Milbank > Munich, Germany > Firm Profile
Milbank Offices

MAXIMILIANSTRAßE 15
80539 MÜNCHEN
Germany
Milbank > The Legal 500 Rankings
Private equity > Transactions
Private equity companies, sponsors and investment shareholders regularly instruct Milbank on mid- and large-cap transactions, where the practice comprehensively advises on the acquisition and expansion of portfolio companies as well as exits. The team frequently supports cross-border matters in cooperation with the firm's international network, including the locations in the US, London and Hong Kong; this is complemented by interfacing expertise in corporate, finance and tax law matters. Norbert RiegerPractice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Norbert Rieger and Sebastian Heim: goal orientation, expertise, efficiency/speed, business orientation, pragmatism, commitment.’
Key clients
Advent International
Allianz X
Altor
Ardian
BBA Capitalpartners
Carlyle
Capiton
CPPIB
Deutsche Beteiligungs AG
ECM Equity Capital
Management
EIG
EMH Partners
EMZ
EQT
General Atlantic
Goldman Sachs
Hg
H.I.G. Capital
Infrastructure Investments Fund (IIF) managed by J.P. MorganAsset Management
L-GAM
LEA Partners
Levine Leichtman Capital Partners
Lightrock
NordHolding
Oakley
PAI Partners
Pamplona
Partners Group
Planet First Partners
OMERS Infrastructure
Oakley
Strategic Value Partners
Work highlights
- Advising Advent International (“Advent”) on the acquisition of a majority stake in ZIMMERMANN.
- Advising EQT Private Equity (EQT) on the voluntary tender offer for all outstanding shares of SUSE SA (SUSE) and the subsequent delisting.
- Advising a consortium of Athos, Bitburger Holding and BBA Capitalpartners on the acquisition of all shares in Schülke Topco GmbH from EQT.
Banking and finance > Lending and borrowing Tier 2
Milbank focuses on acquisition, corporate and infrastructure financing, including cross-border matters thanks to the close cooperation with locations in England and the US. The advisory offering also includes matters under German, English and New York law, thus, the practice regularly supports international private equity and private debt funds in various leveraged finance transactions and advises large companies and syndicated lenders in connection with cross-border corporate financing, particularly with ESG aspects. The latter focus area is routinely handled in cooperation with the capital markets team and leads to frequent instructions on sustainability-related financing and bonds. Co-head Thomas IngenhovenPractice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Ardian Private Equity
Ares Management
Auto1 Group SE
Axel Springer SE
Barings LLC
Best Secret
Bike24 Holding AG
BofA Securities Inc.
Bregal Unternehmerkapital GmbH
Commerzbank AG
Deutsche Beteiligungs AG
EIG Global Energy Partners
FUNKE Mediengruppe
Goldman Sachs
Hayfin Capital Management LLP
Hensoldt AG
Hg Capital
H.I.G. Capital
HPS Investment Partners
HSBC Contintental Europe S.A.
IK Partners
ING Bank
Investec Bank plc
J.P. Morgan AG
KAEFER SE & Co. KG
Körber AG
Leonine Holding GmbH
Maguar Capital Partners
Morgan Stanley Bank AG
Mytheresa
Pemberton
PharmaSGP
ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE
UniCredit Bank GmbH
Webasto SE
Zvoove Group
Work highlights
- Advising a consortium of investors on the financing of the takeover of Schülke & Mayr GmbH.
- Advising HENSOLDT AG on the financing of the acquisition of ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH.
- Advising Deutsche Bank, ING Bank and UniCredit in their role as joint underwriters and bookrunners on the financing of the acquisition of Vodafone Italia.
Germany > Tax Tier 2
Milbank's tax team advises national and international companies, corporations, private equity investors and wealthy private individuals on the development and implementation of cross-border acquisition and financing structures, for which Rolf Füger and Norbert RiegerPractice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Legal precision at the highest level paired with pragmatic reason and brilliant detailed knowledge – a great team!’
‘Matthias Schell: Outstanding in tax issues in the national and international transaction context.’
‘Thomas Kleinheisterkamp: Very fast response times, very good understanding of the problem, very good communication in the project, very good preparation of work results, transparent billing.’
