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UK Desk

in Germany

Our English Law Desk: English Law in Germany

Many international transactions apply English law, even where the subject matter has little or no connection to the UK. We see German inbound and outbound M&A and many international joint ventures involving German companies, complex financing transactions and international maritime law agreements governed by English law. Our English Law Desk in Germany has been set up specifically to support our clients with English law advice in a German context.

Experts in both legal systems

Our team is led by an experienced English qualified M&A partner and includes senior lawyers with many years' experience who studied in England or another common law jurisdiction, all of whom are admitted in Germany and fluent German speakers, as well as German-educated lawyers who are also English qualified.

Added value for clients

On the M&A side, the English Law Desk provides support with regard to German inbound and outbound M&A and joint venture transactions in which the primary contract documentation is drafted in accordance with English law.

Particularly for German SMEs and inbound investors from common law countries investing in Germany, the English Law Desk offers specialist support. The same applies to outbound transactions in English-speaking common law countries or other growth markets where English law is often applied.

We also advise both borrowers and financial institutions on financing and security documentation governed by English law, including issuing legal opinions in this context.

On the maritime law side, we advise owners and charterers on a wide range of English law-governed maritime contracts (e.g. charterparties, bills of lading, pool agreements and ship management contracts).

We support and assist our German clients as needed in international transactions. We offer unique advantages as an integrated German-speaking English law team able to draft and negotiate transaction documents based on English law while understanding the needs and expectations of German clients and business partners.

Recent English law M&A experience

  • Advising the founders of Sociomantic on the sale of the group to Dunhumby, a subsidiary of Tesco plc
  • Advising a German online travel business on the possible acquisition of the assets of an international online travel Business
  • Advising an international logistics company on the acquisition of assets in South America
  • Advising a French construction group on the acquisition of a European operator of multi-storey car parks

Recent English law finance and maritime experience

  • Advising a large international manufacturing corporation on its principal English law-governed revolving facility agreement with a global financial institution
  • Advising EnBW on the English law aspects of the sale of its shares in offshore wind farm EnBW Baltic 2 to Australian private equity investor Macquarie Capital
  • Advising numerous ship owners and charterers on various English law time and voyage charterparties
  • Providing general English banking law advice to various financial institutions relating to a variety of issues, including: consequences and effectiveness of prohibition on assignment clauses, duties of good faith under English contract law, and interpreting representations, undertakings and events of default under English law-governed facility agreements