GSK Stockmann > Frankfurt, Germany > Firm Profile

GSK Stockmann > The Legal 500 Rankings

Real estate and construction > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 1

GSK Stockmann‘s advice covers the entire value chain of construction plans and projects. A dual focus is placed on urban developments, smart cities and housing developments on the one hand and private construction law on the other. Plant construction in the energy sector, including infrastructure, constitute another mainstay, where the team is regularly instructed by industrial companies regarding the transformation to more sustainable production methods, among others. Practice head Jan Kehrberg specialises in project developments as well as construction, construction contract and public procurement law. Public law specialist Kerstin von Staa is another key contact and is particularly experienced in supporting approval procedures, including clients’ representation before administrative courts. In January 2022, Frederic Jürgens joined from MELCHERS Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB; he is experienced in construction and architectural law.

Real estate and construction > Project development Tier 1

Corporate and M&A > M&A Tier 2

GSK Stockmann assists with M&A deals in the real estate, finance, energy and healthcare sectors and is also active in joint venture formation. In addition, the practice often advises on exit deals in the venture capital sector and oversees IPOs and sales. M&A and venture capital expert Markus Soehnchen heads the practice which also includes real estate transaction specialist Michael Stobbe and Andreas Bauer, who focuses on investor and financing advice. Transaction lawyer Jens Rügenhagen represents clients in in- and out-of-court proceedings and was appointed equity partner in January 2022.

Public sector > Planning and environment Tier 2

GSK Stockmann‘s strong team advises on energy and transport infrastructure planning, with Andreas Geiger‘s expertise being particularly noteworthy here, as well as on urban development projects, for which Wolfgang Wuerfel is the key contact. Furthermore, the practice is well versed in planning law matters in logistics, tourism and retail and often cooperates with the firm’s real estate experts for real estate project developments and transactions. Jan Hennig focuses on commercial project development and has particular experience in the retail and logistics asset classes.

Real estate and construction > Real estate Tier 2

GSK Stockmann routinely advises asset managers, project developers and institutional investors on (portfolio) transactions, including share and asset deals, asset management issues and real estate financing, where the clients also benefit from the close cooperation with the Luxembourg office. This expertise is regularly requested in connection with investments in the German real estate market made via investment vehicles structured in Luxembourg. The team's transactional capacities were strengthened with Martin Prothmann (previously at CMS ) in January 2022 and the partner appointment of Maritheres Palichleb in March 2022; This is complemented by capacities at the interface between corporate and real estate law, such as the reshaping of joint ventures into forward share deals. The practice is led by Dirk Brückner (advice on share deals and real estate joint ventures) and Philip Huperz (industry expertise in the healthcare and micro-living sector), who both are experienced in transactions and investments; the latter recently replaced Rainer Werum (regulatory issues pertaining to open-ended real estate funds) as co-head; he remains on the team.

Banking and finance > Investment funds Tier 3

GSK Stockmann offers combined regulatory and tax expertise, which is also evident at practice head level: Robert Kramer covers regulatory and investment law matters – including the establishment and registration of capital management companies as well as the launch and structuring of funds -, while Petra Eckl is well versed in tax-optimised fund structuring. This expertise is also utilised in transactions and, most recently, particularly in connection with ESG compliance-related issues and extends across various asset classes. Advising players from the real estate sector is a traditional strength of the team, other sectors include private equity, venture capital, renewable energies and private debt.  The client base consists of investors, capital management companies and asset managers, which are frequently advised in cooperation with the Luxembourg office.

Intellectual property > Unfair competition Tier 3

GSK Stockmann's competition expertise is primarily drawn upon by players from the catering, mobility, aviation and finance sectors, which the team frequently advises on relevant IT- and data protection-related matters (including regulatory issues); this also reflects in the group's advice to payment service providers and PE houses on blockchain technology as well as on the AI-related technological linking of texts. The practice further deals with counterfeiting, misleading behavior and illegal advertising claims; this expertise is also applied in contentious proceedings, with the representation of Tesla against the central competition office being of particular note. Katy Ritzmann predominantly advises on advertising, trade mark and license agreement law, while practice head Jörg Kahler assists with IT and data protection law as well as with trade secret protection.

Public sector > Commercial administrative law Tier 3

For GSK Stockmann, the municipal consulting practice represents its mainstay, but the team also assists state and federal institutions as well as national and international companies from a variety of sectors with regulatory, licensing and permitting issues and related disputes. The practice further prepares constitutional expert opinions and is jointly headed by the Berlin-based Jan Hennig, who is active in legislative processes and advises various authorities, and Wolfgang Würfel in Munich, who provides comprehensive support to the public sector related to their entrepreneurial activities.

Public sector > Public procurement Tier 3

GSK Stockmann's procurement law team works for both the public sector and companies and is particularly active in construction and real estate projects, while cooperating closely with other practice groups. Awarding procedures in the IT, healthcare and transport sectors also contribute to group's case load. Jenny Mehlitz and Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann have expertise in advising on the award of construction, supply and service contracts and also represent clients in review proceedings if necessary. Sören Wolkenhauer made partner in January 2022 and Arne Gniechwitz advises on public procurement as well as on state aid law.

Banking and finance > Financial services: regulatory Tier 4

GSK Stockmann frequently advises on digital and innovative financial products, including BaFin licensing procedures and cooperation agreements. The Munich-based team regularly cooperates with the firm’s Luxembourg location headed by Andreas Heinzmann when assisting with the structuring of new financing platforms and investment matters. In Germany, Robert Kramer is a key contact for funds matters and transactions, while Timo Patrick Bernau covers the fintech intersection. Kramer and Bernau jointly head the team, which also advises on compliance, ESG as well as institutional remuneration issues.