‘We recommend Matthias Schell!’
‘Goal orientation, expertise, efficiency, speed, business-minded, pragmatism, commitment.’
Key clients
About You
Advent International
Allianz X
Ardian
AUTO1 Group
Bilfinger SE
Conrad Electronics SE
Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG)
Deutsche Invest Capital Management
ECM Equity Capital Management
EMH Digital Growth Fund GmbH & Co. KG
EMZ
EQT Partners AB
H.C. Starck Group
H.I.G. European Capital Partners
INNIO Group
KAEFER Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. KG
LEA Partners
Otto Group
PAI Partners
ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE
Sartorius AG
The Carlyle Group
Zalando SE
Work highlights
- Tax advice to General Atlantic on the planned merger of Deutsche Börse companies Qontigo and ISS.
- Tax advice to Advent International on the acquisition of a majority stake in ZIMMERMANN.
Corporate and M&A > Corporate Tier 3
German and European shareholders, listed companies and investors regularly instruct Milbank to assist with general meetings, management contracts and management remuneration as well as ongoing corporate and capital market issues. This is complemented by expertise in stock corporation law, resulting in a case load that further includes squeeze-outs, share buyback programs and capital increases. Mirroring this broad skill spectrum, the practice lead consists of Ulrike Friese-Dormann (management and supervisory board advice), Christoph Rothenfußer (stock corporation and group law, conversion law), Norbert RiegerPractice head(s):
Ulrike Friese-Dormann; Sebastian Heim; Philipp Klöckner; Steffen Oppenländer; Norbert Rieger; Christoph Rothenfußer
Testimonials
‘Outstanding technical and market knowledge, outstanding responses and processing times.’
Key clients
ADAC SE
Auto1 Group
Axel Springer
EQT Active Core Infrastructure
F.C. Bayern München
General Atlantic
Hauptaktionär dermediantis AG
KAEFER Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. KG
KG CURA Vermögensverwaltung G.m.b.H. & Co.
KSBG Kommunale Verwaltungsgesellschaft GmbH
N26
Otto Group
Personio GmbH
PharmaSGP Holding SE
ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE
Sartorius AG
Work highlights
- Ongoing corporate and capital market advice to Sartorius, including support for the Annual General Meeting and advice on Executive Board remuneration.
- Advising EQT Active Core Infrastructure Fund and its holding company, Boè AcquiCo GmbH, as the main shareholder of TionRenewables AG on the exclusion of the minority shareholders of Tion Renewables AG under corporate law.
- Ongoing corporate and capital market law advice to ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, including support for its Annual General Meeting and advice on Executive Board remuneration.
Restructuring and insolvency > Restructuring Tier 3
Milbank cooperates closely with the credit and capital markets practices and demonstrates particular expertise in (cross-border) financial in and out-of court restructuring; this offering is regularly drawn on by creditors, including banks, as well as distressed debt investors, debtors, shareholders and sponsors. These competencies correspond with the focus of both practice leaders, Mathias Eisen and Marlene Ruf, who regularly advise on distressed M&A, StaRUG-related proceedings and debt equity swaps. Ruf joined the practice in April 2024 from Kirkland & Ellis International LLP.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Strong and detail-oriented team with excellent technical expertise.’
‘Mathias Eisen has extensive expertise and underpins his legal advice with a commercial perspective.’
‘Highest level of professionalism taking into account the interests of all stakeholders; always technically excellent and without errors; fast implementation with very good availability of the contacts involved.’
‘Marlene Ruf is characterized by her professional competence, which, combined with a good sense for the right reaction at the right moment, enables her to act in a solution-oriented manner even in difficult and conflict-ridden negotiations.’
Key clients
Apollo
Capital 4
Carlyle Credit
BlackRock
Blackstone Credit
Ares
Arini
Bain Capital Credit
Alchemy
Polus Capital
InvestCorp
Spire
JP Morgan
Pemberton
PIMCO
UniCredit Bank AG
DZ Bank
Tikehau
Diameter Fidelity/FMR
Hayfin
Work highlights
- Advising the ad hoc committee of First Lien Term Loan B creditors on the financial restructuring of the Wittur Group.
