Heiko Heppner > Dentons > Frankfurt, Germany > Lawyer Profile

Dentons
Thurn-und-Taxis-Platz 6
60313 FRANKFURT AM MAIN
Germany
Heiko Heppner photo

Work Department

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Position

Heiko Heppner is co-head of the German Dispute Resolution practice group and professor of law concentrating on international arbitration and litigation with a focus on Germany and common law jurisdictions.

Heiko has particular experience with defending clients against mass and class securities litigation and special expertise in Banking and Capital Markets litigation, including the liability of credit rating agencies and for the mis-selling of derivatives. Moreover, Heiko represents clients before the European courts in matters of European Banking Regulation.

Heiko has advised on litigation and arbitration matters in Germany, the United States, Hong Kong, England and various other jurisdictions. Apart from court proceedings, he has represented clients in International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), German Institution of Arbitration (Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit – DIS), and ad hoc international arbitration proceedings, often regarding issues of Contract or Corporate law. Heiko also gives preemptive advise to help avoid future disputes and draft dispute resolution clauses and regimes.

Heiko’s second focus is on cross-border litigation and arbitration in Germany and abroad, often involving issues of common law. His two full legal educations in Germany and the United States offer clients a particular added value in matters that cross the common law/civil law divide. As a New York attorney, Heiko advises on litigation in US courts, including US discovery in Germany and in Germany on commercial litigation involving issues of US law. As an English Barrister and Solicitor Advocate Heiko represents parties in international arbitration proceedings under English law and advises on litigation in England. He is also a lecturer of common law at the University of Bonn.

Due to his extensive experience in China, Heiko increasingly acts as a counsel in international arbitration proceedings that involve Chinese parties. Heiko has been lecturing as a professor of international arbitration at Fuzhou University since 2015.

Career

  • Partner, Dentons, 2017 to date
  • Lecturer , University of Bonn, 2017 to date
  • 讲座教授 (Professor), Fuzhou University Faculty of Law, 2015 to date
  • Counsel, Clifford Chance, 2015-2017

Memberships

  • Member, International Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, New York Bar Association
  • Member, The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
  • Member, German Bar Association
  • Member, German-American Lawyers Association
  • Member, German-Swiss Lawyers Association
  • Member, German Arbitration Institution

Education

Barrister, England and Wales, 2015

Solicitor Advocate, England and Wales, 2014

Attorney at law, US Supreme Court, 2012

Attorney at law, New York State, 2009

University of Kansas, 2008, Juris Doctor

Admitted to the bar, Germany, 2006

Karlsruhe, 2004-2006, Legal Clerkship

University of Konstanz, 2003, Law Studies

Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 2001, Legal studies

Lawyer Rankings

Deutschland > Streitbeilegung > Commercial Litigation

Die Streitbeilegungspraxis von Dentons widmet sich neben grenzüberschreitenden zivilrechtlichen Streitigkeiten auch komplexen handels- und gesellschaftsrechtlichen Auseinandersetzungen, einschließlich Post-M&A-Streitigkeiten. Hier ist das Team insbesondere in der Beratung von Mandanten aus den Bereichen Energiewirtschaft, Infrastruktur, Anlagenbau, Automotive und Industrie tätig. Praxisleiter Heiko Heppner ist in vertrags- und gesellschaftsrechtlichen Streitigkeiten sowie ICSID-Verfahren zum Investitionsschutzrecht besonders versiert, während Matthias Hadding über umfassende Expertise in Verfahren rund um Anlagenbau verfügt. Thomas Nebel (kartell-, gesellschafts- und handelsrechtliche Streitigkeiten) wechselte im Dezember 2024 zu Hogan Lovells International LLP.

Deutschland > Streitbeilegung > Arbitration (einschließlich internationaler Arbitration)

Die deutsche Schiedspraxis von Dentons ist neben der Vertretung von Mandanten in internationalen Schiedsverfahren, oft mit Beteiligung von Staaten, auch in Handels- und Investitionsschiedsverfahren vorrangig präsent, wobei weitere Tätigkeitsschwerpunkte auf vertrags- und gesellschaftsrechtlichen Streitigkeiten sowie ICSID-Verfahren zum Investitionsschutzrecht liegen. In diesen Bereichen ist Praxisleiter Heiko Heppner der zentrale Ansprechpartner und ist darüber hinaus als Experte für internationales Schiedsrecht, insbesondere mit Chinabezug, anerkannt. Anlagebaurechtliche Auseinandersetzungen gehören zum Schwerpunkt von Matthias Hadding. Thomas Nebel (kartell-, gesellschafts- und handelsrechtliche Streitigkeiten) wechselte im Dezember 2024 zu Hogan Lovells International LLP.

Germany > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation

In addition to cross-border civil disputes, Dentons‘ dispute resolution practice also focuses on complex commercial and corporate conflicts, including post-M&A issues. Here, the team is particularly active in advising clients from the energy, infrastructure, plant engineering, automotive and industrial sectors, which are the focus of practice co-head Thomas Nebel (antitrust, corporate and commercial law disputes). Heiko Heppner, who jointly heads the practice with Nebel, is particularly well versed in contractual and corporate conflicts as well as ICSID proceedings concerning investment protection law, while Matthias Hadding has extensive expertise in proceedings relating to plant engineering.

Germany > Dispute resolution > Arbitration (including international arbitration)

In addition to representing clients in international arbitration proceedings, often involving states, Dentons‘ German arbitration practice also handles commercial and investment arbitration proceedings, with other focus areas including contractual and corporate disputes as well as ICSID proceedings pertaining to investment protection law. Here, practice head Heiko Heppner is the key contact and also a renowned expert for international arbitration law, particularly with regard to China. Plant engineering disputes are also a mainstay for Matthias Hadding. Thomas Nebel (antitrust, corporate and commercial disputes) joined Hogan Lovells International LLP in December 2024.