French Desk

Welcome to Germany! Europe’s largest market shares borders with France, Belgium and Switzerland and offers diverse opportunities to companies and investors from these countries. The German economy is modern and dynamic, the framework conditions are stable and reliable, and business is booming for small and medium-sized companies.

Our French Desk offers comprehensive consultation on all legal issues related to entry into the German market and your company’s ongoing business activities in Germany. The attorneys that make up our French Desk are German and French nationals and admitted to practice in Germany as rechtsanwälte and, in part, in France as avocats à la cour.

We have over 20 years of specialized experience in providing legal support to companies from France, Benelux and other French-speaking countries on matters of German commercial law. We understand your questions and concerns because we have first-hand knowledge of your national context as well as of the German rules, regulations and mechanisms. As a result, we can present you with ways, means and alternatives that your domestic legal system does not provide for – and we can do so in your native French or German, as well as in English or Dutch. If you desire to enter into the French-speaking market, our long-standing collaborations with specialized partner law firms in each of the relevant countries allow us to provide you with legal advice tailored to your specific needs.

Our areas of specialization include:

General commercial law

• Drafting international trade agreements of every kind
• Consultation on the adjustment of foreign standard business procedures (including internal regulations) to German law and the German market
• Defending your economic interests, including litigation in state courts and arbitration proceedings

Contact:

Justus Heldt
Dr. Jörg Michael Voß
Dr. Matthias Achenbach

Company formation in Germany, including support during the development phase

Contact:

Dr. Christian Berger
Justus Heldt

Labour law

• Introduction to German labour law, drafting employment contracts and managing director employment agreements
• Consultation and litigation support during the termination of employment relationships or service agreements
• Relationships with works councils, drafting agreements between works council and management

Contact:

Thomas Dick
Dr. Norbert Windeln

Distribution Law

• Consultation on developing, expanding and resolving distribution systems
• Drafting commercial agent, authorized dealer and franchise agreements, general terms and conditions

Contact:

Ralph W. Hummel
Claudia Dorfmüller

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Acquisition and sale of company shares

Contact: 

Dr. Christian Berger
Justus Heldt
Ralph W. Hummel

Litigation/Arbitration

Contact:

Justus Heldt
Dr. Matthias Achenbach

Public commercial law

• Consultation on all matters related to European law, business administration law and constitutional law (e.g. environmental law, law governing plant permits, law governing trade and commerce, planning law)
• Consultation on regulatory issues (cartel law, energy law, transport and public transportation)
• Consultation on the procedures related to subsidies and aid
• Consultation of contracting entities and tenderers during contract award and privatization procedures

Contact:

Dr. Rebecca Schäffer
Bianca Grewe

Commercial Real Estate Law

• Consultation on establishing companies
• Consultation on the purchase and sale of individual real estate objects and real estate portfolios
• Consultation on concluding rental and lease agreements
• Consultation on the asset management of real estate portfolios
• Consultation during the preparation of construction plans and obtaining official building permits

Contact:

Dr. Christian Berger