Hengeler Mueller applies its corporate expertise in the context of IPOs, SE conversions, compliance, takeovers and sales as well as in virtual general meetings and his particularly frequently active for DAX-listed companies; most recently, the practice also assisted various clients in withdrawing from Russian business relationships. Maximilian Schiessl assists national and international listed companies with corporate and capital market issues and further advises boards of directors and supervisory boards as well as on public takeovers and cross-border acquisitions. Corporate governance, compliance and liability expert Lucina Berger, Hartwin Bungert, who has experience in restructuring and general meetings, and Daniela Favoccia, who is experienced in corporate, group and capital market law, complement the practice's capacities. Corporate and capital market expert Stefan Richter and Rainer Krause retired in March 2023 and October 2023, respectively, while corporate and transaction lawyer Johannes Baumann joined Baker McKenzie in December 2023 and renowned corporate lawyer Andreas Austmann founded his own practice Austmann Senior Legal at the beginning of 2024.

Linklaters advises DAX40, MDAX and SDAX companies as well as other high-profile German and international corporations and their boards of directors on corporate issues, including in connection with restructuring projects, reorganisations, IPOs and general meetings. Tim Johannsen-Roth further complements the practice's capacities with expertise in complex M&A deals, restructuring and corporate governance and jointly leads the team with Marco Carbonare, who assists companies and financial investors with cross-border M&A and capital market transactions. The team also includes Ralph Wollburg, who heads the global M&A group and advises DAX companies on cross-border acquisitions, Kristina Klaaßen-Kaiser (cross-border mergers, sales and acquisitions), Staffan Illert (stock and capital market law advice as well as corporate disputes) and Hans -Ulrich Wilsing (stock corporation and corporate law). M&A and restructuring expert Andreas Zenner made partner in May 2023.

Blue chip clients rely on Allen & Overy LLP's expertise in complex corporate, stock corporation and capital market issues, with the team also assisting executive and supervisory boards with general meetings, crisis situations, complex structural measures, public takeovers as well as corporate governance and compliance issues. Practice head Nicolaus Ascherfeld primarily acts for clients from the infrastructure, energy and transport sectors with a focus on M&A and private equity transactions as well as joint ventures, while Christian Eichner mainly advises stock corporations and private capital investors on stock corporation, corporate and transactional matters and capital market expert Hans Diekmann assists DAX and MDAX companies with public takeovers and general meetings. Jonas Wittgens, who is experienced in stock corporation, conversion and capital markets law, and private equity transaction specialist Roman Kasten made partner in 2022, while Dorothée Kupiek (corporate and capital markets law, transactions) made counsel in November 2022 and counsel Hauke ​​Sattler, who has restructuring experience, joined from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer at the same time.

With a particularly strong foothold in the automotive, energy and technology industries as well as healthcare, Clifford Chance advises listed companies on corporate governance issues, general meetings and capital market compliance as well as in the context of IPOs and capital increases; the team's corporate expertise is also regularly called upon in cross-border transactions, joint ventures and global restructurings. Transaction specialist Thomas Krecek is frequently instructed by financial services companies and heads the practice, which also includes Christian Vogel (corporate law and cross-border transactions) and Markus Stephanblome (M&A, private equity). In May 2022, Simon Schmid, who focuses on corporate law and capital market transactions, and Dominik Heß, who is experienced in corporate, capital market, group and transformation law, made partners.

CMS focuses its corporate advice on national and international corporate restructurings, in particular SE conversions, joint ventures, headquarter transfers, ESG and related compliance issues. The corporate team primarily supports clients from the automotive, energy and telecommunications sectors and can also rely on the expertise of its employment, tax and antitrust practices. Antje Becker-Boley, who assists with restructuring and company acquisitions in the energy sector, Richard Mitterhuber, who focuses on restructuring projects and corporate transactions of medium-sized companies, and Jacob Siebert, who advises investors and private equity funds on cross-border M&A transactions and joint ventures, jointly lead the practice. Most recent team changes include the retirement of Peter Baisch (joint ventures and restructuring) and the departure of Ralph Drouven, who is experienced in corporate disputes, and senior associate Georg Dietlein in June 2023 to found Drouven Dietlein Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB. Florian Plagemann, who has M&A experience, made partner in January 2023.

