Hengeler Mueller is one of the top addresses in antitrust law and has longstanding experience in German and EU antitrust law. Among the mainstays are antitrust compliance, internal investigations, antitrust fine proceedings, merger control and current issues pertaining to digital antitrust law; one of the recent highlights is the representation of Google in the 'News Showcase proceedings' in connection with the §19a GWB amendment before the Federal Cartel Office. The contentious expertise also covers market power abuse proceedings, where Thorsten Mäger is a key contact, and Thomas Paul impresses with his experience in civil cartel damages proceedings. The expertise in transaction-related antitrust law was recently strengthened with the appointment of Jörg Meinzenbach to partner in January 2024, he regularly advises on issues at the interface with energy law. Alf-Henrik Bischke (merger control) retired in mid-2024.

Latham & Watkins LLP has a high level of expertise in the areas of digitisation and technology, where the representation of Meta in connection with the §19a GWB as well as the Digital Market Act was a significant mandate. Other mainstays include the advice on market power abuse matters and cartel damages compensation claims as well as internal investigations, antitrust litigation and the advice on alleged antitrust violations. This offering is complemented with expertise in transaction-related antitrust law, including FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) and FSR (Fusion Control Regulation). The key contacts include Max Hauser, who is experienced in cartel disputes, litigator Michael Esser and Jan Christoph Höft (merger control and defense against cartel damages claims). Jana Dammann de Chapto, who is experienced in merger and investment control, joined the partner roster in March 2024.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton impresses with longstanding expertise in German and EU antitrust law and represents clients before the Federal Cartel Office, the European Commission and the General Court/ECJ. The team regularly cooperates with the location in Brussels on EU-related issues. Romina Polley, who is experienced in abuse of market power matters and sector-related investigations, and cartel damages expert Wolfgang Deselaers are among the key contacts of the team, which also advises on cartel disputes, antitrust fine proceedings and merger control. This is complemented by competencies at the interface with state aid law and investment control (FDI & FSR). Another mainstay is the support in digital antitrust law, including matters pertaining to the § 19a GWB digitisation amendment, where the team has repeatedly represented Google.

Dentons comprehensively advises on all aspects of antitrust law and offers support in antitrust proceedings, merger control, antitrust investigations and cartel damages proceedings, including clients' representation before the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission. The practice is jointly headed by Florian Wiesner and René Grafunder; Wiesner is well versed in advising on cooperations with competitors and Grafunder has expertise in antitrust compliance and state aid law. The team also covers interfacing procurement law and ​​investment control matters. Counsel Arne Karsten is experienced in drafting contracts in accordance with antitrust law, which is regularly drawn upon in connection with distribution antitrust law matters. Global practice head Jörg Karenfort, who is experienced in cartel and market power abuse proceedings, and Norman Hölzel (cartel damages) are further key contacts; the latter was appointed to partner in April 2024.

Hogan Lovells International LLP focuses on the automotive, pharmaceuticals and life sciences sectors as well as on transaction-related antitrust law. The team regularly acts in close cross-border cooperation with other locations and covers  interfacing investment control, EU state aid and procurement law matters. Practice head Marc Schweda also focuses on matters at these interfaces and Martin Sura, who is experienced in merger control, is another key contact. Further mainstays include the support in cartel proceedings and internal investigations, as well as the advice on market dominance, digital antitrust law, compliance, cartel damages and cooperations with competitors, including the drafting of contracts in accordance with antitrust law. Elena Wiese, who is experienced in antitrust fine proceedings, was appointed to partner in January 2024.

Linklaters‘ antitrust law team is integrated into the Antitrust & Foreign Investment group and is well positioned for cross-border advice thanks to the cooperation with the international network. The mainstays include the advice on merger control and interfacing investment control, dispute resolution, corporate law as well as energy law matters. Litigation, including cartel damages and abuse proceedings, as well as the support in antitrust compliance are further core strengths. Daniela Seeliger (antitrust proceedings, compliance and international merger control proceedings) and Carsten Grave (merger control and antitrust proceedings) regularly take the lead here, while counsel Kaan Gürer has expertise in antitrust investigations. Further key contacts are counsel Ingo Klauß, who is increasingly instructed on matters pertaining to market power, and David-Julien dos Santos Goncalves (merger control, antitrust and market power abuse proceedings), who joined the partner roster in May 2024.

