Dr Christian Finnern LL.M. > Watson Farley & Williams LLP > Hamburg, Germany > Lawyer Profile
Watson Farley & Williams LLP Offices
Neuer Wall 88
20354 Hamburg
Germany
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Dr Christian Finnern LL.M.
Work Department
CHRISTIAN IS HEAD OF GERMANY AND LEADS THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IN GERMANY
Position
Christian acts for owners, managers and charterers of all types of vessels. He also acts for banks, lessors, alternative finance provides, investors and a broad range of other market participants in the maritime industry.
He focusses on shipbuilding, the sale and purchase of second-hand tonnage, all flag and registration matters as well as on the employment, operation and management of ships.
Christian advises international and domestic clients on all aspects of ship finance. His advice ranges from debt financing, leasing transactions, complex syndicated financing structures to high profile restructurings as well as warehouse and platform solutions.
Another strong focus of his practice is in investments, joint ventures and M&A transactions in the maritime sector.
He also represents parties in insolvency and enforcement proceedings as well as in contentious matters.
Legal 500 Germany describes Christian as a “strong communicator” who “manages to find practical solutions” and emphasises his “high presence in transactional advice“. He is also recognised in the shipping sector as being “very well connected both locally and globally” and is considered “highly assertive“.
Christian’s advice to ship owners and other shipping companies is noted in the legal directories JUVE Handbuch and Chambers Europe. In Chambers Europe, he is recognised as “very active and visible in the market” and is praised to be “a strong practitioner who has a good character and is very supportive”.
He has been recognised by legal directory Legal 500 EMEA for his “strong industry knowledge, pragmatic approach and good results” and his “goal-oriented” leadership of the Maritime Service practice group, which focuses on investments, joint ventures and M&A transactions. Furthermore, it says that Christian has “a distinct sense for transaction dynamics as well as excellent shipping know-how and is very well connected”.
Christian is also recognised by Legal 500 Germany and Legal 500 EMEA as a leading name in Maritime Law and is praised for his “rapid analysis”, for being “always and immediately available” as well as for being “very helpful and responsive, flexible and unbureaucratic”.
Lawyer Rankings
Deutschland > Transport > Maritimes Wirtschaftsrecht
(Führende Partner)Schiffsverkäufe und Transaktionen bilden den Schwerpunkt der Arbeit von Watson Farley & Williams LLP im maritimen Sektor. Die Kanzlei betreut Reedereien beim Kauf moderner Flotten und unterstützt Banken bei der Einrichtung von Kreditlinien für Reedereien und Kreuzfahrtlinien, die ihre Flotten modernisieren möchten. Die Leitung der Praxis liegt bei Head of Germany Christian Finnern, einem Spezialisten für Transaktionen rund um Secondhand-Tonnage und Schiffsregistrierungen, der auch Insolvenzverwalter in Schifffahrtsangelegenheiten vertritt. Clemens Hillmer (Finanzierung und Leasing) wechselte im Januar 2025 zu Clyde & Co LLP.
Deutschland > Transport > Beratung des Transportsektors
Watson Farley & Williams LLP kombiniert Kapazitäten im Bereich der Vermögensfinanzierung und im weiteren Transaktionsbereich, um Reedereien und Kreuzfahrtlinien sowie Banken beim Erwerb von modernen Flotten und bei der Schiffsfinanzierung zu unterstützen. Unter der Leitung von Head of Germany Christian Finnern, zu dessen Mandanten Reeder, Manager und Charterer gehören, unterstützt die Praxisgruppe den Erwerb und Veräußerung neuer und gebrauchter Schiffe. Finnern verfügt außerdem über Erfahrung bei M&A-Transaktionen und Joint Ventures im maritimen Sektor.
Deutschland > Gesellschaftsrecht und M&A > M&A
Watson Farley & Williams LLP berät nationale und internationale Investoren und Unternehmen bei Portfoliokäufen und -verkäufen sowie Joint Ventures vorwiegend im Mid-Cap-Bereich und legt hierbei den sektoriellen Schwerpunkt auf die Bereiche Infrastruktur, erneuerbare Energien und Transport. Praxisgruppenleiter Christian Finnern ergänzt das sektorielle Beratungsspektrum durch Expertise im maritimen Sektor und wird unter anderem von Christian Kleeberg, der im Dezember 2023 von Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP ins Team einstieg und insbesondere in der Begleitung von grenzüberschreitenden Transaktionen versiert ist, unterstützt.
Germany > Corporate and M&A > M&A
Watson Farley & Williams LLP advises national and international investors and companies on portfolio purchases and sales as well as joint ventures primarily in the mid-cap sector, with a sectoral focus on infrastructure, renewable energies and transport. Practice head Christian Finnern complements the sectoral spectrum with expertise in the maritime sector and, among others, is supported by Christian Kleeberg, who joined the team in December 2023 from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP; he is particularly experienced in cross-border transactions.
Germany > Transport > Advice to the transport sector
Watson Farley & Williams LLP offers expertise in asset financing and transaction support, which is requested by shipping companies, cruise lines as well as banks in the acquisition of modern fleets and ship financing; the team also supports the acquisition and sale of new and used ships. Head of Germany Christian Finnern advises shipowners, managers and charter parties and has additional expertise in M&A transactions and joint ventures in the maritime sector.
Germany > Transport > Maritime and shipping
(Leading partners)Ship sales and transactions are the focus of Watson Farley & Williams LLP in the maritime sector. The team advises shipping companies on the acquisition of modern fleets and supports banks in setting up credit lines for shipping companies and cruise lines regarding the modernisation of their fleets. The practice is led by Head of Germany Christian Finnern, a specialist in transactions pertaining to second-hand tonnage and ship registrations, who also represents insolvency administrators in shipping matters. Clemens Hillmer (financing and leasing) left the team in January 2025 and moved to Clyde & Co LLP.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners Germany > Transport > Maritime and shipping
- Maritime and shipping Germany > Transport
- Advice to the transport sector Germany > Transport
- M&A Germany > Corporate and M&A
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Industry focus > Energy
- Transport > Maritime and shipping
- Real estate and construction > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Real estate and construction > Project development
- Banking and finance > Project finance
- Transport > Advice to the transport sector
- Employment
- Public sector > Public procurement
- Corporate and M&A > M&A