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Christian Scherer
Partner

Dr. Christian Scherer

Rechtsanwalt | Fachanwalt für Verwaltungsrecht (Certified lawyer for administrative law) | Fachanwalt für Vergaberecht (Certified lawyer for procurement law)

Languages
  • German
  • English
  • French
Social media

Christian Scherer has more than 20 years experience advising on construction and planning, procurement, environmental and other public law issues with a special focus on public and private industrial procurement and infrastructure as well as construction and other projects. His clients include project developers, operators and investors as well as public sector enterprises, public authorities and financial institutions. He mainly advises on complex infrastructure and industry projects, construction and defence projects, other project developments as well as real estate and corporate transactions. In this context, he and his team also cover subsidy and municipal law issues.

Christian is widely experienced in all relevant industry sectors such as roads, rail and ports, defence and security, water supply and distribution, hospitals and care homes, communications and education, energy, logistics, mining as well as food and chemicals.

Christian was admitted as a lawyer in 1996 and became a partner in 2001. He qualified as a specialist lawyer for administrative law in 1999 and as a specialist lawyer for procurement law in 2018. Furthermore he is member of the Defense & Security CMS taskforce.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Öffentlicher Sektor
    JUVE Handbuch, 2024/2025
  • Quote
    Listed for Project Finance and Development
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2024 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    Listed for Commercial Law
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2024 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Öffentlicher Sektor
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Öffentlicher Sektor
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    Listed for Project Finance and Development
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2023 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    Listed for Commercial Law
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2023 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Vergaberecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Planungs- und Umweltrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    „sehr guter Verhandler“, Wettbewerber
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Public Procurement, Environmental and Planning Law
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2022 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    Lawyer of the Year for Project Finance and Development
    Deutschlands beste Anwälte 2021 – Handelsblatt in Kooperation mit Best Lawyers
  • Quote
    "Christian Scherer [...] is a top-notch public procurement specialist with over 20 years of experience advising project developers, investors and public authorities on PPP matters and environmental planning."
    Who's Who Legal 2021
  • Quote
    "Global Leader" for Government Contracts
    Who's Who Legal 2020
  • Quote
    "very good negotiator", competitor
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2021 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "National Leader" for Government Contracts
    Who's Who Legal 2021
  • Quote
    Recommended for Public Procurement, Environmental and Planning Law
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2021 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Public Procurement: "excellent negotiator", competitor
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2018 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    Im Bereich Verkehrssektor „bekanntermaßen herausgehoben gute Fachkenntnis“, Mandant
    JUVE Handbuch, 2017/2018
  • Quote
    "extremely competent and pleasant, even in drawn-out, complex proceedings", client
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2018 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    „große Erfahrung bei ÖPP-Projekten in Hoch- und Tiefbau, bei Privatisierungen und Umstrukturierungen“
    JUVE Handbuch, 2015/2016
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Environmental and Planning Law, Public Procurement
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2016 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "Christian Scherer [...] is also well regarded."
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2015
  • Quote
    "Christian Scherer [...] advises operators, investors and public authorities on all aspects of project development, including permits, structuring and contracts. Clients praise his excellent connections."
    Chambers Europe, 2015
  • Quote
    "Christian Scherer [...] is the key lawyer at the firm for PPP projects."
    Chambers Europe, 2014
  • Quote
    "Commentators describe infrastructure and public law-focused Christian Scherer [...] as ‘very active in this field,’ adding: ‘He is one of the prominent players in the classical PPP market in Germany.’"
    Chambers Europe, 2013
  • Quote
    "quick grasp, slick performance, trustworthy", client
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2012 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "reliable, obliging, preeminent expertise", client
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2012 (GCLF)