Led by Marc Besen, who is experienced in antitrust disputes, the Clifford Chance team offers comprehensive advice on all aspects of German and EU antitrust law. Core competencies include the advice on market dominance, abuse and fine proceedings, cartel damages and follow-on claims as well as transaction-related support. Among the recent areas of expertise are internal investigations, digital anitrust law issues and merger control, including matters at the interfaces with investment control as well as state aid and foreign trade law. The team is well versed in cross-border support thanks to the close cooperation with the locations in London, Paris and Brussels. Anne Filzmoser, who was appointed to counsel in May 2024, complements this offering with expertise in antitrust compliance.

Frankfurt-based antitrust boutique Commeo comprehensively covers all aspects of German and EU antitrust law and advises on abuse of market power, cartel damages, compliance and distribution antitrust law. Other mainstays include the support in merger control proceedings, including related FDI matters, as well as contract-related antitrust law. The latter expertise is routinely drawn upon by clients from the life sciences, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods sectors in the course of R&D and licensing agreements. The key contacts are litigation specialist Dominique Wagener , Jörg-Martin Schultze (distribution and contract-related antitrust law), Stephanie Pautke (digitisation and e-commerce), Johanna Kübler (merger control and transaction-related antitrust law), Isabel Oest (cartel damages and market power abuse) and Christoph Weinert, who is well versed in cartel disputes.

Glade Michel Wirtz - Corporate & Competition focuses on antitrust proceedings, including fines, abuse of market power and damages proceedings, as well as compliance, distribution antitrust law and cooperation agreements. In the transaction-related context, the team impresses with experience in merger, subsidy and investment control; Silke Möller and Christian Karbaum are among the key contacts here. Name partner Markus Wirtz increasingly assists with digital antitrust law issues and is also well versed in SEP-related issues at the interface with IP law. Advising on cooperation agreements and abuse of market power issues are key strengths of counsel Max Schulz.

Among Baker McKenzie's core strengths is the support in merger control, where the team regularly acts across locations and borders; practice head Nicolas Kredel is a key contacts here. The team is also well versed in antitrust compliance as well as internal investigations and antitrust proceedings – with a recent focus on fine proceedings in particular. Anika Schürmann covers matters at the interface with criminal law and regularly takes the lead in antitrust and criminal proceedings before German and European courts. The practice advises with a focus on the pharmaceuticals, life sciences and healthcare industries.

Berlin-based boutique BLOMSTEIN Rechtsanwälte focuses on antitrust, state aid, foreign trade and procurement law and is experienced in antitrust and merger control proceedings. Competencies in the contentious area include the support in abuse and damages proceedings before the Federal Cartel Office, the European Commission and other relevant courts. Practice head Anna Blume Huttenlauch is experienced in antitrust proceedings and distribution antitrust law and also covers antitrust compliance, internal investigations and digital antitrust law matters in connection with the §19a GWB digitisation amendment.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is experienced in fine, antitrust administration and damages proceedings as well as in market dominance, antitrust compliance, internal investigations and merger control. The team also covers interfacing state aid law matters and is headed by Georg Weidenbach, who is experienced in antitrust proceedings, merger control and distribution antitrust law issues. Jan Vollkammer (merger control and litigation) is another key contact.

Milbank's antitrust team, led by Alexander Rinne, boasts expertise in merger control and antitrust proceedings as well as the support in antitrust fine and abuse proceedings before the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office. Other competencies include antitrust disputes, compliance and distribution antitrust law issues. The team is routinely instructed by clients from the telecoms, healthcare, media and consumer goods industries.

White & Case LLP focuses on antitrust investigations, cartel damages and distribution antitrust law and is also well versed in transaction support as well as related merger and investment control matters. The team regularly advises across the consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, automotive, technology and life sciences sectors. Practice head Tilman Kuhn is experienced in merger control and antitrust proceedings, while Ingo Brinker, who joined from Gleiss Lutz at the beginning of 2024, is experienced in cartel and abuse proceedings. Anna Lubberger (industry focus on pharmaceuticals and automotive) left the team in March 2024 and moved to Covington & Burling LLP.

WilmerHale focuses on antitrust proceedings, including cartel damages, antitrust administration and fine proceedings. Here, the team acts in both the enforcement as well as the defense against claims. This corresponds with the focus of practice head Hans-Georg Kamann, who is experienced in antitrust administration as well as court procedures. The practice regularly cooperates with the locations in Brussels, London and the US on matters pertaining to merger and investment control law. Ulrich Quack retired at the beginning of 2025.

