Legal 500 Germany 2024: FGvW again leading law firm

We are delighted to have been recommended in the new edition of The Legal 500 Germany 2024 handbook in the eleven practice areas of labor and employment law, construction law (including dispute resolution), corporate law, healthcare, trade, distribution and logistics, information technology & digitalization, M&A (mid-sized deals), trademark law, environmental and planning law, insurance law (dispute resolution) and competition law. Of these, we were ranked as a top tier law firm in the three areas of healthcare, construction law and environmental and planning law. Tobias Lenz in insurance law (dispute resolution) and David Kipping LL.M. in trademark law are named as "Leading Names".

References

We were very pleased to receive references such as these:

"Good cooperation between the different legal areas and locations."

"Professional expertise in a wide range of legal fields, coupled with a strong client focus."

"Very to the point and strong client focus; understanding of the industry."

"Very strong knowledge of international contracts. Very flexible and client-oriented. Professionally excellent. Very pleasant contact person and strong negotiation skills."

"Very business-oriented and good at understanding the client's needs. The advantage of being able to communicate complex legal issues in English was a blessing."

Recommended areas of law

The following lawyers are recommended in their practice areas:

Labor and employment law

In close cooperation with the corporate and M&A practice groups, the employment law team at Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner focuses on restructuring, reorganization and transactions, while ongoing employment law advice forms a further cornerstone. From three offices, the team focuses on different areas: Sabine Schröter's team in Frankfurt, for example, focuses on advising hospitals and medical care centers on outsourcing and restructuring measures; in Freiburg, under the leadership of Christoph Fingerle and Stefan Daub, the firm primarily advises medium-sized companies on transactions and restructurings; and in Cologne, under the leadership of Sven Köhnen, the firm is well-versed in conducting Germany-wide labor court proceedings. Other core lawyers are Annette Rölz and Stephanie Mayer.

Construction law (including dispute resolution) (TOP-TIER practice area)

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partners' combined expertise in construction and real estate law is called upon by contractors, public clients and general contractors in all phases of construction projects. The support ranges from contract drafting to conflict resolution and also covers the product liability and insurance law interface, which is primarily used in mechanical and plant engineering. Jörn Zons is the central contact for plant construction mandates; he is part of the team led by Uwe Steingröver, to which Justus Kraner (construction and plant construction, infrastructure projects, dispute resolution) has belonged as a partner since his appointment in January 2023. Steingröver works extensively in construction and architectural law and most recently took the lead in particular in dispute cases, including several evidentiary proceedings regarding construction defects. Other core lawyers are Hannes Reiher, Friederike Schäffler, Till Böttcher and Markus Beaumart.

Corporate law

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner regularly advises medium-sized companies as well as German and international groups (primarily from the life sciences sector) on a wide range of corporate law issues, including company formations, reorganizations of group structures, international joint ventures, general meetings and corporate governance. The practice is managed across all offices: Cologne-based transaction specialist Arnt Göppert, Annette Bödeker in Frankfurt, who regularly advises listed companies, Alexander Hartmann, who is based in Berlin and focuses mainly on venture capital and M&A with a particular focus on the technology sector, and Albert Schröder and Hendrik Thies in Freiburg, who are both dedicated to commercial, corporate and tax law. Christina Schröter (M&A in the healthcare sector) joined from VOELKER & Partner in September 2022.

Health (TOP-TIER practice area)

Under the leadership of pharmacy law expert Morton Douglas and commercial and corporate law specialist Jan Henning Martens, Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner advises large pharmaceutical companies, biotech start-ups, medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, laboratories, hospitals and care facilities across the entire spectrum of healthcare law issues. Clients at the interface to corporate law and M&A are often handled by Hendrik Thies and Meike Kapp-Schwoerer, while Sabine Schröter handles the intersection of labor and employment law, particularly in the context of reorganization measures. They are also experienced in conducting fundamental proceedings in pharmacy law and, in particular, drug advertising law.

Trade, distribution and logistics

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner's client base includes automotive suppliers and dealer associations as well as medium-sized companies and start-ups from the healthcare and technology sectors. These companies rely on the team's broad expertise, particularly in the drafting of dealer and supply contracts and in supply law disputes. The practice group is jointly led by Hendrik Thies, who has knowledge of commercial law at the interface with corporate law, and the distribution antitrust lawyer Sven Köhnen. Frank Jungfleisch also offers clients advice on contract law at the interface with IT law, while Stephan Dittl's IP expertise comes into play in franchise issues. Other core lawyers are Jan Henning Martens, Alexander Hartmann and Meike Kapp-Schwoerer.

Information technology and digitalization

With Werner Bachmann, Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner has a proven expert for IT mandates in the healthcare sector, making this interface area one of the team's core competences; in addition, Frank Jungfleisch is well positioned for mandates at the interface between IT and M&A and Lukas Kalkbrenner for related data protection issues and e-commerce-related mandates. The client portfolio includes start-ups, corporate groups, software manufacturers and pharmacies.

M&A (medium-sized deals)

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner focuses on advising large, medium-sized and internationally active family businesses and listed companies on national and international mid-cap transactions, merger control issues and FDI matters; its client base primarily comes from the healthcare, medical device and automotive industries, with start-ups also playing an increasing role. Real estate expert Arnt Göppert, technology transaction specialist Alexander Hartmann and Stefan Lammel, who advises on corporate law, tax law and corporate succession, jointly head the practice. Hendrik Thies and Jan Henning Martens focus on advising clients from the healthcare sector, including medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.

Trademark law

The advisory practice of Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner ranges from trademark registration to litigation. In close cooperation with the corporate law practice, the firm also often acts as IP counsel in transactions. David Kipping focuses on the areas of product piracy and counterfeiting, while Morton Douglas is often involved in portfolio advice and infringement proceedings. The two lead the practice group together with copyright and media lawyer Stephan Dittl and Norbert Hebeis (international filing strategies and registrations, community trademarks). Other core attorneys are Eva Kessler and Anne Bongers-Gehlert.

Environmental and planning law (TOP-TIER practice area)

In the field of environmental and planning law, Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner is characterized above all by its expertise in waste and immission control law as well as its knowledge of product liability law. Clients receive comprehensive advice on the Packaging Act and the Closed Substance Cycle Waste Management Act and also consult the team in waste law contract negotiations, claims for damages and legal proceedings. The environmental law compliance expertise of practice group head Olaf Konzak is frequently utilized in particular.

Insurance law (dispute resolution)

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partners' liability and insurance law expertise ranges from product liability insurance, including recall cost insurance, manager liability and D&O to environmental liability as well as property and fire insurance. Tobias Lenz, who heads the practice together with Carsten Laschet, who is experienced in contract and product liability law as well as in corporate manager liability, is also dedicated to D&O insurance. The importance of insurance contract law expertise was underlined in January 2023 with the appointment of Jerome Nimmesgern as a salary partner. Claudia Maaßen, who is active in litigation and arbitration proceedings, is also part of the core team. Another core lawyer is Mike Weitzel.

Competition law

Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner offers comprehensive expertise in competition law, from litigation to advice. The team is active in areas such as product counterfeiting, product piracy, licensing agreements and advertising law issues and also has know-how in trademark, design and copyright law as well as in transactional IP advice. The group's key contacts include Morton Douglas (pharmaceutical, medical and pharmacy sector) and David Kipping (advertising and unfair competition law) as well as soft IP lawyer Norbert Hebeis and copyright and media lawyer Stephan Dittl. Other core lawyers are Eva Kessler, Anne Bongers-Gehlert and Lukas Kalkbrenner.

We would like to thank everyone who contributed to this result!

Sabine Schröter