Gleiss Lutz‘s renowned antitrust experts are among the top performers in the market and comprehensively advise on all aspects pertaining to antitrust law, including antitrust fine proceedings, cartel damages, compliance, internal investigations and abuse of market power issues. The team frequently acts in major proceedings, which are conducted before the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission and is also well versed in current issues such as digital antitrust law and supports various large corporations in matters according to § 19a GWB, above all Meta. Other capacities in the digital context include the advice on data access claims as well as SEP. Practice head Petra Linsmeier boasts similar expertise and is well versed in abuse proceedings in the digital sector; counsel Ines Bodenstein also focuses on this area and is experienced in e-commerce and digital antitrust law. Recent instructions pertain to supporting clients in cooperations with competitors and distribution antitrust law matters. Ulrich Denzel complements this with expertise in civil damage compensation proceedings as well as the cartel fines and damages expert Christian Steinle, who also covers German and European merger control. Ingo Brinker, who is experienced in the insurance sector, joined White & Case LLP in early 2024, while Daniel Petzold, who is experienced in advising on cartel damages compensation proceedings, left the team in July 2023 and joined LUTZ | ABEL RECHTSANWALTS PARTG MBB.

Hengeler Mueller is among the market leaders in antitrust law and impresses with a diverse team and longstanding experience in all matters pertaining to German and EU antitrust law. Traditional core competencies include the advice on abuse proceedings, cartel damages compensation and complaint proceedings, which are regularly conducted before the Federal Cartel Office, the European Commission and German and European courts; Thomas Paul, who is experienced in cartel damages proceedings, and Markus Röhrig (litigation and forensic matters) in Brussels are among the key contacts here. The team recently also acted in the context of the § 19a GWB digitisation amendment and successfully represented Google before the Federal Cartel Office in connection with the ‘Google News Showcase’ mandate. Merger control is another core focus, where Thorsten Mäger and Brussels-based Hans-Jörg Niemeyer frequently take the lead, as well as the support in transaction-related antitrust law, which is the main focus of Philipp Otto Neideck, who made partner in January 2023. Christoph Stadler retired.

Latham & Watkins LLP is one of the top addresses in antitrust law and impresses with industry expertise in technology and digitisation matters as well as a diverse national and international practice. The support in cartel damages compensation claims and market power abuse proceedings is among the mainstays, where the team regularly represents large players from the technology sector, such as digital platforms or telecommunications services providers, before the Federal Cartel Office, the European Commission and relevant courts. These capacities also include the expertise in current issues in connection with the § 19a GWB digitisation amendment. Michael Esser is experienced in the fintech, telecoms and e-commerce industries and focuses on digitised matters, where he is supported by Jan Christoph Höft, who is experienced in data protection law. The support in transaction-related antitrust law is another core focus and is regularly demonstrated in connection with German and international merger control; among the key contacts here are Sebastian Max Hauser and counsel Jana Dammann de Chapto, who are experienced in second-phase proceedings.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton antitrust law practice comprehensively covers all aspects of German and EU antitrust law and regularly cooperates with the Brussels location on cross-border issues. The renowned experts of the team are Wolfgang Deselaers, who is experienced in cartel damages, and market power abuse proceedings expert Romina Polley. The team has additional expertise in cartel fine proceedings and contentious matters, where the practice routinely acts before the European and national courts. Further competencies include the advice on state aid law, sector-related investigations and the support in contract drafting. This is complemented with experience in merger control, where Julian Alexander Sanner is a key contact. Katharina Apel left the team in late 2022 for an in-house position.

Integrated into the global antitrust & foreign investment group, Linklaters‘ German antitrust team offers longstanding experience in national and international merger control as well as cartel proceedings, including abuse of market power and damages compensation proceedings before the relevant authorities in Germany and the EU. In addition to ongoing antitrust law advice, which also covers compliance, the team regularly advises in close cooperation with the experts from the corporate, dispute resolution and energy law teams; this is complemented by Christoph Barth‘s investment control expertise. Key contact Carsten Grave is experienced in merger control and cartel proceedings. Other core members are Daniela Seeliger (cartel proceedings, compliance and cross-border merger control proceedings) and counsel Ingo Klauß, who is increasingly instructed by clients with a dominant market position.

Clifford Chance‘s antitrust law experts routinely represent national and international companies in antitrust, market dominance and merger control proceedings, which also corresponds with the focus of practice head Marc Besen; the team recently assisted with various damages proceedings. Other core areas include ongoing antitrust advice, antitrust disputes and internal investigations. The transaction support includes cross-border matters, where Dmitri Slobodenjuk regularly advises on investment control and foreign trade law, while senior associate Anne Filzmoser is experienced in merger control and distribution law matters. Michael Dietrich and Maximilian Zedtwitz von Arnim, both experienced in antitrust and abuse proceedings, left the team in late 2023 and now operate under the name Dietrich Dietrich Graf Zedtwitz Rechtsanwälte.

