- listed and unlisted companies
- family businesses and entrepreneurial families
- financial investors
- shareholders (majority and minority shareholders)
- management, supervisory and advisory boards and their respective members, directors
- Establishment of companies and associations with all legal forms available under German law (including foundations, cooperatives and SE)
- Advice regarding the corporate governance of companies, particularly statutes, articles of association, partnership agreements, bylaws, establishment of corporate bodies, implementation of corporate guidelines, German Corporate Governance Code
- Advice regarding joint ventures, vote pooling agreements and other shareholder agreements
- Preparation and conduct of general meetings of listed companies
- Drafting of complex civil and commercial law contracts
- Capital increases and other capital measures
- Mergers
- Demergers
- Inter-company agreements
- Change of legal form
- Squeeze-out
- Cross-border change of legal seat and transformations
- Drafting and preparation of domination and profit transfer agreements and other inter-company agreements
- Group integration measures in de facto groups absent a domination agreement
- Questions of shareholder and D&O liability in group law matters
- Disputes regarding group integration and group management
- Exclusion of minority shareholders (Squeeze-out)
- Cash-pooling and intra-group financing measures
- Implementation of new and review of existing compliance management systems
- Compliance investigations and internal investigations
- D&O liability in connection with compliance cases
- Advising members of the management, supervisory and advisory boards on the conclusion of service agreements
- Advising on the legality of management measures, particularly as regards the limits of the business judgment rule and capital maintenance requirements
- Advising on the compliance with directors' obligations under the articles of association, bylaws and statutory law (e.g. limitation language)
- In court and out of court representation, e.g. in D&O liability cases, competence disputes and the enforcement of claims under service agreements
- Advising in connection with management participation and other incentive programs
Providing long-term advice to entrepreneurs and family businesses is a focal point of our practice. This comprises in particular:
- Drafting tailored company agreements, shareholder and pooling agreements
- Integrated company, succession and family law advice regarding company succession including the implementation of foundation solutions and acting as executors of a testament
- Mediation of and representation in shareholder disputes
We have comprehensive experience in advising listed companies and their shareholders in, inter alia, the following fields:
- Ongoing capital markets law advice of listed companies, for example regarding the compliance with ad-hoc disclosure obligations
- Structuring and enforcement of public takeover offers and the de-listing or down-listing of the target company
- Advising the management and supervisory board of a target company in connection with friendly or hostile public takeovers
- Litigation in proceedings against shareholder resolutions, both on the company’s as well as the investor’s side
- Litigation of damage claims based on capital market liability
Advice in conflict situations and representation in corporate and commercial disputes is one of the main focal points of our practice. We advocate the interests of our clients with full force in asserting or defending against claims.
Public perception plays a major role in dispute situations. We therefore coordinate our approach with the public relations advisors of our clients where necessary.
Representing directors, companies as well as D&O insurances in cases of D&O liability is one of our focal points. In claims against directors, situations of existential dimensions are not uncommon. Apart from legal expertise and assertiveness, this requires at times sound judgment and the ability to develop constructive solutions.
The effective assertion and contentious enforcement of shareholder rights is of crucial importance for investors. Dispute resolution and representation of investors is among our core competences. This applies in particular to:
- Disputes with corporate bodies regarding the fulfilment of their obligations and the extent of their competences
- Asserting information and profit distribution rights
- Review of compensation payments to investors in connection with public takeovers, squeeze-out, the conclusion of domination and profit transfer agreements or other significant structuring measures
- Convening extraordinary shareholder meetings
- Initiation and conduct of extraordinary audits
- Appointment of special representatives
Shareholder disputes, particularly disputes between majority and minority shareholders, but also disputes arising in the context of joint ventures between equal partners, are often emotionally charged disputes of great economic importance for the parties involved. Our experience with such extraordinary situations and our corporate law expertise enable us to effectively realise the interests of our clients through creative and constructive solutions or vehement enforcement of rights.
