People

Dr. Benedikt Kamann Associate

Düsseldorf

He advises companies on German and European antitrust and competition law, in particular on merger control, compliance, internal investigations, cartels and abuse of dominance.

Furthermore, Benedikt advises on foreign trade law issues, in particular on investment review proceedings before the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Prior to joining Orrick, he worked as a research assistant at a leading German law firm and as a trainee lawyer in the antitrust team of a leading international law firm, at a U.S. law firm in its Los Angeles office, and at the German Federal Parliament in the department for EU policy issues.

Marianna Karapetyan Senior Associate

Düsseldorf

She advises companies in all stages of growth, from pre-IPO start-ups to unicorns and investors to international corporations on a wide range of labor law matters. In addition to day-to-day employment law advice, this includes assisting companies with complex transactions, restructurings, and redundancies.

Her practice also focuses on employment law issues, such as employee leasing, service contracts for the management board or advice in the conclusion and negotiation of shop agreements.

Most recently, she has advised leading global technology companies such as Pinterest and Snap on various labor law issues and has been an important contact for many young technology companies since their foundation.

Marianna has been with Orrick since 2019.

Dr. Nicholas Kessler, LL.M., EMBA Partner

Düsseldorf

Nicholas has extensive experience with arbitral proceedings under the auspices of all of the major arbitral institutions and rules (e.g., ICC, DIS, SCC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ICSID, ad hoc).

Nicholas graduated from law school in 2003 (University of Munster), earned a PhD in law and an Executive Master of Business Administration (M&A) in 2005 and was allowed to the German bar in 2007. In 2008 he received a Master of Laws diploma from the University of Cambridge (UK) and was entered on the roll as Solicitor of England & Wales in 2010.

Dr. Kessler is a visiting lecturer at the University of Münster and teaches the international arbitration and mediation in the university's post graduate program on mergers and acquisitions. He frequently publishes and holds speeches on arbitration and litigation-related topics.

Dr. Lars Mesenbrink Partner

Düsseldorf

His background in economics, Chinese language skills and extensive international experience add to his excellent legal knowledge and allow him to advise his clients on a comprehensive basis.

Lars has represented clients before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office in all areas of competition law, inter alia including mergers, compliance, cartels, litigation and abuse of dominance.

In these areas, he provides companies with innovative solutions on high-profile complex matters including private damages actions and cartel investigations, often involving multiple jurisdictions.

Lars also pursues international trade and compliance matters, including matters involving foreign investment filings in Germany.

Benedikt Migdal Partner

Düsseldorf

Benedikt advises on structuring and negotiating the IP aspects of corporate transactions, including M&A, divestments and venture investments as well as of commercial transactions where intellectual property rights and know-how are key assets. His work encompasses, for example, IP licensing and technology transfer agreements, engineering services agreements, transition services agreements, R&D collaborations, and IP aspects of contracts throughout the life sciences sector.

Benedikt is also an experienced patent and trade secret litigator and has represented German and international clients from a range of industries in complex disputes, especially concerning patents and know-how in the fields of mobile telecommunication/connectivity and the life sciences.

Based on his extensive experience in both IP transactions and litigation, he deeply understands the full range of legal and economical issues that technology-driven companies are challenged with in context with IP. This also includes IP-related competition law issues, such as FRAND-requirements for licensing and enforcing standard essential patents as well as issues arising in connection with EU regulations concerning technology transfers.

Nico Neukam Partner

Düsseldorf

His experience spans various industries, with a particular focus on advising companies in the growth and financial services sectors, often with an international scope.

Nico is listed by Legal 500 as a "Rising Star" and a "Recommended Lawyer" in tax law. His clients appreciate his forward-thinking solutions, which he develops proactively and in consensus with the tax authorities to ensure the best outcome for his clients.  

Nico Neukam joined Orrick in April 2024 after working for another international law firm for many years.

Carl Oldenbourg Associate

Munich

He advises start-ups and scale-ups on their foundation, financing rounds and growth phases as well as on internationalization projects. He also advises VCs and corporate VCs on their investments.

Before starting his legal practice, he also worked as a trainee lawyer for a U.S. law firm in its San Francisco office.