- Advising Corestate’s ad hoc committee on the financial restructuring of Corestate Capital Holding SA, including a debt equity swap into a listed real estate company and bridge loan financing through the issuance of new super senior bonds.
- Advising the steering committee of the bondholders of Adler Group SA on the financial restructuring of Adler Group SA by means of a replacement of the issuer and subsequent amendment of the bond terms and conditions through an English restructuring plan.
Germany > Antitrust Tier 4
Milbank's antitrust team, led by Alexander Rinne, boasts expertise in merger control and antitrust proceedings as well as the support in antitrust fine and abuse proceedings before the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office. Other competencies include antitrust disputes, compliance and distribution antitrust law issues. The team is routinely instructed by clients from the telecoms, healthcare, media and consumer goods industries.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
BMW AG
Bonduelle
Brugg
Cranemere
EQT
H.I.G. Capital
Hipp
Hitachi
Husqvarna
L-GAM
Mageba
Müller Milch
Otto
ProSiebenSat.1
Media SE
Roche
SK Group
Sartorius
Telefónica
The Carlyle Group
US Steel
Work highlights
- Advising Theo Müller Group (Müller-Milch) on the acquisition of Landliebe from FrieslandCampina (second-phase approval subject to conditions).
- Global advice to Roche on all merger control and foreign trade law issues in connection with the acquisition of LumiraDx, an innovative provider of point-of-care diagnostic products.
- Defense of Brugg in antitrust damage claims before the Cologne Regional Court against Saudi Electricity Company.
Corporate and M&A > M&A
In addition to traditional transactions, public takeovers and joint ventures, Milbank's comprehensive M&A advice also includes PE and VC matters as well as various related tax, finance and antitrust issues. Large national and international corporations, family businesses and investors rely on the team's expertise in both the large and mid-cap areas as well as in an international transaction context. Global Chair of the Corporate Practice Group Norbert RiegerPractice head(s):
Norbert Rieger
Other key lawyers:
Michael Bernhardt; Sebastian Heim; Martin Erhardt
Testimonials
‘Milbank is a well-resourced firm. Each member of staff has their own expertise, business experience and a command of legal tools required to provide for both growth and less optimal scenarios within the same contractual framework.’
‘The response time is fast and we feel like value is being delivered with each iteration.’
‘They are able to adequately understand all dimensions of the business, grasp the motivations of all stakeholders in all processes and are not afraid to take the lead in any negotiation. They ask good questions at the right time and never present problems without multiple solutions that are well thought out and feasible. They play a key role in our extended team and are a pleasure to work with.’
Key clients
AUTO1 Group
Allianz X
ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH & Co.KG
Axel Springer SE
Deutsche Glasfaser
Evoco Ag
Flender GmbH
INNIO Jenbacher GmbH & Co. KG
Kalera AS
LGT Bank
NCG – NuCom Group SE
Noventic GmbH
Otto Group
Personio
Pharma SGP
ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE
Sartorius AG
Sixt SE
Smith & Nephew plc
Work highlights
- Advising the shareholders of BETA CAE Systems International AG on the sale to Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
- Advising Chemitas Management GmbH and its shareholders on the sale of Chemitas GmbH to HC Starck GmbH.
- Advising Masan Group Corporation and its portfolio companies on the sale of all shares of HCStarck Holding to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation.
Milbank > Firm Profile
Firm overview: Milbank LLP is a leading international law firm. More than 800 lawyers worldwide provide integrated services combined with technical excellence and genuine sector expertise throughout the world, as they have been doing for over 150 years. Milbank is headquartered in New York and has offices in Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington DC.
The first German office opened in 2001 in Frankfurt, followed by Munich in 2004. As part of the global network, these offices give Milbank a strong local presence. The experienced resident partners there have a long standing and in-depth knowledge of the German market. More than 80 lawyers in Germany provide high-level legal advice in all areas that are key to the structuring, financing and successful implementation of transactions. Listed groups, SMEs, financial institutes and global investors have placed their trust in Milbank’s expertise for many years, and continue to do so with great success.