Relevant experience

  • Comprehensive legal advice of the bidding consortium and the funders in connection with the PPP project B247 Mühlhausen-Bad Langensalza, including Due Diligence of the project documentation as well as preparation and negotiation of the finance and security documentation up to successful financial close
  • Comprehensive legal advice to the consortium, consisting of EIB, DekaBank, DZ Bank, Helaba, KFW IPEX-Bank, LBBW, MEAG and MUFG, with KfW IPEX-Bank as agent, regarding the financing of the PPP infrastructure project "Availability model A3 AK Biebelried – AK Fürth/Erlangen" (V-Model), the largest PPP motorway infrastructure project commissioned in Germany to date. It comprises the planning, expansion from four to six lanes, operation and maintenance of the approximately 76-kilometre-long section of the A3 federal motorway
  • Advice to a leading European armaments manufacturer on public procurement law and contract law in connection with the Franco-German programme for the development of a Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) and in connection with the invitations to tender issued by the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Utilisation of the German Armed Forces (BAAINBw) for seven automatic cannon systems and more than 20 mm ammunition
  • Advice to a European project developer in connection with the conversion of a former military airport into a logistics centre
  • Advising Deutsche Gesellschaft zum Bau und Betrieb von Endlagern für Abfallstoffe (DBE), an association that is responsible for planning, constructing and operating repositories for radioactive waste in Germany on behalf of the government, on awarding employee leasing contracts and complex mining works, in particular in the context of restrictive agreements between bidders
  • Advising the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs in relation to preparing, structuring and carrying out of the awarding of DBFO PPP projects on the upgrade parts of federal motorways (A-model): A8 Augsburg-Munich, A4 Hörselberge bybass road, A5 Malsch-Offenburg and A1 Hamburg-Bremen
  • Advising as Funders Legal Advisor in relation to DBFO PPP projects on the upgrade of federal motorways; A8 Ulm-Augsburg, A9 AK Hermsdorf-Schleiz and A94 Forstinning-Marktl
  • Advising bidders or lenders in relation to numerous public-private partnership social infrastructure projects, in particular the Burg prison project and the Mersch school campus project
  • Advising the operating company on the planning procedure for constructing a container terminal in the Cologne-Godorf port
  • Advising a real estate fund on acquiring Heringsdorf pier on the German island of Usedom
  • Advising the infrastructure fund BBGI on acquiring a 50% share in public-private partnership projects (schools and one military facility)
  • Advising and acting for STRABAG in relation to restructuring the public-private partnership project Westdeutsches Protonentherapiezentrum Essen

