Hogan Lovells International LLP is among the top players in the healthcare and life sciences sector and comprehensively advises on various topics with a focus on regulatory and contractual advice pertaining to future technologies in the life sciences sector, such as novel therapies and cell therapies – Jörg Schickert (co-head of the European regulatory team), Ina Brock (product liability), Arne Thiermann (regulatory, compliance) and Matthias Schweiger (litigation) frequently take the lead here. The team also covers issues at the interfaces with public law and contract law as well as IP, IT, data protection and product liability, thus advising on digital healthcare as well as strategic cooperations between pharmaceutical and IT companies. Schickert and Brock jointly head the practice with Andreas von Falck, who focuses on life sciences as well as the chemical and high-tech industries and represents clients in patent disputes, and Tanja Eisenblätter, who is particularly well versed in medical device and pharmaceutical advertising law. Lutz Angerer regularly advises large pharmaceutical companies and private equity houses on licensing and M&A transactions.

Boutique D+B Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB comprehensively advises on healthcare matters and focuses on statutory health insurance. The diverse client roster includes pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, pharmacies, physicians, hospitals, authorities and federal ministries. The firm fields a pharmaceuticals and pharmacy team led by Ulrich Grau and Constanze Püschel, a physician contract law group led by Martin Stellpflug and Thomas Willaschek and a hospital team headed by Thomas Bohle and Christian Reuther, thereby advising clients across practices, including the support in regulatory matters and interfacing data protection, advertising and criminal law issues. Digital healthcare is a recent growth area, which is also supported with a cross-practice approach, a key contact here is Christian Pinnow (in addition to physician contract and psychotherapist legislation as well as medical care centers). Jan Moeck (physician contract law and psychotherapist legislation) and Tobias Volkwein (pharmaceutical law, medical device law, statutory health insurance) are also part of the core team.

Taylor Wessing's focus is mirrored in the practice group management: Anja Lunze heads the life sciences segment, while Michael Stein is the key contact for the healthcare sector. Clients benefit from the close cooperation of the corporate, M&A and regulatory teams, where the team regularly supports buyers in transactions in the outpatient and inpatient sectors and in the formation of groups of medical care centers; the team also covers the procurement law interface, including advising hospital chains on the Hospital Future Act and the implementation of IT system, above all, hospital information systems. The focus in the life sciences area is on advising pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on medical, pharmaceutical, patent and trademark law issues, including product liability and contentious matters. This is completed by capacities in the digital healthcare segment, where the regulatory team frequently cooperates with the TMT practice. Medical law expert Karolina Lange-Kulmann was appointed partner in April 2023, while Stefanie Greifeneder (regulatory, commercial and contract-related matters in the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology sectors; compliance) joined the team the following month from Fieldfisher.

A&O Shearman follows an interdisciplinary and cross-border approach and advises a diverse client base consisting of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical technology and diagnostics providers as well as investors and financial services providers. Practice head Alexander Veith is experienced in transaction support; he is supported by counsel Eda Zhuleku, who is well versed pan-European regulatory matters. The latter include the advice on cloud-based digital healthcare platforms in medicine and telemedicine and on healthcare apps as well as reimbursement issues pertaining to medicines. Further competencies are assisting new companies with market entry in the in-vitro diagnostics area as well as supporting health incurance companies in contract-related matters; clients are also represented in patent disputes.

Bird & Bird's healthcare expertise includes capacities at the interfaces with IP, procurement law and digitisation as well as contentious issues. Dispute resolution in the life sciences sector is a focus area of the team, which is led by Boris Kreye; Kreye regularly assists with patent infringement disputes in connection with medical devices. Alexander Csaki advises private companies and public sector clients at the interface between procurement and regulatory law, including the advice on selective contracts issued by statutory health insurance companies as well as licensing matters, the interchangeability of drugs and drug prices.

Led by the pharmacy law expert Morton Douglas and the commercial and corporate law specialist Jan Henning Martens, Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner supports large pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology start-ups, medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, laboratories, hospitals and care facilities in all matters under health law. Interfacing corporate law and M&A matters are frequently covered by Hendrik Thies and Meike Kapp-Schwoerer, while Sabine Schröter handles the interface with employment law, including reorganisations. The team is also experienced in model proceedings pertaining to pharmacy law as well as pharmaceutical advertising law.

