Germany

Innovation is one of the main drivers of German business and Orrick, consistently recognised as a leading legal innovator, is well placed to assist companies that are driving German economic growth. Orrick assists German Dax companies, multinationals, and nation states, including the Federal Republic of Germany, in the technology & innovation, energy & infrastructure and finance sectors, advising on all aspects of transactions, disputes, cybersecurity and privacy and foreign investments from our offices in Düsseldorf and Munich.

Venture Capital and Technology

Our German team advises financial investors, corporates and cutting-edge companies in their tech related investments, and financing rounds, accompanying many of Germany’s dynamic start-ups from Seed and Series A financing stages, through to later Series B and C funding rounds, more than half of which involve 100% foreign investors. We have been shortlisted for JUVE’s Private Equity & Venture Capital Law Firm of the Year award as a result of our continuous advice on some of the most noticed venture transactions in Germany. Our work in Germany is part of our significant European capabilities that has resulted in Orrick being #1 in PitchBook’s European venture capital ranking for the last 5 consecutive years. Our Orrick Legal Ninja Series offers clients deep insight into the German tech ecosystem and VC market.

Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity

We are regularly ranked in the top 10 for global M&A advising multinationals and German corporates, including of the DAX 30, industrials, mid-caps and increasingly start-ups, in standard as well as more challenging M&A transactions and complex restructuring not only in Germany and Europe but further afield. We are experienced in advising sponsors, corporate and strategic buyers, owners and management teams in domestic and cross-border PE transactions including LBOs, MBOs as well as minority participations and expansion or growth financings.

International Arbitration and Commercial Litigation

Orrick’s German team is known for being a disputes powerhouse and is called on by private investors, international companies and sovereign states to provide representation in a wide range of complex cross-border disputes. Our experience includes representing a client in a multi-billion ICC arbitration on price provisions in the energy sector, defending one of the largest German power producers against recourse claims of over €600m, representing nation states in ICSID arbitration proceedings and winning a €780m litigation for a US tech company against a German renewables multinational. We have a strong track record in post M&A, JV and infrastructure disputes and our company and state representations have led to us being recognized by JUVE as the German Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year in 2020.

Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Innovation, IT/IP

With data innovation high on the agenda of many clients we have a market-leading global team who provides advice and counselling on compliance with EU, U.S. and other international data privacy and cyber security laws, as well as the complex regulatory landscape surrounding IP and IT. Recognized for being among the leading German Data Privacy practices by Legal 500 we provide strategic advice on matters relating to GDPR specific data mapping, e-commerce, international data transfer and deal with the German Datenschutzbeauftragten and supervisory authorities on a regular basis.

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Tax

Our tax team works alongside our private equity and venture capital specialists that is focused on both integrity and innovation. We advise on tax issues in transactions as well as on stand-alone litigious / non-litigious tax issues and have particular knowledge of how groups of companies and cross-border transactions can be structured in a tax-efficient manner within the German tax framework.

Employment

Our German employment team is an integral part of our global employment practice consisting of 70 specialized employment lawyers around the world. We advise some of the most sought-after multinationals in all areas of individual and collective employment law. We help our clients manage their global workforce and overcome the myriad domestic and cross border human resources issues that arise with a particular focus on restructuring, outsourcing and headcount reductions, including collective bargaining with works councils and unions as well as board remuneration. We are particularly experienced in areas most crucial to tech companies such as the German law on temporary agency work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz).

Antitrust, Competition and Foreign Investments

The antitrust and regulatory environment is continuously changing, in Germany, the EU and globally. Our team of recognized experts delivers effective and hands-on advice for the new challenges. We work in all areas of antitrust and regulatory law, including merger filings and foreign investment screenings, cartel investigations, abuse of dominance cases and cartel damages claims. Our German-based team of both German and Chinese qualified lawyers allows us to assist clients on Sino-German transactions, especially on Chinese investments in German companies, part of the €200 billion annual bilateral trade between China and Germany. We provide German foreign trade and investment law (AWG) advise of increasing relevance to both investors and companies in the tech & innovation, energy & infrastructure and finance sectors.

Finance

Together with our global finance and capital markets teams, our German finance team advises clients regarding capital markets, banking and financial law including areas such as investment (funds) law and carbon trading. We advise on financial regulatory aspects, especially in the context of large tech transactions often in fintech.

Pro bono

At Orrick Germany we have a strong culture of commitment to making a social impact and almost all of our lawyers, both partners and associates, spend a considerable amount of their time advising charitable initiatives. Among others, we assist in a results-based financing project supporting rural women entrepreneurs in India, helped establish a secure video chat platform developed for child and youth welfare in Germany and have supported charitable organization Aktion gegen den Hunger, the German section of Action Contre la Faim – Action against Hunger, for many years.