CMS‘ practice comprehensively covers antitrust law, including merger control, distribution antitrust law, digital antitrust law, cooperations with competitors as well as cartel damages, fine proceedings and disputes. Recently, the team increasingly advised across the healthcare and energy sectors; the industry expertise in the latter was most recently demonstrated in advising the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. Christoff Soltau and practice head Rolf Hempel advise on merger control and antitrust compliance. Markus Schöner and Tim Reher are well versed in fine proceedings, with Reher frequently assisting with the defense against fines, and Harald Kahlenberg impresses with experience in coordinating cross-border merger control filings in the EU and internationally.

Frankfurt-based antitrust boutique Commeo comprehensively covers all aspects of German and EU antitrust law. The team advises on cartel damages, abuse of market power, cross-border merger control filings, global compliance programs as well as cooperation and distribution agreements; recent instructions include the support in FDI procedures. The practice offers industry expertise in the pharmaceuticals, chemicals, life sciences and consumer goods sectors and regularly advises on contract-related antitrust matters, such as licensing, procurement and R&D agreements; Stephanie Pautke is a key contact here. Other core members are Dominique Wagener, who is experienced in fine proceedings, notary Jörg-Martin Schultze (antitrust disputes and cartel damages), Johanna Kübler, who is well versed in market power abuse issues, and Isabel Oest, who is experienced in the automotive and electrical engineering sectors as well as platform models and increasingly advises on merger control. Christoph Weinert routinely acts in the defense against claims in antitrust proceedings before the Federal Cartel Office.

Dentons‘ team comprehensively covers German and EU antitrust law and is regularly instructed on merger control, cartel proceedings, market dominance issues and antitrust compliance. The practice is also experienced in issues pertaining to investment control, public procurement and state aid law. René Grafunder acts from Frankfurt and focuses on distribution antitrust law, including the structuring of distribution systems, and jointly heads the practice with Düsseldorf-based Florian Wiesner, who is well versed in drafting contracts in accordance with antitrust law. Both are also experienced in antitrust proceedings, as is litigator Jörg Karenfort, who frequently leads in cartel and abuse proceedings before the European and national competition authorities and also heads the firm’s global antitrust practice. Counsel Arne Karsten (merger control) and Bertold Bär-Bouyssière, who is experienced in cartel damages compensation proceedings and state aid law, are other key contacts. The latter divides his time between Brussels and Berlin and made partner in April 2023.

Glade Michel Wirtz - Corporate & Competition‘s antitrust team is experienced in transaction support, including merger and investment control, antitrust proceedings in the context of market dominance, cartel fines and damages, as well as compliance, distribution antitrust law and the advice on strategic cooperations. The practice is particularly well versed in the sectors technology, automotive, food and digital antitrust law; the latter area is a core focus of name partner Markus Wirtz. Other key contacts include Silke Möller, who acts in fine proceedings before the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office, and Christian Karbaum (cartel damages compensation claims).

Milbank‘s team focuses on merger and investment control, cartel fines and abuse proceedings as well as antitrust disputes. The practice also assists with forensic matters and preventive antitrust compliance. Practice head Alexander Rinne routinely acts in proceedings before the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission. The team advises clients across the media, telecoms, healthcare and consumer goods sectors and offers additional expertise in distribution antitrust law and related disputes before civil and arbitration courts, where special counsel Moritz Lichtenegger is a key contact; Alexander Zyrewitz left the law firm in April 2023.

Baker McKenzie‘s antitrust law team is experienced in national and cross-border merger control and regularly advises major clients from the healthcare and life sciences sectors in close cross-practice cooperation. The mainstays include market dominance, fine proceedings and cartel damages as well as antitrust compliance, including preventive as well as forensic support in investigations and official proceedings; interfacing criminal law matters are covered by Anika Schürmann. Practice head Nicolas Kredel is experienced in cartel and merger control proceedings, while Katharina Spenner focuses on distribution antitrust law as well as franchise and supply agreements. Johannes Teichmann (distribution antitrust and distribution law) joined Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH in February 2023 and Jonas Brückner (merger control and cartel damages) moved to KPMG Law in Germany in May 2023, while antitrust lawyer and healthcare expert Christian Burholt left the team in July 2023 and also joined Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH.