Onur Öztürk Counsel

Munich

He regularly advises founder teams on the establishment of a two-tier U.S./German holding structures, be it in connection with their admission to a U.S. accelerator or be it for better access to early-stage financing opportunities in the richer U.S. funding ecosystem.

During his legal training, Onur had been with the M&A practice of a Big Four accounting firm and the legal department of a major German technology company in Germany and Canada. In 2022, Onur worked from our San Francisco and Menlo Park offices for three months to take a deep-dive into the Silicon Valley's start-up ecosystem.

Dr. Johannes Rüberg, EMBA Partner

Munich

This includes venture and growth financings in all stages and general corporate counseling. His practice further focuses on advising strategic and financial investors on mergers and acquisitions.

Germany's leading legal directory JUVE lists Johannes as frequently recommended for both corporate law and venture capital, including a competitor's testimonial "very good expertise, pleasant cooperation" (2024/2025). Legal 500 Deutschland lists Johannes as a "recommended lawyer" for venture capital (2024), including the testimonials "very supportive and a pleasure to work with", "extremely conscientious", and "quick response time" in its 2022 edition. Since 2021, he has been recognized by Germany's leading business daily Handelsblatt as a "Ones to Watch" lawyer for corporate law.

In addition to his work as a lawyer, Johannes has completed the joint Executive MBA program by U.S.-based Kellogg University and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany’s leading startup university.

Asalia Melanie Scheibner, LL.M. (UCLA) Associate

Düsseldorf

Prior to joining Orrick, Asalia Melanie Scheibner gained experience at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a leading global French consumer goods company, and several international law firms.

Dr. Christian Schröder Partner

Düsseldorf

Christian helps clients consider the privacy and artificial intelligence implications of new technology, supports their compliance programs, and helps them stay ahead of enforcement trends. One particular focus of his work deals with internal data transfer agreements, external data transfers with external providers, and product launches that comply with international data protection standards, as well as privacy requirements for connected cars. Furthermore, Christian provides guidance on privacy and data protection considerations for developing, acquiring, using, licensing and selling technology, data and intellectual property, including M&A transactions and IP focused joint ventures. He supports companies on the set-up of webshops, outsourcings, license agreements, in cases of trademark or unfair and deceptive trade practice issues, as well as on hard and software license and information technology (IT) project agreements.

Christian maintains strong working relationships with German data protection authorities and EU regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over privacy and data security matters. He effectively defends companies in cybersecurity and privacy-related investigations initiated by EU regulatory authorities. He also engages with authorities on behalf of clients and helps clients avoid proceedings and possible litigation. When litigation can't be avoided, Christian vigorously defends his clients.

For companies facing global cybersecurity incidents, Christian helps with crisis mitigation, including counseling on notification requirements, coordinating media strategies, and representing clients before data protection authorities in related regulatory investigations.

Christian regularly contributes practical thought leadership to global privacy industry publications and German privacy books and journals. Christian authors the Chapter V (international data transfers) of Germany’s leading GDPR commentary Kühling/Buchner (4th ed.) and is co-author to the Corporate Privacy Handbook (Betrieblicher Datenschutz). As an active member of the Sedona Conference, Christian drives the development and understanding of cross border privacy. He also participates in, hosts and moderates speaking programs with fellow private practitioners, EU data protection authorities, and academics focused on privacy and data security. Legal 500 Germany named Christian one of the top 15 practitioners in 2023 and noted that he is "a pioneer in the legal field, a data protection guru." They also recognized Christian and Orrick as "truly global" and how that it is "vital as they require the various leaders of each region to participate and bring issues to the table as a forum".

Prior to working in private practice, Christian interned with the German Federal Data Protection Commissioner and www.epic.org.

Dr. Stefan Schultes-Schnitzlein Partner

Düsseldorf

His focus is on corporate transactions and their financing, financial restructurings, as well as tax audits and tax litigation. The tax support of growth companies at all stages has become an increasingly larger part of his work in recent years. U.S. flips, management incentivization, financing rounds, and exits are just some of the areas in which Stefan has been active in the growth sector.

Stefan leads the German Orrick offices together with Christoph Brenner.