Our broad experience with M&A transactions enables us to provide sound advice to our clients in disputes related to company sales and comparable transactions. This includes, in particular, disputes regarding purchase price adjustment, breach of warranty, indemnity obligations, lack of disclosure or claims based on the discontinuation of negotiations. Claims against M&A consultants also fall within the spectrum of our advice.
Complex and large commercial disputes are often the subject of arbitration or expert proceedings, or are settled in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Representing our clients in such proceedings is a central aspect of our practice.
The provision of legal advice to financial investors and companies in M&A transactions is at the core of our practice.
- Preparation and execution of company sale on the seller and buyer sides including buyer or vendor due diligence
- Transaction-related restructuring measures by way of a preparatory carve-out or carve-in
- Post-closing restructuring
- Earn-out arrangements and re-investments
- Public takeovers on the side of the offeror, the target company, management or substantial shareholders
- Other public acquisition offers
- Minority shareholders
- The General Clause on Consumer Protection under Unfair Competition Law (Die Verbrauchergeneralklausel des UWG), 2017
- Conference Report: "Framing – The 'Hard Core' of Unfair Competition Law", GRURInt 2016, 911 (together with Frauke Henning-Bodewig)
- Restrictions under Unfair Competition Law to In-App Offerings (Die lauterkeitsrechtlichen Schranken von In-App-Angeboten), WRP 2015, 1187
- Munich Commentary on the German Stock Corporation Act, vol. 7, 4th ed., 2016, annotations on the group law applicable to Societates Europaeae (Annex to Art. 9 SE-Regulation) an on European Corporate Law (freedom of establishment and free movement of capital) (5th ed. in preparation, will be released in 2020) – Alexander Ego
- The Practice of D&O liability cases under the German Stock Corporation Act, in: Servatius (editor), ZIP Compendium Corporate Litigation, 2nd ed., 2020 (fourthcoming) – Christian Stretz
- Compendium on Directors‘ and Officers‘ Liability (Handbuch der Managerhaftung), Chapter on the Liability of Supervisory Board Members (forthcoming) – Henrik Humrich
- “Internationale Organ- und Gesellschafterhaftung 20 Jahre nach ̔Centros̕ – Zwischenruf zur Niederlassungsfreiheit von EU-Kapitalgesellschaften”, IWRZ 2019, 243 – Alexander Ego
- “Isolierter Hinausformwechsel vor dem EuGH, Anm. zu den Schlussanträgen von Generalanwältin Juliane Kokott in der Rs. C-106/16 (Polbud)”, DB 2017, 1318 – Alexander Ego
- „Streitgegenstand und Prozessvergleich des KapMuG“, doctoral thesis, Nomos (Schriften zum Prozess- und Verfahrensrecht), 2019 - Erika Ditler
- Münchener Handbuch des Gesellschaftsrechts, vol. 8, Legal Transformation of Companies, 5th ed. 2018, commenting the legal remedies (challenging shareholder resolutions, aprroval proceedings (Freigabeverfahren) and statutory appraisal proceedings (Spruchverfahren)) in mergers, demergers and change of legal form - Henrik Humrich
- Beck'sche Online-Formulare Prozess, 37th ed., 2018, online commentary on arbitration forms - Christian Stretz
- “Anspruch aus § 64 GmbHG begründet keinen Schadensersatzanspruch im versicherungsrechtlichen Sinn” (annotation to Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, decision dated 20 July 2018 – I-4 U 93/16), GWR 2018, p. 353 - Christian Stretz
- “Beschränkte Wirkung der Schiedsklausel im Mehrparteienvertrag” (annotation to Higher Regional Court of Saarbrücken, decision dated 23 November 2017 – 4 U 44/16), GWR 2018, p. 215 - Christian Stretz
