- Member, Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Antirust Lawyers Association) and Competition Litigation Forum
- Member, Antitrust Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA)
Dr René Grafunder > Dentons > Dusseldorf, Germany > Lawyer Profile
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Dr René Grafunder

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
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.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Insurance > Advice to insurers
- Transport > Advice to the transport sector
- Antitrust
- Compliance > Compliance
- Trade and distribution > Foreign trade law
- Real estate and construction > Real estate
- Dispute resolution > Arbitration (including international arbitration)
- Industry focus > Energy
- Industry focus > Healthcare and life sciences
- Public sector > State aid
- Capital markets > Structured finance and securitisation
- Industry focus > Telecoms
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation
- Corporate and M&A > Corporate
- Capital markets > Debt capital markets
- Corporate and M&A > M&A
- Public sector > Planning and environment
- Tax
- Intellectual property > Trade marks
- Trade and distribution > Trade, distribution and logistics
- Information technology > Data protection
- Employment
- Private equity > Transactions