DLA Piper's corporate practice is well equipped for cross-border corporate restructuring due to its global firm network and extensive expertise, but also assists its clients, consisting of DAX40 companies and multinational corporations, with corporate governance, compliance and board liability issues as well as with post-M&A disputes and general meetings. Experienced M&A lawyer Benjamin Parameswaran has been co-chair of the global corporate practice since November 2022 and also jointly heads the German team with PE and M&A lawyer Andreas Füchsel, who took over the role from Nils Krause (stock corporation and group law), who in turn was appointed International Co-Head of Corporate Legal Products and Innovation. The team further includes Kerstin Schnabel, who focuses on capital markets law and primarily advises listed companies, and Cornelius Frie, who is experienced in restructuring, joint ventures and transactions. Moritz von Hesberg (cross-border transactions and corporate governance) made partner in May 2023, while Lars Jessen (private equity and M&A) joined from Paul Hastings LLP in September 2022. In January 2024, corporate lawyer Andreas Meyer-Landrut left for Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH.

Large international corporations, listed and owner-managed companies, entrepreneurial families as well as executive and supervisory boards, rely on Gleiss Lutz's expertise in complex restructuring, stock corporation and group law matters, compliance and in the strategic and organisational preparation of general meetings. Practice head Peter Steffen Carl focuses on restructuring-related stock corporation and capital market matters, while Michael Arnold is well versed in corporate governance and compliance; the latter area is also a focus for Eike Bicker, who handles litigation as well. Gabriele Roßkopf has extensive experience in restructuring, Adrian Bingel is considered an expert in advising listed companies and Dirk Wasmann and Vera Rothenburg focus on the preparation of general meetings.

Listed companies as well as family businesses, private equity investors and financial institutions across a broad range of industries instruct Latham & Watkins LLP's corporate team to advise on transactions, joint ventures and carve-outs, while the group also frequently cooperates with the firm's internal restructuring and financing practices. Since Nikolaos Paschos (general meetings and corporate governance) joined Paul Hastings LLP in February 2024, Heiko Gotsche (public takeovers, joint ventures and restructuring) has been leading the team on his own; other key contacts include Henning Schneider (focus on M&A and PE transactions) and Rainer Traugott, who assists with M&A transactions and advises executive and supervisory boards.

Baker McKenzie's corporate practice advises listed companies and international corporations on reorganisation, cross-border mergers, relocations, joint ventures and corporate compliance, but also assists with stock corporation matters, corporate disputes and general meetings. Christian Atzler acts with a focus on M&A, corporate affairs and investment projects and jointly leads the team with Berthold Hummel, who primarily advises on private equity and cross-border transactions. The team also includes Christian Vocke (stock corporations and corporate law), Katharina Stüber (stock corporations and capital markets law) and Peter Wand (cross-border M&A transactions) as well as Johannes Baumann, who joined from Hengeler Mueller in December 2023 and specialises in carve-outs, shareholder matters and corporate governance.

Eversheds Sutherland's corporate capacities are primarily applied in the context of corporate structural measures, including restructuring and SE conversions, for international corporations - frequently involving cross-border aspects- and national medium-sized companies; here, Holger Holle (corporate law and M&A) and Carsten Brüninghaus, who also has expertise in business creations, shareholder advice and equity financing, particularly stand out. The team, led by M&A lawyer Steffen Schniepp who joined from PwC Legal (PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal AG Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft) in October 2022, is further adept in carve-outs, general meetings, compliance and corporate matters and was strengthened by the arrival of commercial and corporate lawyer Christian Ostermöller from King & Wood Mallesons in January 2024.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's advice covers the entire range of corporate law, while it has a particular focus on corporate governance and receives corresponding instructions by DAX40 corporations, large and international industrial companies and their bodies, investors and entrepreneurial families; the team is also experienced in cross-border transactions and restructurings, executive and supervisory board issues as well as corporate litigation including post-M&A disputes. The practice further includes Lutz Englisch, who is experienced in transaction, stock corporation and conversion law, Ferdinand Fromholzer, who regularly advises on general meetings, and Markus Nauheim and Dirk Oberbracht, who are both experienced in PE and M&A issues. Of counsel Silke Beiter also advises private and listed companies on corporate governance, structural measures and general meetings.

Glade Michel Wirtz - Corporate & Competition's corporate expertise spans judicial and regulatory proceedings, the preparation and implementation of structural measures under corporate and conversion law as well as corporate governance and is primarily called upon by listed corporations and large family businesses in the automotive, real estate, telecommunications and media sectors as well as by financial investors. Achim Glade (M&A and joint ventures), Marco Sustmann (corporate and capital market law including compliance), Andreas Merkner (advice of listed companies on corporate, group and capital market law), Alexander Retsch and Friedrich Schulenberg (both focus on corporate and capital market law) jointly head the practice. Corporate law and insolvency expert Jochen Markgraf joined Seitz Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater in April 2023.

