Germany 2026
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Head of legal and deputy director of legal and compliance | Condor Flugdienst
Rising Star
Vice president legal innovation and head of legal services global purchasing and logistics | Robert Bosch
Head of legal and compliance officer | Danone Deutschland
Senior associate vice president and principal legal counsel | Deutsche Börse
Rising Star
Group general counsel and chief compliance officer | SEFE Securing Energy for Europe
Group general counsel and senior vice president legal and audit | HARIBO Holding
Vice president legal, ethics, compliance and quality | Novo Nordisk
Head of legal - corporate, DigITal and sustainability | Merck Group
Rising Star
Group general counsel and member of the group management committee | Deutsche Bank
Team lead of technics and product law | Jungheinrich
Rising Star
Group investment counsel and interim head of legal Germany | P3 Logistic Parks
Regional general counsel Middle and Eastern Europe | SAP Deutschland
Director of legal and compliance | Condor Flugdienst
Assistant general counsel and director | Aramark Deutschland
Rising Star
In-house counsel and director of corporate services | CGI
Rising Star
General counsel and vice president legal and compliance | GKN Automotive
Head of legal corporate and investment banking Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Nordic countries | Banco Santander
Group head of contract and data protection law | Amadeus Fire Gruppe
Group vice president legal, audit and data protection | Amadeus Fire Gruppe
General counsel and head of global HR and legal | Maxon Computer
Director of legal, human resources and corporate development | VfL BOCHUM 1848
General counsel and vice president legal and corporate compliance | Vetter Pharma-Fertigung
Head of the legal department | Stadtwerke Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main
Rising Star
Head of legal, compliance and risk management | Lufthansa Industry Solutions
Rising Star
The German in-house legal market continues to move towards lean, tech-enabled and strategically embedded legal functions. The 2026 edition of the Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Germany puts the spotlight on the in-house leaders driving a legal counsel sector in which AI and human-centred leadership coexist under growing regulatory and geopolitical pressure.
Over the past year, Germany’s in-house legal market has been shaped by a technology-led transformation and rising regulatory complexity. These forces have pushed legal teams to evolve into the most strategic, efficient, and digitally enabled versions of themselves. Balancing compliance, business partnering, and operational excellence, as budgets tighten and the talent landscape grows increasingly competitive, has become the defining challenge for in-house legal leaders across the country.
Legal is no longer a support function within organisations, but a key strategic business partner. Legal teams across Germany are increasingly perceived as trusted advisors, navigators, and enablers of growth. Their early involvement in strategy, transformation, and crisis management positions GCs in the region not merely as lawyers sitting next to the business but, as Dr Ivo Frohmüller, Senior Associate VP and Principal Legal Counsel at Deutsche Börse, puts it, as “business leaders with a law degree.”
In conversations with in-house counsel worldwide, AI sits firmly at the top of the agenda, and Germany is no exception. With the integration of Copilot, Harvey, and other internal GenAI tools, the narrative has shifted from experimentation to pragmatic, tool-driven implementation. Several German GCs note that while AI is currently surrounded by hype, its real competitive impact will emerge only once it is fully embedded into legal workflows. As Dr Christian Folter, head of legal business at BASF SE, observes, “the trick is to recognize the turning point, and act accordingly.”
At the same time, rising regulatory density, alongside new trade restrictions, export controls, sanctions regimes, and the fragmentation of global legal frameworks, is transforming the legal function in the country. In-house teams are moving beyond the interpretation of law towards navigating contradiction, uncertainty, and speed in an increasingly complex operating environment.
Finally, German in-house counsel have matured their ESG thinking, understanding it as an element of operational culture rather than a standalone compliance exercise. As Dr Christine Fischer, director of legal counsel at Hapag-Lloyd AG, explains, “ESG requirements need to be translated into workable processes for the business, otherwise they risk becoming purely theoretical.”
Against this backdrop of rising expectations, regulatory intensity, and geopolitical pressure, the T-shaped leader, combining deep legal expertise with technological fluency, strategic thinking, and human-centred leadership, is becoming the norm across German legal teams.
We would like to thank and congratulate the 2026 cohort for their thoughtful insights and the candid conversations shared with our team throughout the research process. It has been a pleasure to learn from your perspectives and experiences.
Carmen Godoy Martin, Lead researcher: GC Powerlist Germany 2026
On July 1st, Legal 500 unveiled the fourth edition of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2026, in partnership with PLMJ. Hosted once again on the rooftop terrace of the firm’s Lisbon office under a blazing summer sun, the event brought together many of Portugal’s most accomplished in-house lawyers to celebrate this distinguished community of legal leaders.
Returning to its individual-focused format, this year’s edition marked the reintroduction of the Rising Stars category, recognising some of the country’s most promising emerging in-house counsel. It also saw the world debut of the Transnational Leaders category, highlighting general counsel whose leadership and influence extend beyond national borders and whose responsibilities span multiple jurisdictions.
The evening commenced with a welcome address from Legal 500’s editorial lead Francisco Castro, who emphasised the importance of continuously evolving the publication to reflect the realities of Portugal’s in-house legal market. He highlighted the rigorous research and selection process behind the GC Powerlist series and congratulated the honourees for their outstanding contributions to the profession and the organisations they serve.
Following this introduction, Bruno Ferreira, Managing Partner of PLMJ, took to the stage to congratulate those recognised in this year’s edition. In his remarks, he underscored the increasingly strategic role of in-house counsel in supporting business growth, navigating complexity, and driving legal excellence. He also reflected on the transformative impact that AI is having on the legal function and the opportunities it presents for corporate legal teams.
Concluding the formal proceedings, Alexandra Reis, Senior Counsel at Tabaqueira and a recipient in the inaugural Transnational Leaders category, shared a few reflections on the significance of recognising in-house lawyers and the value of fostering a strong, connected legal community. Drawing on her own experiences, she spoke about the importance of networking, knowledge-sharing and celebrating a profession whose contributions often take place behind the scenes.
The launch of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2026 proved to be a fitting celebration of the country’s leading in-house legal talent. The evening showcased the depth, expertise, and influence of Portugal’s corporate counsel community while reaffirming Legal 500’s commitment to recognising and championing its achievements. We extend our sincere thanks to all those who participated in this year’s research process, and to PLMJ for once again partnering with Legal 500 to provide a platform that honours these exceptional legal professionals.