King & Spalding LLP focuses on regulatory advice in the life sciences sector at the interfaces with food, pharmaceutical and medical device law, which leads to frequent instructions pertaining to product launches, market entry and recalls as well as compliance. The team also represents clients in competition law proceedings, such as parallel import proceedings. This expertise is evident in a recently obtained groundbreaking judgment for the pharmaceutical market, where practice head Ulf Grundmann took the lead. Counsel Elisabeth Kohoutek complements this with experience in M&A transactions, here, the practice regularly cooperate with the international network.

Led by Oliver Kairies (Hannover), of counsel Cornelia Yzer (Berlin) and Denis Ullrich (Leipzig), Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH ‘s healthcare and life sciences team offers cross-practice advice on transactions (above all in the hospital sector) and the market launch of medical devices (where the team frequently assists pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers with related regulatory matters) as well as distribution law and product liability. The digital healthcare segment includes expertise in IT, IP and data protection, which leads to regular instructions by foreign investors in the context of smart healthcare solutions; traditional medical device manufacturers are also among the client roster.

Meisterernst Rechtsanwälte places a dual focus on pharmaceutical and food law and advises clients from the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors on competition law and pharmaceutical advertising law issues, including litigation. The latter also includes landmark proceedings, where practice head Christian Tillmanns frequently takes the lead. Recent instructions include advising pharmaceutical companies on price negotiations and cost-benefit assessments. Markus Fuderer was appointed partner in January 2023; he is well versed in matters pertaining to technology, including software solutions and AI, as well as cybersecurity and data protection.

Möhrle Happ Luther's life sciences team focuses on pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical advertising law advice – Julia Luther is a key contact here – as well as on AMNOG proceedings, market access, reimbursement issues and compliance, which are key strengths of Henning Anders. The practice is regularly instructed by pharmaceutical companies, medical device and digital healthcare app manufacturers, hospitals, medical care centers and medical facilities. Joachim Jung is experienced in supporting digitisation projects.

Led by Timo Kieser, Christina Koppe-Zagouras and Katharina Köbler, Oppenländer Rechtsanwälte's team focuses on the areas pharmaceuticals, pharmacies and medical devices. The team assists with regulatory issues and proceedings before the authorities as well as labeling and marketing-related matters pertaining to competition, pharmaceutical advertising and distribution law. A recent focus was on digitisation matters in the healthcare sector as well as regulatory issues in connection with medicinal cannabis. The practice frequently assists with contentious proceedings in the pharmacy sector.

Osborne Clarke's team routinely advises on IP law issues in patent infringement proceedings, while the regulatory expertise is called upon in matters pertaining to pharmaceutical advertising law. This is complemented by capacities at the corporate law interface, such as the advice on pharmaceutical cooperation and licensing agreements, including cross-border transactions, as well as experience in supporting digitisation projects. The project work frequently pertains to patient care and treatment in connection with healthcare platforms. AI-related topics in the medical device segment and related data protection issues are also covered, practice head Tim Reinhard is a key contact here.

Raue's Berlin-based team is jointly led by Katharina Wodarz (transaction support, physician contract law, pharmaceutical pricing and pharmacy law, contentious proceedings before authorities and courts) and Maren Bedau (hospital sector, physician contract law, nursing care companies, compliance). Former practice head Wolfgang Kuhla moved to of counsel status (he continues to advise on planning and financing issues as well as on the drafting of cooperation agreements and physicians' contracts). The team focuses on regulatory advice and transaction support, which benefits investors, start-ups, hospitals, medical care centers, pharmaceutical and medical device companies and mail order pharmacies. The transaction capacities were strengthened with the addition of Nadine Hartung from McDermott Will & Emery Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater LLP in March 2023. Thanks to cross-practice cooperation, various interfacing matters, including IP, employment and competition law are also covered.

Ehlers, Ehlers & Partner specialises in medical law and impresses with its expertise in AMNOG and legislative proceedings. Other competencies include the advice on market access, product development and compliance issues as well as issues at the digitisation interface; the latter includes telematics, data protection, digital medical devices and digital healthcare services. Among the client roster are pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers, which also benefit from the team's experience in restructuring and transactions. The practice is led by medical lawyer Alexander Ehlers and Christian Rybak, who is regularly instructed by US-based clients.

