related clients from the pharmaceuticals, medicine, consumer goods, industry, public sector and logistics are supported in distribution systems, contract law and franchising. The team, headed by Oliver Spieker, also advises on antitrust issues and licensing agreements. National and international companies benefit from Spieker's expertise in traditional distribution law matters as well as in intellectual property, competition law and litigation. The associated partner Anne Schönfleisch serves the interface with IP as well as topics related to compliance in purchasing and sales.

Haver & Mailänder Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB covers a wide range of commercial and distribution law issues for clients from the automotive, medical, food, mechanical engineering and textile sectors. Special synergies arise from the cooperation with the adjacent data protection and dispute resolution groups.  Christian Aufdermauer heads the team and convinces with the combination of commercial and distribution law expertise with extensive knowledge of antitrust and insolvency law. Alexander Hübner, who is well versed in public commercial law, and antitrust and distribution lawyer Ulrich Schnell complete the partner roster. Kai Graf von der Recke joined Rödl & Partner in March 2021.

Distribution antitrust law and international distribution relationships form the two cornerstones of the distribution law practice group at Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek. Clients are advised on suitable distribution systems and supported in their design. The group also advises on commercial agency and dealership contracts, and is active in dispute resolution processes. The team is regularly instructed by technology-led companies on matters of German law and IT-related scenarios. Reinhard Siegert heads the practice group and focuses on advising the automotive sector, particularly on distribution antitrust law. The design of national and international supply relationships is a focus of Sebastian Jungemeyer, while corporate law issues are covered by Martin Imhof. ESG-related matters and the supply chain law are key strengths of Birgit Schreier.

SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte ‘s expertise in commercial, distribution and logistics law includes advising on contracts, commercial agency and antitrust law as well as merger control and clients’ representation in court. Innovative topics, such as trade 4.0 are also becoming increasingly more important, for example in the development of a legal tech tool for distribution companies. The practice is headed by Oliver Korte and Niels Witt, with the former being responsible for commercial and distribution law matters and the latter handling logistics. Retail companies and departments are mainly advised by Jürgen Sparr on project and contract-related matters and antitrust issues.

Bird & Bird LLP 's advice on commercial and distribution law includes the drafting and restructuring of commercial contracts, product liability and disruptive technologies. A special feature of the practice group is the court representation of clients exclusively on the supplier side against OEMs. The automotive, financial services, tech & comms and energy sectors also play a key role in the firm's range of services. Christian Kessel convinces in contractual matters and warranty and liability issues, often in the automotive suppliers, supply chain and renewable energy sectors. He heads the team together with Matthias Spilker, who has in-depth expertise in product liability and the negotiation of complex commercial contracts and general terms and conditions. Philipp Egler is active in civil and arbitration proceedings.

LUTZ | ABEL RECHTSANWALTS PARTG MBB covers numerous traditional distribution law topics such as framework and supply agreements, distribution antitrust law and online distribution. A core area of the group is the representation of OEMs, suppliers and component manufacturers from the automotive sector. Representation in commercial arbitration scenarios is also becoming increasingly important. In addition to advising national and international clients on commercial and distribution law, practice head Marius Mann is often active as an arbitrator and party representative in arbitration proceedings. Björn Weidehaas, who made partner in January 2021, primarily handles restructuring issues, while Ute Schenn is particularly well-versed in matters of distribution antitrust law.

Oppenhoff advises on commercial and distribution law along the entire value chain, including purchasing, production and logistics. The commercial practice group's portfolio includes contract drafting, conflict resolution, platform solutions and the development of distribution systems, with particular expertise in the field of e-commerce. Industry focuses also include the automotive, healthcare, IT and technology sectors, as well as aerospace and defence. Practice head Marc Hilber primarily advises on the drafting of contracts, joint ventures and on outsourcing and software development projects. Stephan Müller covers the development and implementation of compliance structures, while Alf Baars acts at the interface with corporate law.