Dr René Grafunder > Dentons > Dusseldorf, Germany > Lawyer Profile

Dentons
KÖ-Quartier
Breite Straße 22
Düsseldorf, 40213
-
Germany
René Grafunder photo

Work Department

Competition and Antitrust

Position

Dr. René Grafunder is a partner in Dentons’ Frankfurt office and Co-Head of the Competition and Antitrust group in Germany. He advises clients on EU and German competition matters, including merger control, compliance and state aid. René has substantial experience dealing with cartel, abuse and merger control proceedings before European and national competition authorities and courts. His comprehensive sector expertise in particular covers health care and life sciences, banking, postal services as well as manufacturing. René is a lecturer on EU Competition Law at the DeutscheAnwaltAkademie and the University of Potsdam. He regularly publishes on EU and national competition matters. Before joining Dentons, he worked for another leading law firm in Düsseldorf, Brussels and Beijing. René studied in Potsdam, Paris and Freiburg as well as at the College of Europe in Bruges and clerked at the German Federal Cartel Office.

Career

  • Partner, Dentons, Berlin, Frankfurt (2017-present)
  • Counsel, Dentons, Berlin (2016-2017)
  • Managing Associate, Linklaters, Düsseldorf and Beijing (2011-2016)
  • Associate, Linklaters, Düsseldorf and Brussels (2008-2011)

Memberships

  • Member, Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Antirust Lawyers Association) and Competition Litigation Forum
  • Member, Antitrust Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA)

Education

University of Freiburg, 2010, Dr. iur.

Admitted to the bar, Germany, 2008

Legal clerkship, 2006-2008, Freiburg, Stuttgart and Bonn

College of Europe, 2005, LL.M.

University of Freiburg, 2004, Legal studies

Paris Nanterre University, 2001, Licentiate in law

University of Potsdam, 2000, Legal studies, (German and French law)

Lawyer Rankings

Germany > Antitrust

Dentons Europe (Germany) GmbH & Co. KG comprehensively advises on all aspects of antitrust law and offers support in antitrust proceedings, merger control, antitrust investigations and cartel damages proceedings, including clients’ representation before the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission. The practice is jointly headed by Florian Wiesner and René Grafunder; Wiesner is well versed in advising on cooperations with competitors and Grafunder has expertise in antitrust compliance and state aid law. The team also covers interfacing procurement law and ​​investment control matters. Counsel Arne Karsten is experienced in drafting contracts in accordance with antitrust law, which is regularly drawn upon in connection with distribution antitrust law matters. Global practice head Jörg Karenfort, who is experienced in cartel and market power abuse proceedings, and Norman Hölzel (cartel damages) are further key contacts; the latter was appointed to partner in April 2024.

Deutschland > Kartellrecht > Kartellrecht

Das Kartellrechtsteam von Dentons Europe (Germany) GmbH & Co. KG deckt den Themenbereich umfasst ab und betreut Kartellverfahren, Fragen der Fusionskontrolle, kartellrechtliche Untersuchungen und Kartellschadensersatzverfahren, wo man Unternehmen regelmäßig vor dem Bundeskartellamt und der Europäischen Kommission vertritt. Die gemeinsame Praxisgruppenleitung obliegt Florian Wiesner und René Grafunder; Wiesner ist in der Beratung zu Kooperationen unter Wettbewerbern versiert und Grafunder in der kartellrechtlichen Compliance und dem Beihilfenrecht. Weitere Synergien bestehen zum Vergaberecht und dem Bereich Investitionskontrolle. Counsel Arne Karsten ergänzt dieses Spektrum mit Expertise in der kartellrechtskonformen Vertragsgestaltung, was insbesondere bei der vertriebskartellrechtlichen Beratung zum Tragen kommt. Der in Kartell- und Missbrauchsverfahren erfahrene globale Praxisleiter Jörg Karenfort zählt ebenfalls zum Kernteam, dem Norman Hölzel (kartellrechtlicher Schadensersatz) seit der Ernennung im April 2024 als Partner angehört.