Fieldfisher advises pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology companies, healthcare providers and medical technology start-ups on regulatory market entry for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, including related clinical trials, conformity assessment procedures and licensing issues, as well as on compliance and transactions. This mirrors the focus of practice head Cord Willhöft.

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB advises on pharmacy, pharmaceutical, medical device and hospital law and is regularly instructed by health insurance companies, private and public clinics, nursing care facilities, pharmacies, medical device manufacturers and investors. The regulatory segment is led by co-head Marc Schüffner (Berlin), while co-head John-Patrick Bischoff (Hamburg) is well versed in healthcare-related transactions. The latter area was further strengthened with the arrival of Markus Söhnchen in August 2023 (previously co-practice head at GSK Stockmann). The interdisciplinary approach also covers interfacing real estate, corporate, procurement, IP and employment law matters.

GSK Stockmann team is led by Maritheres Palichleb, who specialises in supporting national and international institutional investors in nursing care real estate investments and transactions as well as VC investments in start-ups in the healthcare, biotechnology and medical technology sectors. Former co-head Markus Söhnchen (corporate and M&A) joined GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB in August 2023. Other competencies include the advice on compliance, including matters pertaining to the Hospital Future Act, such as the modernisation of hospitals, digital infrastructure and safeguarding of emergency capacities.

Cologne-based michels.pmks Rechtsanwälte impresses with medical law expertise, which is called upon by hospitals, medical care centers, medical practices and healthcare companies. Kerrin Schillhorn focuses on the inpatient care area and jointly heads the practice with Jens-Peter Jahn, who primarily advises on outpatient care facilities. Matters at the interface between medical and employment law are handled by Jannis Kamann and Marcus Michels.

Noerr's practice closely cooperates with the M&A team and frequently assists with transactions pertaining to nursing care facilities, hospitals, medical care centers and medical devices. The team offers further cross-practice capacities in the digital healthcare segment, where expertise in digital commerce and life sciences matters is combined. The practice is led by food law specialist Evelyn Schulz; she is supported by Susann Jahn, who is experienced in regulatory matters and joined the partner roster in early 2023.

PPP Rechtsanwälte specialises in the healthcare sector and covers all aspects of medical and health law in the outpatient and inpatient segments and complements this with expertise in employment, social security, data protection and tax law. The team is regularly instructed by healthcare institutions on the entire value chain, including formation and licensing,  M&A, restructuring and litigation. The team is led by Andreas Penner , Tanja Koopmann-Röckendorf and André Bohmeier in Düsseldorf, Ute Pittrof in Ingolstadt, Felix Reimer in Heilbronn and Matthias Wallhäuser in Bergisch Gladbach. Hospital and tax law specialist Benjamin Liedy (previously at Schick und Schaudt Rechtsanwälte ) joined the  newly established Tübingen location in May 2023; Claudia Mareck advises service providers on hospital and physician contract law as well as e-health matters and joined the team in January 2024 from KMH Medizinrecht.

Schmidt, von der Osten & Huber is experienced in hospital law and also advises medical and non-medical service providers, investors, start-ups and health insurance companies on all issues of medical and health law. The team also covers the corporate and employment law interfaces, including transactions and regulatory matters.

von BOETTICHER Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB is experienced in pharmaceutical law with a focus on pharmaceutical advertising law. The team is well versed in the enforcement of claims in interim injunction proceedings pertaining to pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics. Claudia Böhm regularly represents clients in pharmaceutical advertising law proceedings and is experienced in the vaccines segment. Anselm Brandi-Dohrn is a key contact for contract drafting, including license and cooperation agreements.

WilmerHale's team is led by Hans-Georg Kamann and focuses on regulatory issues pertaining to the pharmaceutical sector and medical devices. Kamann and Peter Gey regularly join forces in contentious proceedings for pharmaceutical and medical device companies as well as associations. Both act from Frankfurt and Brussels and advise at the interfaces with antitrust, competition and EU law. Martin Braun has data protection expertise and advises on product approvals and data transfers as well as clinical studies.