Transactional firm Noerr has broad expertise in the media sector. Particularly in the transactional sphere the team assists several media companies with acquisitions as well as with the formation and realisation of joint ventures, yet copyright, licensing and sponsoring matters also belong to the practice's core competencies. The group's market relevance additionally shows in its commitment to most current topics such as tariff contracts for short-time work in the film industry, where the team's expertise in employment and corporate law is of particular value. In the content space, the team around Johannes Kreile advises producers as well as streaming providers. The practice further focuses on gaming advice in relation to both betting regulation as well as video games and e-sports. Of counsel Ulrich Michel specialises in copyright, film, TV, music, advertisement and PR as well as in online law. Katharina Domnick  joined Brehm & v. Moers in January 2020.

SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte continues to be one of the most important media firms in Germany. In recent years, the practice's traditional core expertise in film advice has been supplemented by new elements which are now contributing to the group's continuous success. While the service offering was expanded by music rights expertise, the advice to the film industry continues to attract the highest praise and merit. Here, Mathias Schwarz was able to negotiate a tariff contract for short-term work during film productions, which lightened the burden of filmmakers unsettled by the pandemic; thereby, the group's expertise in employment law was particularly important. The highly regarded Martin Diesbach advises the largest companies worldwide on media and copyright law as well as regulatory and licensing issues. And practice head Norbert Klingner specialises in film and series productions where he represents producers, animation service providers and global distribution companies.

Stefan Engels  and his media team are one of DLA Piper's most dynamic practices nationwide. The group acts both on consulting as well as forensic level and offers solutions to the most current issues such as content distribution and innovative business models, but also on more traditional matters such as copyright, licensing and contracts as well as regulatory issues and right of privacy. Gaming, including gambling and video games, sports and e-sport are additional mainstays of the practice and also the focus of Kai Tumbrägel. The group represents clients such as TV stations and publishers in media litigation before the highest courts. Alongside its traditionally strong transactional practice, music right represents a growing practice for the group.

Greenberg Traurig Germany's media advice is not limited to regulatory advice, but spans the whole array of media law including the development of business models, contractual design and media litigation. Owing to its close cooperation with the firm's IT, employment, tax as well financing, telecoms and antitrust practices, the group is considered a full-service advisor for the media sector. The team maintains intensive client relationships with companies from the film and TV, digital media and streaming industries - both in Germany as well as internationally - and is able to competently advise them on matters such as film financing and film funding, music rights and licensing. Stefan Lütje heads the practice; in the market, his name is associated with his advice to Netflix on local content productions. Rising star and senior associate Laura Zentner focuses on copyright and media law as well as on IP and contractual law.

With a longstanding positioning among the strongest firms in the media law space Morrison & Foerster LLP was able to confirm the sustainability of its practice and its traditional assistance with cross-border media transactions and strategic developments came to fruition once again. The transactional as well as the global media practice revolves around Christoph Wagner, who advises high-profile clients from Germany and particularly from the US (Silicon Valley and Hollywood), while latter instructions emerge via its global firm network. The highly renowned Christiane Stützle, a specialist lawyer for copyright and media law, heads the global film and entertainment group. She advises financing, production and distribution projects stemming from the traditional film industry, although the team also acts in content- and technology-related as well as regulatory matters. The latter segment is Andreas Grünwald's area of expertise.

The compact media team at McDermott Will & Emery Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater LLP also takes on big and challenging tasks. The experienced lawyers around Wolfgang von Frentz and Ralf Weisser act in ambitious proceedings, particularly with regards to internet ad blocks, transmission and tariff rights as well as copyright, thereby attracting German as well as international market leaders from the media industry as clients. Von Frentz also advises on matters touching on IT law as well as on transactions and Weisser focuses on regulatory issues in the TMT sector.

ADVANT Beiten has one of the most renowned gaming teams in Germany that is frequently instructed by international firms as their preferred local partner for copyright, compliance and youth protection law. Andreas Lober is the key contact and advises on the marketing and distribution as well as on copyright protection of video games, but also on contractual and litigious matters. Gaming lawyer Wotjek Ropel is also recommended. In the content space, the client base is comprised of social media players, streaming providers and influencers, with SPIEGEL Online and SPIEGEL TV being new clients of the team.

The small Frankfurt-based media team at Klinkert Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB splits its advice offering between its copyright and sports law practice, which are under the leadership of Piet Bubenzer and André Soldner respectively. The service portfolio includes licensing and other contracts, the assessment of business models as well as the representation of German, internationally operating companies in litigious matters. Sports lawyer Hermann Schlindwein left the firm in Dezember 2019 to practice independently.

Following Ulrich Baumgartner's departure in October 2019, 'grand seigneur of gaming lawyers' Konstantin Ewald took over the leadership of Osborne Clarke 's media and digital entertainment group. The 'very competent' team includes the 'extremely committed' Felix Hilgert, who made partner in January 2020, as well as other lawyers acting in matters touching on IP, data protection and M&A. Global market leaders in the gaming industry as well as companies that focus on the German market rely on Ewald and his team both for ongoing advice as well as for complex disputes. The client base also includes TV channels, publishers and media groups.

Baker McKenzie's practice is characterised by its comprehensive media regulatory, copyright and trademark competencies which the team also utilises forensically. The firm is increasing its activity in the film, music and video-on-demand spheres and also advises a high number of social media clients on diverse media and IT matters. Its international gaming practice is the group's third focal point for which Munich-based Sebastian Schwiddessen, who assists clients with matters in the EMEA region, is the main contact. Holger Lutz in Frankfurt heads the group.

Boehmert & Boehmert's former practice head Jan Bernd Nordemann left the team to found his own firm Nordemann in December 2019. The remaining team members include renowned copyright lawyers such as Martin Schaefer.

GRAEF Rechtsanwälte's team behind Ralph Oliver Graef is particularly valued for its assistance with gaming matters. In this area, the group recently attracted several new clients such as an organiser of several e-sports tournaments and leagues. Additionally, the team advises on film and copyright law, including acquisitions of TV programmes, assistance with internationally co-produced series projects as well as litigation.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek's media teams are based in Düsseldorf and Cologne and are respectively led by Michael Schmittmann and Dominik Eickemeier, who took on this role in 2019. The group's client base includes TV stations, broadcasting companies, lottery companies and events organisers which the team advises on the optimisation of copyright licenses, retransmission rights and contractual design among other matters.

Hermann Waldhauser heads Heussen Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH's IP, IT and media team and advises clients from traditional industries such as film, TV, radio, music and advertisement, but also from the new media sector and software producers. Particularly players of the latter segment can confidently turn to the firm in matters touching on IP and IT law. Social media companies, streaming platforms, viral advertising agencies, e-commerce and online-based companies make up the majority of the group's client roster.

Schalast & Partner Rechtsanwälte's media law practice is headed by Udo Kornmeier. With a focus on licensing, production, screen adaptation and advertisement contracts, the team advises press enterprises as well as broadcasting companies on press and copyright issues and also represents them in proceedings before State Media Authorities. The group's service offering is complemented by further competencies, both internally via its cooperation with the firm's IT and antitrust practices as well as externally via the international network Multilaw.

White & Case LLP‘s entertainment team is highly regarded for its ‘very strong performance in court‘, its close cooperation with the firm’s telecoms and antitrust teams and the internationality of its practice; Norbert Wimmer, an expert in telecoms, media and broadcasting law, heads the team. He advises public entities, companies and private investors from Germany and abroad.