Bird & Bird LLP's antitrust team boasts expertise in merger and investment control law, as well as in supporting abuse and antitrust proceedings and internal investigations. This is complemented with competencies in distribution antitrust law, which are routinely drawn upon in the drafting of licensing and distribution agreements. Here, the team also covers interfacing IP law matters in connection with SEP and FRAND; practice head Jörg Witting is a key contact for this intersection. The team also advises on state aid and procurement law matters and routinely acts across the technology and automotive sectors.

Munich-based antitrust boutique BUNTSCHECK Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH is experienced in supporting antitrust proceedings, as was recently demonstrated in the defense against cartel damages claims, and regularly acts in both the enforcement as well as the defense against claims. Further mainstays include the advice on abuse and complaint proceedings in connection with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as well as the §19a GWB digitisation amendment; the expertise in merger and investment control is regularly drawn upon in the course of transactions. Martin Buntscheck (merger control and litigation), Tatjana Mühlbach (abuse and antitrust proceedings, merger control) and Andreas Boos (cartel damages and compliance) jointly lead the practice.

DLA Piper's antitrust team is jointly led by Justus Herrlinger (merger control and cartel damages) and Semin O, who is experienced in transaction-related support and the design of distribution systems in accordance with antitrust law. The practice acts integrated into the Litigation & Regulatory group headed by Thomas Gädtke and routinely advises on antitrust, investment control and merger control proceedings. Competencies in distribution antitrust law and compliance complement this offering.

Osborne Clarke's antitrust team impresses with expertise in abuse, merger control and investment control proceedings as well as internal investigations, antitrust compliance and the drafting of distribution and cooperation agreements in accordance with antitrust law. The team is particularly well versed in cartel damages compensation claims, which corresponds with the focus of practice head Thomas Funke.

Redeker Sellner Dahs' antitrust team is jointly led by Andreas Rosenfeld and Sebastian Steinbarth and covers all aspects of German and EU antitrust law. The mainstays include the advice on cartel damages, cartel fines and merger control proceedings as well as antitrust compliance. Rosenfeld acts from Bonn and Brussels and also covers matters at the interface with state aid law.

Düsseldorf-based boutique ROCAN Rechtsanwälte is experienced in antitrust proceedings, internal investigations and antitrust compliance and is also well versed in transaction-related support, including related investment control matters. A core strength is the advice on digital antitrust law and platform models, this particular expertise was demonstrated in the representation of Google as co-counsel. Key members of the team include Timo Angerbauer, Tobias Pukropski and Paul Drößler, who are experienced in antitrust proceedings, merger control and antitrust compliance.

Kapellmann und Partner represents clients in merger control and antitrust proceedings with a particular focus on fine and cartel damages compensation proceedings. The team also advises on distribution antitrust law, compliance and cooperations with competitors as well as antitrust issues in connection with R&D agreements and the e-commerce sector. Axel Kallmayer (merger control and compliance) divides his time between Brussels and Mönchengladbach and jointly heads the practice with Brussels-based litigator Robin van der Hout, who also covers foreign trade law matters.

Norton Rose Fulbright's antitrust practice boasts expertise in antitrust investigations and disputes, including cartel damages proceedings, compliance, market power abuse issues and transaction-related support, including merger and investment control as well as matters pertaining to FSR. Practice head Tim Schaper is experienced in distribution antitrust law and cooperations with competitors, while Jens Steger has expertise in antitrust litigation; the latter joined the team from K&L Gates LLP in February 2024.

Oppenhoff advises on market dominance, merger control, civil antitrust law matters as well as cartel damages proceedings, compliance and internal investigations. The team routinely acts across the aerospace & defense, consumer goods and automotive sectors. Simon Spangler, who is experienced in distribution antitrust law and the e-commerce sector, jointly heads the practice with Daniel Dohrn, who is well versed in the defense against cartel damages claims.

Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB boasts industry expertise in the life sciences, automotive and consumer goods sectors and frequently advises on antitrust disputes, antitrust civil proceedings as well as merger control and compliance issues, including the implementation of compliance programs. The latter area is a key strength of practice head Michael Reich, he is also experienced in fine and merger control proceedings.