Publications

  • Kapitel "Compliance Anforderungen im Wettbewerb um öffentliche Aufträge", in: Schulz, "Compliance Management im Unternehmen", Fachmedien Recht und Wirtschaft Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH, 3. Auflage 2024
  • Kapitel zur Selbstreinigung im Vergaberecht, in: Schulz, Compliance Management im Unternehmen, Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH, Fachmedien Recht und Wirtschaft, 2. Auflage 2021
  • Kommentierung zu §§ 101, 104, 105, 122 - 126, 148, 151 - 154 GWB, §§ 42 - 46 VgV, §§ 1, 3, 24, 25, 33 KonzVgV, §§ 21 - 27 VSVgV, §§ 6, 6a, 23 VOB/A, §§ 6, 6a, 6e, 6f EU VOB/A, §§ 6, 6a, 6b, 6e, 6f VS VOB/A, § 5 UVgO§§ 31-33 UVgOin: Heuvels/Höß/Kuß/Wagner (Hrsg.), Vergaberecht-Praxiskommentar, Verlag W. Kohlhammer, 2021
  • Öffentlich-Private Partnerschaften, Roquette/Schweiger (Hrsg.), Vertragshandbuch Privates Baurecht, Verlag C.H. Beck 2020
  • Bodenschutzrecht, in Rehbinder/Schink (Hrsg.), Grundzüge des Umweltrechts, Erich Schmidt, 5. Auflage 2018
  • Das Wettbewerbsregister: Die bundesweite schwarze Liste für die Vergabe öffentlicher Aufträge, Compliance Berater, 2017, 261-264.
  • Anmerkung zu BVerwG, Urt. v. 15.03.2017 – BVerwG 10 C 3.16 (mit Laboranowitsch) – Kurze Verjährung subventionsrechtlicher Erstattungsansprüche, DVBI, 2017, 913.
  • Die Verjährung subventionsrechtlicher Rückforderungsansprüche (mit Laboranowitsch), NVwZ, 2017, 1837 ff.
  • Die bundesweite Blacklist für die öffentliche Auftragsvergabe – Der Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Einführung eines Wettbewerbsregister, (Magazin) Compliance, 2017.
  • Schon wieder eine neue VOB/A!, KA Korrespondenz Abwasser, 2017, 17.
  • Leniency applicant status does not protect company from necessary self-cleaning, ILO Competition & Antitrust, 2016.
  • Beschaffungspreis ist lediglich ein Teil der Gesamtkosten, Staatsanzeiger BW, 2015, p. 28
  • Die Konzentrationswirkung bei der Zulassung raumbedeutsamer Vorhaben und umweltrelevanter Anlagen, DVBI, 2015, p. 816 ff.
  • Die eisenbahnrechtliche Planfeststellung von Umschlaghäfen in der Form trimodaler Güterverkehrsterminals, UPR, 2015, p. 161 ff
  • Getting the Deal Through: Public Private Partnerships 2015, Country Report Germany, November 2014, Law Business Research Ltd
  • Die Definition verteidigungs- und sicherheitsrelevanter Aufträge nach §§ 99 Abs. 7 bis 9 und 13 GWB - Das Tor zum Sondervergaberecht für den Bereich Verteidigung und Sicherheit (mit V. Wagner), in: forum vergabe (Hrsg.), Bundesanzeigerverlag, 2013
  • Kommentierung der §§ 8, 8 EG VOB/A (mit el-Barudi), in: VERIS-VOB/A-Online-Kommentar, Bundesanzeigerverlag, 2013
  • Kommentierung der § 98 (mit Kuß), § 99 GWB (mit Heuvels), §§ 6, 6a, 22, 22a VOB/A, §§ 6, 6 EG, 7 EG VOL/A, §§ 4, 5, 10, 11 VOF, in: Heuvels/Höß/Kuß/Wagner (Hrsg.), Vergaberecht-Praxiskommentar, Verlag W. Kohlhammer, 2013
  • Verteidigungs- und sicherheitsrelevante Aufträge - Eine neue Auftragskategorie im Vergabebereich, NZBau 2012, S 533ff., Verlag C.H.Beck, 2012
  • Bodenschutzrecht, in: Hansmann/Sellner (Hrsg.), Grundzüge des Umweltschutzrechts, Erich Schmidt Verlag, 4. Auflage, 06/2012
  • Öffentlich-private Partnerschaften (mit Roquette), in: Roquette/Otto (Hrsg.), Vertragshandbuch Privates Baurecht, Verlag C.H. Beck 2011
  • Öffentlich-Private Partnerschaften im Krankenhaussektor, in: Leber/Pfeiffer (Hrsg.), Krankenhausfinanzierung, Luchterhand 2010
  • Auftragsvergabe (mit Pols), in: BMVBS/DSGV (Hrsg.), PPP-Handbuch - Leitfaden für Öffentlich-Private-Partnerschaften, vvb Vereinigte Verlagsgesellschaften, 2. Auflage 2009
  • Bodenschutzrecht, Loseblatt, ecomed SICHERHEIT, Verlagsgruppe Hüthig Jehle Rehm GmbH 2007
  • Straßentauglich? - PPP für kommunale Straßen, CityPartner 2005, p. 22 ff
  • Zum Ordnungsrahmen für die Sanierung von Altlasten in der Wasserrahmenrichtlinie, Wasser und Abfall 2004, p. 20 ff
  • PPP on the Road: Betreibermodelle im Bundesfernstraßenbau 2004, in: Knop (Hrsg.), Jahrbuch 2004 Public Private Partnership
  • BVerwG - Hochmoselquerung und Vogelschutz, IBR - Zeitschrift für Immobilien und Baurecht 2004, p. 1067
  • Gebührenpflichtigkeit von Amtshandlungen im Zusammenhang mit der Benutzung von Verkehrswegen für Telekommunikationslinien-Ein neues Nord-Süd-Gefälle?, TKMR - Telekommunikations- und Medienrecht 2002, p. 477 ff
  • Haftungsbegrenzung bei der Zustandsverantwortlichkeit für Altlasten - Ein Musterfall zur Eigentumsgarantie des GG, Altlasten spektrum 2000, p. 225 f
  • Europäisches Abfallrecht, NVwZ 1999, p. 590 ff
  • HüTTE - Umweltschutztechnik, Grundlagen des Umweltrechts; Strahlenschutz; Kreislaufwirtschafts- und Abfallrecht, Springer Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 1999
  • Landesrechtliche Andienungspflichten für Sonderabfälle, DVBl 1999, p. 1251 ff

Memberships & Roles

  • Chairman of the German Federal Public-Private Partnership Association and head of its infrastructure working group
  • European law committee and public procurement committee of the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste
  • Association for Environmental Law
  • Arbeitsgemeinschaft Vergaberecht im Deutschen Anwaltverein

Lectures list

  • Numerous lectures on procurement, environmental and infrastructure law and on public and private partnerships

Education

  • 2018: Certified lawyer for procurement law
  • 1999: Certified lawyer for administrative law
  • 1996: Admitted as a lawyer in Cologne
  • 1997: Doctor iuris
  • 1992 - 1993: Research assistant with the University of Mainz‘ public law department
  • 1992 - 1995: Trainee lawyer in Wiesbaden, Frankfurt and Geneva
  • 1985 - 1991: Studied in Mainz and Dijon (Certificat de Relations Internationales)