Banking and finance > Fintech Tier 4

GSK Stockmann impresses with regulatory expertise and advises on the launch of e-money-based products and digitised financing and investment platforms as well as cooperation agreements. Both Tobias Riethmüller and practice head Timo Bernau regularly take the lead here. The team also assists with financing rounds as well as interfacing data protection and corporate law matters.

Banking and finance > Real estate finance Tier 4

GSK Stockmann's team combines experience in real estate with expertise in acquisition and project development financing as well as interfacing investment law issues, where it acts for both banks and investors. The two practice heads Stefan Koser and Alma Franke boast similiar competencies as well as Mechtild-Maria Siebke, who made local partner in January 2022; she specialises in syndicated financing, financing-related building lease arrangements and the asset class hotel.

Corporate and M&A > Corporate Tier 4

In addition to the healthcare and energy sectors, GSK Stockmann has a special focus on companies in the financial services and real estate sectors which the team advises on compliance and corporate governance issues, transactions and restructuring as well as corporate and executive bodies disputes. Thus, practice head Markus Soehnchen advises banks, venture capital and private equity funds as well as fintech companies on the design and structuring of new funds and M&A transactions as well as contracts. Michael Stobbe specializes in joint ventures and is also well versed in stock corporation and LLC law. Andreas Bauer left the firm in December 2022 to become self-employed.

Industry focus > Energy Tier 4

GSK Stockmann regularly advises on the construction, operation and acquisition of wind farms, including potential contentious matters. Another focus is on regulatory advice, frequently in connection with the municipal power and electricity supply sector. The team covers various interfacing matters, above all planning, environmental and real estate law; the latter is regularly utilised in the context of sustainable Smart City and district developments. Stefan Geiger (energy law, public construction and planning law, environmental law) and Sören Wolkenhauer (decentralised power supply) jointly head the practice.

Industry focus > Healthcare and life sciences Tier 4

The GSK Stockmann team, led by practice heads Markus Soehnchen (corporate and M&A) and Maritheres Palichleb (real estate investments and transactions) focuses on advising national and international institutional investors on care property transactions as well as VC investments in start-ups in the healthcare, biotechnology and medical technology sectors. This is complemented by expertise in compliance matters, which was further strengthened in January 2022 with the appointment of Kristina Marx (project work) and Nicole Deparade (employment law) to local partners.

Private equity > Venture capital Tier 4

GSK Stockmann recently added new clients to its roster, which primarily stem from the technology sector (crypto, fintech, insuretech, proptech), which is not least due to the close cooperation with the office in Luxembourg. In addition to technology, the practice, headed by Katy Ritzmann and Thomas Derlin, also advises clients from the mobility sector, including numerous investors and start-ups. In December 2021, fund and PE expert Marcel Bartnik joined Bonn & Schmitt, whereas tax law specialist Heiko Stoll joined Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.

Public sector > State aid Tier 4

GSK Stockmann scores with a combination of of state aid and public law know-how and regularly advises housing associations, schools and seaport infrastructure companies, the latter particularly by Arne Gniechwitz, on the financing of public infrastructure with a focus on the transport, education and social housing sectors. Assistance to the public sector and its companies with procurement, project planning and financing is another practice mainstay, which primarily represents Wolfgang Wuerfel's focus.

Compliance Tier 5

GSK Stockmann routinely advises on compliance management systems, risk analyses, health checks and business partner due diligences. The practice recently assisted with compliance due diligences in the transactional space as well as supply chain due diligence. The team primarily acts on behalf of medium-sized companies and is well versed in money laundering prevention. Practice head Eric Mayer specialises in anti-corruption and industrial compliance.

Information technology > Data protection Tier 5

GSK Stockmann‘s internationally-oriented IT and data protection team around Jörg Kahler and Katy Ritzmann primarily assists clients from the mobility, aviation and finance sectors and advises on technology-related transactions and data protection compliance, while also representing clients in contentious disputes. Data processing and blockchain were among the recent growth topics.

Restructuring and insolvency > Restructuring Tier 5

GSK Stockmann‘s insolvency law advice focuses on the interface to real estate and funds and centers on the sectors hotel, retail and fashion. Accordingly, demands for rent supplements and rent reductions from insolvency administrators were particularly prominent topics in the course of the Covid-19 crisis. The team also has expertise at the interface with banking and supervisory law, thus increasingly advising on fund liquidation and bank insolvency law; Okko Hendrik Behrends is a key contact here. Practice group heads Andreas Dimmling and Raoul Kreide cover distressed M&A transactions, fund restructuring as well as commercial and private tenant insolvencies, among others.

Germany > Tax Tier 6

Due to its firm-wide focus on the real estate sector, GSK Stockmann is ideally positioned for corresponding tax advice but also possesses expertise in assisting with transactions; thus, the team advises its client base, primarily consisting of companies, real estate investors and financial services providers, on transaction taxes, tax compliance, conversions, succession issues, green tax and fund structuring. In the latter area, as well as on matters of cross-border financial taxes, the team frequently cooperates with the Luxembourg office and demonstrates further know-how in tax disputes and tax audits. The practice is headed by Petra Eckl in Frankfurt and Dirk Koch in Munich, both of whom have extensive experience in tax advice on real estate transactions. Heiko Stoll (tax optimization of funds and investments) joined Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in early 2022.