Berlin-based boutique BLOMSTEIN Rechtsanwälte is well versed in public procurement, foreign trade and antitrust law and assists with merger control and cartel proceedings, including damages and market dominance matters. The compliance capacities also cover distribution antitrust law, including the support in forensic matters in the context of investigations; Max Klasse is a key contact here. Practice head Anna Blume Huttenlauch regularly takes the lead in proceedings before the European Commission, the Federal Cartel Office and in parallel investigations by the relevant antitrust authorities and boasts industry expertise in the media, telecoms and energy sectors. Elisa Huhn, who previously worked in an in-house position, focuses on matters pertaining to technology and digital platforms; she joined the team as counsel in September 2023.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP impresses with expertise in antitrust administration, fines and state aid proceedings, market dominance issues and merger control, as well as the forensic support in official investigations by the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office. The team also advises on cartel damages and related claims proceedings. New practice head Georg Weidenbach focuses on cartel damages and merger control issues; former practice head Michael Walther retired in late 2022. Kai Gesing increasingly supports companies in the technology and data protection industries.

Munich-based antitrust law boutique BUNTSCHECK Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH excels in cartel proceedings and is well versed in cartel damages, both on the defense and claimant side, as well as in abuse proceedings in connection with the § 19a GWB amendment. The expertise in merger control is further enhanced with capacities at the foreign trade law intersection, including FDI-related issues, and the team advises across borders thanks to a law firm network. Key contacts are Martin Buntscheck, who routinely acts in antitrust proceedings before the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office, Tatjana Mühlbach (merger control and damages) and Andreas Boos (cartel damages and distribution antitrust law).

DLA Piper‘s antitrust practice acts integrated into the firm’s litigation and regulatory practice, which is led by Thomas Gädtke (litigation and regulatory). Semin O und Justus Herrlinger jointly head the antitrust division and advise on antitrust proceedings, including disputes, distribution antitrust law, compliance as well as merger and investment control.

Redeker Sellner Dahs acts from Bonn, Brussels and Berlin and advises on cartel proceedings, fine proceedings, antitrust compliance, internal investigations and merger control. Practice head Andreas Rosenfeld is experienced in cartel damages, fine proceedings and merger control and divides his time between Bonn and Brussels and also impresses with expertise at the interface with EU state aid law. His team includes Sebastian Steinbarth in Brussels, who is well versed in antitrust and European law complaint procedures, and Andreas Okonek (cartel damages) in Bonn.

Hoffmann Liebs‘ antitrust law practice focuses on administrative fine proceedings, merger control and the design and implementation of distribution systems and strategies, including drafting contracts in accordance with antitrust law. The client roster includes medium-sized companies, corporations, associations as well as business associations. Recent topics include the advice on investment control issues. Kerstin Pallinger routinely acts in national administrative fine proceedings as well as in merger control proceedings before the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission.

Kapellmann und Partner focuses on antitrust and merger control proceedings before the German and EU antitrust authorities, cartel damages, the development and implementation of antitrust compliance programs, the drafting of supply and distribution agreements in accordance with antitrust law as well as on cooperations between competitors. Axel Kallmayer divides his time between Brussels and Mönchengladbach and is experienced in merger control and EU state aid law; He jointly heads the practice with litigator and foreign trade law specialist Robin van der Hout in Brussels. Ivo du Mont and Gregor Schiffers, both experienced in antitrust proceedings and merger control, are further key contacts.

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s mainstays include merger and investment control, antitrust damages, internal investigations and compliance. The Hamburg-based team is led by Tim Schaper (antitrust proceedings, abuse proceedings and merger control) and Brussels-based Michael Jürgen Werner, who routinely acts in proceedings before the EU Commission, the Federal Cartel Office and the European courts; The Brussels location also serves the interfaces with state aid law and foreign trade law. Jens Steger (antitrust law and merger control) joined from K&L Gates LLP in February 2024.

Oppenhoff is experienced in merger control, civil antitrust proceedings, market dominance issues, antitrust compliance as well as in and out-of-court disputes. The team focuses on the automotive, aviation, defense and consumer goods sectors. Daniel Dohrn, who is experienced in damages claims, and the distribution law and e-commerce specialist Simon Spangler jointly head the practice. Vanessa Pickenpack is well versed in cartel damages compensation proceedings.

Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB advises on fine proceedings, antitrust disputes, civil antitrust litigation and merger control proceedings. Practice head Michael Reich complements this with experience in the implementation of compliance programs for national and international companies. Mathias Greupner is well versed in compliance and regularly acts in criminal proceedings. Hans Jürgen Meyer-Lindemann, who is experienced in antitrust investigations and merger control, retired and Laura Stammwitz (merger control, internal investigations) joined McDermott Will & Emery Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater LLP in January 2023.