Milbank's expertise extends across the entire corporate spectrum, including structuring, corporate governance, compliance and corporate support for national and cross-border transactions. Stock corporation law, group law and capital market law represent further mainstays of the practice, which mirror Christoph Rothenfußer's expertise, who is also experienced in general meetings; he jointly leads the team with Ulrike Friese-Dormann, who advises executive and supervisory boards on board liability issues, and Norbert Rieger, who focuses on stock corporation and corporate law as well as public takeovers.

Ashurst LLP's corporate advice predominantly focuses on transactions and assisting boards of directors, particularly with compliance matters and corporate governance; the latter area represents one of Thomas Sacher's mainstays. Led by transaction lawyer Benedikt von Schorlemer, the team further advises on general meetings, carve-outs, joint ventures and company formations in the energy, financial, automotive, real estate and healthcare sectors.

Dentons places a particular focus on advising listed companies and large national corporations on SE conversions, squeeze-outs, corporate restructurings, general meetings and on corporate governance and compliance issues. The team is jointly led by Robert Weber, who is experienced in stock corporation and corporate law, Alexander von Bergwelt (corporate law, corporate restructuring and litigation) and Rebekka Hye-Knudsen, who is experienced in joint ventures, private equity and restructuring.

Large national and international as well as medium-sized companies and startups from various industries, including renewable energies, regularly call upon Orth Kluth Rechtsanwälte's corporate practice for restructuring, D&O liability and D&O issues, joint ventures and post-M&A disputes. The practice is jointly led by Marc Henze (corporate and transformation law), Kai-Michael König (focus on corporate liability), Boris Körner (financing, M&A and corporate law), Christian Meyer (corporate liability and D&O damages) and Robert Orth (commercial and corporate law related to M&A transactions).

Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB assists companies and investors with cross-border M&A transactions, restructuring and corporate governance issues and also advises international companies on their German market entry; these areas also represent practice head Thomas Peschke's mainstays, who is further experienced in post-merger integration and international due diligence projects, particularly in the retail and consumer goods sectors. Sven Schulte-Hillen supports clients in crisis situations and is experienced in insolvency issues and disputes, while Sandra Schuh is the key contact for group structure optimisation, company restructuring, board liability and corporate governance.

Deloitte Legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH focuses on cross-border restructuring projects including relocations, preparation of IPOs and post-M&A, with its client base including medium-sized companies and international corporations from a variety of sectors. The team is jointly led by Andreas Jentgens, who oversees international M&A transactions and is responsible for the Japan desk, and Julia Petersen, who is experienced in cross-border restructuring and transactions; compliance and corporate governance expert Volker Schulenburg is another key contact.

Greenberg Traurig Germany advises on all key corporate issues, but places  particular emphasis on complex corporate structural measures and cross-border joint ventures; expertise is also available on cross-border conversion measures, restructuring projects and corporate governance issues as well as general meetings. The life sciences, technology, media and telecommunications sectors represent Henrik Armah's playing field, who regularly advises on M&A, joint ventures and general corporate issues; he jointly heads the practice with Peter Schorling, who focuses on the real estate industry. Josef Hofschroer, who is experienced in corporate and capital market law, and Oliver Markmann, who is well versed in private equity and stock corporation law, are other contacts.

K&L Gates LLP advises multinational corporations, medium-sized companies, investors and board members as part of its transaction practice also on corporate issues as well as strategic issues and corporate governance. The team further assists with restructuring and general meetings, where Martina Ortner is particularly adept, as well as with distressed M&A, which is handled by insolvency expert Georg Bernsau. Thomas Lappe heads the practice and provides holistic M&A support to companies from the automotive and technology industries.

Squire Patton Boggs' expertise covers corporate disputes, restructurings and joint ventures and is primarily called upon by DAX40 companies, private equity and venture capital investors as well as private sector companies, with a particular focus on the real estate and technology industries. Practice head Kai Mertens has many years of experience in transactions and financing law, while Volker Heidbüchel further focuses on restructuring and joint ventures. Matthias Werner, previously at POELLATH, joined the corporate real estate practice in Berlin in January 2023.