Germany: Business Crime Defence
Increased regulatory focus on businesses in the wake of the global financial crisis has led to the exposure of numerous white-collar crimes in Germany. Not only is the number of cases increasing but so is the complexity of the matters themselves, becoming much more global in nature with prosecutors shifting their focus from individuals to companies. In this growing field, 37 lawyers are recognised as the pre-eminent defence specialists.
Three lawyers receive recommendations at criminal law boutique, HammPartner Rechtsanwälte. Founding partner, Rainer Hamm has a “long-standing reputation” in the field and a “distinguished career”. Stefan Kirsch is a “highly recommended” defence lawyer and specialises in business crime with an international focus and Regina Michalke is a “revered” business crime defence lawyer.
Thomas Deckers Wehnert & Elsner also earns three inclusions. Sven Thomas has represented high-profile individuals and is one of the most “highly nominated lawyers” in our research. Anne Wehnert is “greatly respected” for her expertise in the area, advising the EU commission on how to harmonise criminal law and procedure throughout Europe. Marcus Mosiek specialises in white-collar crime including corruption, bankruptcy, breach of trust and capital markets crimes and advises on preventative measures as well as defending individuals and companies.
Boutique firm Frick Quedenfeld Rechtsanwälte fields two lawyers. Dietrich Quedenfeld focuses his practice on white-collar crime and criminal tax law and is “highly notable” in our research. Jörg Frick is an “esteemed” tax law specialist and is experienced in litigation and appeals, customs audits and investigations, accounting and bribery offences, and criminal prevention counselling.
Walther Graf at Feigen & Graf defends individuals charged with criminal economic conduct and is a member of the Judicial Examination Office of North Rhine-Westphalia. Alongside him, Hanns Feigen is commended for his expertise in white-collar criminal defence, including banking, tax, and environmental law violations, and he has acted as defence counsel in criminal proceedings against top executives.
Two lawyers from Lohberger & Leipold are listed, Stephan Beukelmann is noted for his “expert knowledge” in commercial criminal law and Klaus Leipold concentrates on criminal commercial and tax proceedings. In addition the firm offers preventive counselling.
Wessing Rechtsanwälte earns two inclusions. Heiko Ahlbrecht is “well versed” in European and international criminal law, advising on fiscal offences and white-collar crime. Jürgen Wessing represents individuals in defence proceedings and national and international companies on compliance matters.
Felix Dörr of Dr Günter Dörr & Partner (GbR) Rechtsanwälte is a “top-tier” lawyer and Daniel Krause at Krause Lammer Wattenberg is an economic criminal law “specialist” focusing on defending alleged white-collar crime individuals.
Eberhard Kempf is a founding partner of Kempf & Dannenfeldt, a criminal law boutique. He has been active in the foundation of the International Criminal Bar and is “highly rated” as defence counsel for business crime.
Sole practitioner Franz Salditt is “well known” for his expertise in tax law and Alexander Ignor of Ignor & Partner GBR is chairman of the criminal law committee of the Federal Bar Association and a “brilliant practitioner” according to our research.
At Dierlamm Rechtsanwälte, Alfred Dierlamm is a “formidable defence counsel” and specialises in white-collar crime and fiscal offences. Kai Hart-Hoenig, a sole practitioner, defends both individuals and companies in criminal proceedings and his recent work includes advising banks in relation to accusations of aiding and abetting tax evasion committed by customers anonymously transferring money and securities to second countries.
Ferdinand Gillmeister of Rechtsanwälte Gillmeister Rode Trüg is a criminal defence lawyer specialising in commercial and tax offences and works on both domestic and international cases.
Wolf Dieter Schiller at Schiller & Kollegen is “highly sought after” to defend banks and house-building associations in relation to alleged economic offences.
Renate Verjans at Verjans Böttger Berndt represents a range of clients from companies to individuals in cases including fraudulent accounting, European market regulation law, bribery and tax fraud.
At Clifford Chance LLP, Heiner Hugger is “highly commended” for his practice defending companies and their staff members in relation to investigations. Sole practitioner Otmar Kury defends individuals charged with criminal economic conduct and is a “reliable practitioner” according to our sources.
Egon Müller at Heimes & Müller is praised for his “extensive” experience of economic and tax law and Holger Matt of Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Prof Dr Holger Matt is a criminal defence lawyer who works on national and international cases covering all aspects of economic law.
At DLA Piper LLP, Jürgen Taschke heads the white-collar, corporate crime and investigations team in Germany and has an “excellent reputation” for defending multinational organisations in corruption, fraud and tax matters that span the globe. Eddo Compart of Compart & Schmidt is an “excellent defence counsel”.
Eberhard Wahle of Eisenmann Wahle Birk has a “long-standing reputation” in the field of white-collar crime and sole practitioner Klaus Volk specialises in commercial related criminal law defence work.
Volker Hoffman of Hoffmann & Partner has extensive experience as defence counsel in intricate and complex economic crime cases. Barbara Livonius at her own firm specialises in corruption, fraud, embezzlement, bankruptcy proceedings and insider offences.
Thomas Knierim of Knierim & Kollegen Rechtsanwälte concentrates his defence practice on white-collar crime, tax and accounting crimes and at Redeker Sellner Dahs, Hans Dahs is “greatly respected” for his white-collar crime defence work. Heading up the firm Strate & Ventzke, Gerhard Strate has represented high-profile individuals in relation to white-collar crime charges including Alexander Falk, the former CEO of ISION, against the charge of fraud, in one of the longest-lasting trials in German history.