- “Unwirksamkeit einer Schiedsgutachtenvereinbarung zur möglichen Organhaftung eines Vorstands” (annotation to Higher Regional Court of Munich, decision dated 30 March 2017 – 23 U 3159/16), GWR 2017, p. 357 - Christian Stretz
- “Zum Umfang der Inzidentprüfung einer Schiedsvereinbarung bei gerichtlicher Bestellung eines Schiedsrichters” (annotation to Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt a.M., decision dated 2 December 2016 – 26 SchH 4/16), GWR 2017, p. 142 - Christian Stretz
- “Das beschleunigte Verfahren unter Geltung der neuen ICC-Schiedsgerichtsordnung”, GWR 2017, p. 89 et seqq. - Christian Stretz
- “§ 1032 II ZPO und prima facie Prüfung einer Schiedsvereinbarung” (annotation to Higher Regional Court of Munich, decision dated 24 November 2016 – 34 SchH 5/16), GWR 2017, p. 49 (together with Dr. Gerhard Lang) - Christian Stretz
- Münchener Kommentar zum Aktiengesetz, vol. 7, 4th ed. 2016, annotations on the freedom of establishment and free movement of capital - Alexander Ego
- “Unzulässigkeit einer Vollversammlung bei nur rechtsgeschäftlicher Vertretung einer beteiligten GmbH” (annotation to Reginal Court of Duisburg, decision dated 15 January 2016 – 22 O 100/15), GWR 2016, p. 384 - Christian Stretz
- “Zur Zulässigkeit einer Satzungsregelung, durch die das Grundkapital bedingt durch Ausgabe von Nennbetragsaktien erhöht wird” (annotation to Higher Regional Court of Berlin, decision dated 12 February 2016 – 22 W 93/ 15), GWR 2016, p. 361 - Christian Stretz
- “Kommunikation des Aufsichtsrats mit den Mitarbeitern”, BOARD 2015, 184 et seqq. - Henrik Humrich
- “Die (vermeintlichen) Informationsrechte des besonderen Vertreters nach § 147 II AktG”, NZG 2014, 441 et seqq. – Henrik Humrich
- “Rechtswahlfreiheit im europäischen Insolvenzrecht”, doctoral thesis, Mohr Siebeck (Schriften zum ausländischen und internationalen Privatrecht), 2014 – Jan-Henning Wyen
- “Der besondere Vertreter im Aktienrecht”, doctoral thesis, Duncker & Humblot (Abhandlungen zum Deutschen und Europäischen Gesellschafts- und Kapitalmarktrecht), 2013 – Henrik Humrich
- “Die Streitverkündung im staatlichen Gerichtsverfahren und ihre Interventionswirkung im anschließenden Schiedsverfahren”, SchiedsVZ 2013, 193 et seqq. - Christian Stretz
- “Die Funktionalitätshaftung des Bauunternehmers im BGB-Bauvertrag”, doctoral thesis, Verlag C.H. Beck (Münchener Universitätsschriften), 2013 - Christian Stretz
- “Münchener Kommentar zum Aktiengesetz”, vol. 7, 3rd ed., 2012, annotations on the freedom of establishment and free movement of capital – Alexander Ego (together with Holger Altmeppen)
- Leitfaden zur Mediation für Rechtsanwälte, ZAP 2012, 917 et seqq. - Erika Ditler (together with Martin Engel)
- “Der M&A-Ausschuss des Aufsichtsrats”, BOARD 2011, 107 et seqq. – Jan-Henning Wyen (together with Steffen Oppenländer)
- “Aktien statt Cash – Offene Fragen beim Tauschangebot unter dem WpÜG”, in: “Festschrift für Klaus J. Hopt zum 70. Geburtstag am 24. August 2010”, 2010, p. 1955 et seqq. – Jan-Henning Wyen (together with Achim Herfs)
- “Reporting Requirements for Cash-Settled Total Return Equity Swaps in the U.S. and Germany”, LL.M. dissertation Harvard Law School, 2009 – Henrik Humrich
- “Gesellschafterdarlehen, Insolvenzverschleppungshaftung und Niederlassungsfreiheit der Kapitalgesellschaften”, in: “Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internationaler Rechtsverkehr – Deutsches Recht im Wettbewerb – 20 Jahre transnationaler Dialog”, 2009, p. 140 et seqq. – Alexander Ego (together with Holger Altmeppen)
- “Europäische Niederlassungsfreiheit der Kapitalgesellschaft und deutsches Gläubigerschutzrecht”, doctoral thesis, Nomos, 2007 – Alexander Ego