In order to achieve the best possible solutions for its clients, Milbank works in refined, partner-led teams individually staffed to meet the specific demands of each mandate. The highly specialised lawyers offer top-level legal advice and master the most complex projects. Lawyers regularly counsel on transactions that set new standards in their sector.
Main areas of practice
Antitrust and competition: The lawyers in Milbank’s German and European antitrust and competition practice in Munich advise on matters covering the entire spectrum of this practice area. These include applying merger control regulations to complex private equity and hedge fund structures, as well as in the strategic planning and subsequent implementation of acquisitions by companies that are already market leaders in their respective areas, cartel and dominance investigations, antitrust litigation, compliance know-how.
Contact: Alexander Rinne
Banking and acquisition finance: Milbank’s German finance practice focuses on complex cross-border and domestic financing transactions, ranging from acquisitions to corporate, infrastructure, asset and project financings. Working as an integrated team with the London and New York offices, the firm’s finance lawyers in Germany provide comprehensive advice on the German, US and English law in connection with financings in the public and private market to lenders, underwriters/arrangers, sponsors, institutional and corporate clients.
Contacts: Thomas Ingenhoven, Barbara Mayer-Trautmann, Mathias Eisen
Corporate advisory: Milbank’s corporate advisory practice is well known for its expertise on all aspects of German corporate and capital markets law and corporate reorganisations. Given the potential impact of minority shareholders’ actions for a successful and timely implementation of corporate reorganisations in Germany, the corporate team focuses on the preparation and the coaching of shareholders’ meetings of public companies, as well as corporate litigation and appraisal proceedings following corporate reorganisations. The team also advises on liability matters of board members.
Contacts: Ulrike Friese-Dormann, Christoph Rothenfusser
Litigation: German qualified lawyers represent clients on corporate litigation resulting from M&A transactions as well as in the context of shareholder meetings, corporate reorganisations and liability matters of board members. In addition, US-qualified litigation lawyers in the Munich office specialise in IP litigation, in particular related to the pharmaceutical industry.
Contacts: Ulrike Friese-Dormann, Christoph Rothenfusser
Private equity: Integrated teams of highly specialised lawyers support sponsors in their investments at home and abroad. Clients turn to Milbank in all stages of private equity transactions from the establishment of funds and the acquisition of portfolio companies to exit strategies. The range of services includes: leveraged buy-outs, take privates, PIPEs, public M&A, fund formation, venture capital, joint ventures, management incentive programs.
Contacts: Michael Bernhardt, Sebastian Heim, Markus Muhs,
Steffen Oppenländer, Leopold Riedl, Norbert Rieger
Private M&A: The team focuses on advising public groups, financial institutions and medium-sized companies on complex national and international acquisitions, sales of companies, joint ventures and other transactions. The range of services includes: transaction structuring, due diligence, sale and purchase documentation, post-merger integration, restructuring.
Contacts: Michael Bernhardt, Martin Erhardt, Sebastian Heim, Markus Muhs, Steffen Oppenländer, Leopold Riedl, Norbert Rieger
Public M&A: Milbank’s public M&A team focuses on advising on all aspects of takeovers and mergers of public companies. A close working relationship with the German Securities Agency, broad experience in advising on all corporate law aspects and intensive cooperation with Milbank’s public M&A teams in London and New York ensure a high-level service which is complemented by the corporate advisory practice.
Contacts: Norbert Rieger, Christoph Rothenfusser
Restructuring (insolvency and finance): The German restructuring teams advise companies, funds, private equity houses and their portfolio companies, financial institutions and other creditors and debtors in respect of all areas of financial restructurings, corporate workouts, turnarounds and insolvencies, and represent entities interested in acquiring troubled companies, their assets or their debt. Together with Milbank’s restructuring practices in the USA and London, the team provides seamless legal advice spanning all major jurisdictions.
Contacts: Mathias Eisen, Thomas Ingenhoven, Barbara Mayer-Trautmann
Tax: The tax team advises on all aspects of national and international corporate tax law, focusing on the development and implementation of tax-optimised acquisition and financing structures. The team further advises clients on tax matters of corporate restructurings and other complex and constantly changing matters of corporate tax law.
Contacts: Rolf Füger, Thomas Kleinheisterkamp, Matthias Schell
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