Deadlines
The research schedule and guidelines for Legal 500 Deutschland 2027 edition are now below.
Referee form deadline: 29 May 2026
Editorial submission deadline: 29 May 2026
The template documents you will need to send submissions are here:
Please note that this year’s research for Germany will be conducted in English, and we will only be accepting documents submitted in English.
Referee form NB: This template is in .xslx format. Do not resave it in any other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
Editorial submission template. NB: This template is in .docx format. Do not resave it in any other format as it may not be compatible with our system.
We’re excited to launch our new, streamlined Legal 500 submission portal, designed to make the entire process clearer, faster and easier to navigate.
To send your submissions to us, please visit submissions.legal500.com and follow the onscreen prompts to send us new documents.
Login details have been sent to all firms – if you have not received your login or have problems accessing submissions.legal500.com, please get in touch via our FAQ page using the ‘Using the Portal’ tab.
Please ensure you send your submissions in by the deadlines. The timetable for the research will be adhered to rigorously.
Research schedule info
Firm interviews conducted: June – September 2026
Publication: February 2027
FAQs and supporting info
Practice areas
Cities and practice areas we are researching for the Deutschland 2027 edition include:
*NEW: Please note that submissions and referee forms must be submitted in English only.
Changes
This year, we are introducing a new industry focus Automotive section. This section will highlight firms that demonstrate notable expertise and a strong track record in advising clients across the automotive sector, including manufacturers, suppliers, and related technologies.
Please note that we are no longer requesting separate submissions for our spotlight categories. If a firm’s submission for the wider practice area demonstrates expertise in a particular spotlight, it will automatically be considered for inclusion in that category.
Practice areas
Cities and practice areas we are researching for the Deutschland 2027 edition include:
Antitrust
- Antitrust
Antitrust litigation
Banking and finance
- Financial services: regulatory
- Fintech
- Investment funds
- Lending and borrowing
- Project finance
- Real estate finance
Capital markets
- Debt capital markets High-Yield
Equity capital markets - Equity capital markets
- Structured finance and securitisation
Derivatives
Compliance
- Compliance
- Internal Investigations
Corporate and M&A
- Corporat
Corporate and shareholder disputes - M&A: large deals (€500m+)
- M&A: mid-sized deals (€100m-€500m)
- M&A: smaller deals (sub-€100m)
Dispute resolution
- Arbitration (including international arbitration)
- Commercial litigation
- Financial services: litigation
- Product liability
Employment
- Employment
Food law and consumer goods
- Food law and consumer goods
Industry Focus
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Automotive NEW
- Energy
Regulatory
Transactions - Healthcare and Life Sciences
Drug advertising
law
Regulatory Transactions
Medical law· - Telecoms
Regulatory
Transactions
Information technology
- Data law
- Information technology and digitalisation
Transactions
Insurance
- Advice to insurers
- Insurance litigation
Intellectual Property
- Patent litigation: Solicitors
Transactions - Patent prosecution
- Patent litigation: Patent lawyers
- Trade marks
Design law
Trade mark administration and strategic advice
- Unfair competition
Media
- Entertainment
Copyright disputes
Gaming
Digital content
- Press and publishing
Private clients and non-profits
- Private clients and non-profits
Private equity
- PE transactions: large deals (€500m+)
- PE transactions: mid-sized deals (€100m-€500m)
Fund formation
- Venture capital
Public sector
- Commercial administrative law
- Planning and environment
Product-related advice
Waste management - Public procurement
- State aid
Real estate and construction
- Construction (including construction litigation)
Plant construction - Project development
- Real estate
Restructuring and insolvency
- Insolvency
- Restructuring
Tax
- Tax
Criminal tax law
Trade and distribution
- Foreign trade law
Investment control
Sanctions - Trade, distribution and logistics
Supply chain compliance
Transport
- Advice to the transport sector
- Maritime and shipping
Ship financing
White-collar crime
- Advice to companies
- Advice to individuals
City Focus: Commercial law We invite local firms as well as major national and international law firms with offices in the respective cities to submit overviews of their practices, highlighting areas of specialism. Within this section, we place special emphasis on regional clients and instructions.
- Berlin
- Cologne
- Düsseldorf
- Frankfurt
- Hamburg
- Munich
- Stuttgart