Clifford Chance is a popular address for investment companies, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies and private investors in connection with the structuring and launch of investment funds, which includes tax structuring as well as investment law matters. Marco Simonis and Sonya Pauls are among the key contacts here. The team is well versed in German, Luxembourg and English fund structures, while investors also benefit from regulatory expertise. These competencies are frequently drawn on in the context of alternative assets such as real estate, infrastructure, private equity and private debt. Cross-border aspects pertaining to international funds are routinely covered thanks to the cooperation with the international network. In January 2024, the team strengthened its expertise in fund tax structuring and fund investments with the addition of Stefan Herr from PwC Legal (PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal AG Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft); the latter is experienced in supporting investment funds, asset managers, institutional investors and family offices.

Linklaters investment law advice is based on the three cornerstones of fund structuring, fund regulations and fund investments, while related tax matters are also covered. The focus is on alternative asset classes, with most recent instructions pertaining to real estate. The client roster includes financial institutions, investment and asset managers as well as funds, which benefit from cross-location cooperation, particularly the Luxembourg and US locations. Key contacts include Alexander Vogt and Markus Wollenhaupt, who both comprehensively advise on the structuring, management and regulation of funds.

Dechert LLP's financial services team is regularly instructed on the structuring and launch of financial and investment products by financial institutions, fund providers and institutional investors. The practice frequently covers cross-border matters in cooperation with the locations in Luxembourg, London and the US, while interfacing regulatory and tax matters are another core focus. Hans Stamm (tax structuring) jointly heads the team with banking supervisory and investment law expert Angelo Lercara. The latter is also experienced in ESG-related regulatory matters. The team supports various regulated open and closed funds and recently assisted with loan, venture capital, real estate and debt funds.

King & Spalding LLP advises asset management companies and investment managers on the structuring, launch, marketing, management, restructuring and liquidation of open and closed real estate funds and, to a lesser extent, infrastructure and other asset funds. Here, the two practice heads Alexandra Weis and Andreas Böhme frequently lead; they are experienced in regulatory and investment law. Clients increasingly draw on this expertise in the context of ESG-related topics, while investment tax law matters are also covered.

YPOG focuses on advising venture capital funds, including regulatory and tax law issues, and also increasingly supports national and international infrastructure, debt and private equity funds; here, the team assists institutional investors with investments in the private equity segment. Andreas Rodin is a key contact for this, while practice head Lennart Lorenz also advises German and international clients across the private equity, venture capital and private debt areas, including regulatory issues as well as the structuring of regulated and unregulated investment vehicles.

GSK Stockmann advises asset managers, capital management companies, start-ups and financial institutions and fields regulatory and investment law expert Robert Kramer, who is experienced in the structuring and launch of closed special and public AIFs, and Petra Eckl, who specialises in tax-optimised fund structuring. Kramer and Eckl jointly head the practice and have recently increasingly assisted with strategic issues both on the asset side, such as the restructuring of real estate funds, and on the investor side, including measures to avoid the suspension of share redemption. This is complemented by expertise in ESG-related issues, which are frequently handled in cross-practice cooperation.

Hengeler Mueller fields the two banking supervisory law experts Christian Schmies (also payment services law) and Carl-Philipp Eberlein (also insurance and investment law) and supports clients in the launch and distribution of funds, regulatory and ESG issues as well as transactions and reorganisation across the asset management sector. The team regularly cooperates with the M&A experts in its transaction support, while contentious matters pertaining to the asset management sector are routinely handled in close cooperation with the litigation practice. Among the client roster are institutional investors, asset managers, financial services providers and fund managers.

National and international asset managers, institutional investors and fund sponsors instruct Simmons & Simmons on regulatory and tax law matters pertaining to investments as well as fund launches and structuring. Further mainstays include the advice on ESG topics and other regulatory issues in connection with reporting obligations, the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the taxonomy regulation. Clients also benefit from the cross-location approach, particularly the cooperation with the Luxembourg location. Practice head Benedikt Weiser is well versed in asset management as well as regulated and unregulated funds and specialises in supporting investors and sponsors in the structuring and design of investment funds.

Greenberg Traurig Germany supports institutional and private investment managers in target investments and the structuring of funds with a particular focus on alternative asset classes, including various real estate funds, as well as all regulatory, supervisory and investment law issues; clients also benefit from a cross-location approach. The team is led by fund structuring and investment law expert Kati Beckmann.

McDermott Will & Emery Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater LLP recently increasingly advised on real estate, private equity, ESG and infrastructure funds and comprehensively covers regulatory and investment law issues. The team is also experienced in managing investments and launching funds, here, Frank Müller frequently takes the lead; the latter is regularly instructed by asset management companies, institutional investors, asset managers and their regulated and unregulated fund vehicles. Müller jointly heads the practice with Kian Tauser, who complements this offering with investment tax law expertise.

Orbit specialises in investment fund law and offers a full-service approach tailored to the needs of fund initiators and fund managers, here, Christian Hillebrand, Philip Mostertz , Philipp Neidel and Simon Schachinger are the key contacts, as well as private, institutional and public fund investors, where Joachim Mogck is the key contact. The team is experienced in the launch and structuring of funds, most recently venture capital and private equity funds, and advises on fundraising, fund management and investments, including all related tax and regulatory issues.