Find Lawyers in Berlin, Germany for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Practice Area Overview
In Germany, Mergers and Acquisitions are governed by contract law and corporate law. In addition, different types of transactions are subject to a number of regulatory requirements. Regarding listed stock corporations, the Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act implementing the EU Takeover Directive, the Stock Exchange Act, and the Offering Prospectus Act impose additional requirements. Further, transactions meeting certain thresholds require clearance by the German competition authorities. Moreover, restrictions under the Foreign Trade and Payments Act may also apply.
Many transactions in Mergers and Acquisitions must be notarised by notaries public. This is true for asset deals involving the transfer of real estate, reorganisation procedures under the Transformation Act, and the acquisition of shares in limited liability companies (Gesellschaften mit beschränkter Haftung, “GmbHs”). Notaries public are also responsible for transmitting the updated list of shareholders to the commercial register after a transaction, a necessary prerequisite for acquisition of shareholder status. Given that GmbHs are very common in Germany, notaries public play a significant role in Mergers and Acquisitions.
Lawyers are involved in the entire transaction process. First, they generally assist in drafting a confidentiality agreement and a letter of intent. What follows is a due diligence process by which lawyers analyse whether the acquisition entails any significant legal risks. In the next phase, lawyers are responsible for drafting share or asset purchase agreements, taking into account any risks identified in the due diligence exercise. They also liaise with the notaries public, take part in negotiations, supervise closing and post-closing, and are responsible for other implementation work. Beyond that, lawyers advise board members and management on legal obligations and shareholder relations in connection with the transaction.
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Henrik Armah is a shareholder in the M&A/Corporate group of Greenberg Traurig's German office. He advises international and domestic clients on M&A transactions, joint ventures, corporate transformations and on all general matters of corporate law. He specializes in cross border transactions (buy side and sell side). His clients include industry players as well as private equity, venture capital and strategic investors. Henrik is an expert with particular experience in the technology,...
Wencke Bäsler advises real estate companies on all aspects of real estate transactions, including asset deals, share deals and the management of real estate properties. She also advises on corporate investments and participations, in particular joint ventures. Wencke has broad experience in advising national and international real estate investors, and has wide-ranging experience in handling the sale and acquisition of real estate portfolios, including structuring and financing. Another ...
Daniel Benighaus works as Shareholder in the German real estate practice. He advises national and international investors on project developments, real estate transactions and ongoing asset management. One focus of his work is advising on complex project developments such as developments of entire quarters, smart buildings, joint ventures and data centers. He has particular expertise in the sale of project developments in forward deals. Daniel also works as a notary with a focus on real estat...
Sara Berendsen advises on corporate transactions of all kinds, including acquisition and sale, joint ventures and restructuring. Sara has broad experience in the field of M&A transactions for national and international clients (asset and share deals) with a focus on the media, technology & telecommunications and real estate sectors. In addition, she advises on capital market issues and joint ventures.
Alexander Hartmann is partner at FGvW and head of our Berlin M&A team. His broad practice covers a wide range of domestic and cross-border transactions both for strategic and for financial investors. Based in Germany’s preeminent VC hotspot, his venture capital work covers the full range from early financing rounds to various exit constellations, including complementary fields of advice such as corporate finance and employee or management participation schemes. Alexander advises in ...
Josef Hofschroer focuses his practice on corporate law, with an emphasis on M&A transactions for national and international clients. He particularly advises on all aspects of capital markets and securities law. Furthermore, his practice includes distressed investments as well as joint ventures. Josef has particularly wide-ranging experience in the fields of energy, technology, telecommunications and real estate. Among his clients are start-ups, medium-sized and large companies as well as ...
Natalie Hsiao is Local Partner in the Corporate/M&A team and focuses her practice on complex corporate transactions of all kinds, including acquisition and sale processes, joint ventures and restructurings. Natalie has broad experience in the field of M&A transactions for national and international clients with a focus on the real estate, infrastructure and the media, technology and telecoms sectors. In addition, she advises on all aspects of venture capital investments. Natalie repre...
Nicolai Lagoni is a Shareholder in the German Corporate Group with extensive experience in the fields of M&A, private equity and joint ventures. His clients are multinational and domestic investors and corporations, which he regularly advises on complex cross-border transactions. Nicolai has wide-ranging experience in the areas of technology and telecommunications, real estate, and life-sciences. WirtschaftsWoche recognized him in 2019 as one of the most renowned M&A-Lawyers in German...
Oliver Markmann represents a wide range of private equity clients as well as large and medium-sized domestic and international companies (listed and unlisted). Oliver focuses his practice on corporate matters, including corporate restructurings and general corporate law topics with a focus on stock corporations. He advises national and international clients in private M&A transactions (share deals and asset deals) and the structuring of Joint Ventures. Another focus is to prepare and stee...
Philipp Osteroth is a Senior Associate in the Corporate/M&A team. Philipp focuses his practice on M&A and Private Equity transactions and has broad experience in the field of transactions on the technology & telecommunications as well as the real estate sector. Furthermore, he advises national and international clients on the structuring of joint ventures. Prior to joining the firm, Philipp worked for Olswang in Germany and as an associate in the Corporate/M&A Practice Group a...
Florian Rösch is a Shareholder and focuses his practice on real estate and corporate law, with a focus on real estate transactions and real estate developments. He also represents clients in joint venture situations and ongoing asset management work, including leasing. Florian also works as a notary with a focus on all kind of real estate and corporate notarizations. He works for domestic and foreign investors, asset management companies, developers, and the public sector. His experience...
Christian Schede is Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig Germany and chairs the firm's German Real Estate Sector Group. He focuses on complex M&A transactions in real estate, infrastructure and related financings as well as project developments. Christian's experience covers all real estate asset classes as well as projects in the energy and transportation sectors. His expertise includes advising on joint ventures, investment management platforms, and restructuring of property and in...
Peter Schorling is chair of the firm’s German Corporate Group, focusing his practice on M&A transactions. Peter advises on all aspects of M&A and corporate law, providing in-depth expertise in buy-side and sell-side transactions, private equity, joint ventures, corporate restructurings and capital markets. In particular, this includes various cross-border projects for international clients. Peter has wide-ranging experience advising clients in the real estate and media, technolo...
Henning Sieber focuses his practice on real estate and corporate law. He regularly advises on real estate acquisitions and sales, including structuring and financing, and has broad experience in advising on large-scale portfolio transactions. Henning is also experienced in the structuring and restructuring of real estate investments, including advising on restructuring and refinancing of distressed investments. Due to his diverse experience, Henning was named a leading lawyer in real estate b...
Dorothee von Einem advises companies on all labor and employment law related matters. A strong focus of Dorothee's practice is advising international clients on employee data protection and other compliance issues as well as employment contracts. Her expertise further covers all issues in connection with restructurings, reallocations and shut down of businesses, in particular with regard to negotiations and communication with works councils and authorities. She also routinely advises on all l...
Dr Christian von Wistinghausen is Partner at BEITEN BURKHARDT's Berlin office and co-head of the Corporate / M&A practice group. His area of expertise comprises mergers & acquisitions, private equity and alternative investments. He advises national and international clients on cross-border M&A-transactions and joint ventures. Dr Christian von Wistinghausen studied law at the University of Berlin (Dr iur. 1998) and King's College in London, UK (LL.M. 1995). He was admitted to the G...
Being an Associate in the German Corporate/M&A team, Lukas Gauert advises national and international clients in M&A transactions, the structuring of joint ventures and on all general corporate law matters. Furthermore, he focuses his practice on advising start-ups and on venture capital financings. Prior to joining the firm as an attorney, Lukas Gauert worked as a paralegal and legal clerk in both the Berlin and the New York offices of Greenberg Traurig.
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