Ranging from LNG terminals to large transportation projects, CMS' environmental and planning law practice impresses with its advice on infrastructure matters. Its in-depth expertise in network expansion, the energy industry and pollution control law enables the team to provide high-profile clients with comprehensive advice on specialist planning and project structuring as well as on environmental regulatory issues. In this context, the expertise of Christiane Kappes, who primarily acts in approval and planning approval procedures, water and mining expert Fritz von Hammerstein, and conservation and species protection lawyer Neele Ann Christiansen is particularly valued. Ursula Steinkemper complements the practice with competencies in industrial waste and climate protection law and jointly leads the team with Christian Scherer, who is considered an expert in infrastructure projects.

Dolde Mayen & Partner's broad environmental and planning practice is a recognised market player and provides comprehensive advice to large DAX companies and numerous public sector players on large construction and planning projects, environmental litigation, approval procedures and environmental due diligence. The team has particular expertise in emissions control, energy and soil protection law, with practice heads Markus Deutsch and Winfried Porsch regularly assisting with large transport and industrial planning projects. Klaus-Peter Dolde has in-depth expertise in waste and aviation law, while Bernd Schieferdecker oversees large network and energy projects and is also a recognised expert for water law issues.

Redeker Sellner Dahs is particularly impressive in matters pertaining to network and energy infrastructure expansion and comprehensively assists with approval procedures as well as environmental, mining and pollution control law; approvals of large infrastructure projects as well as environmental due diligence primarily fall into the portfolio of practice head Frank Fellenberg and energy industry expert Olaf Reidt. The team also has strong litigation expertise: Kathrin Dingemann and Florian van Schewick, who made partner in January 2023, regularly represent both private companies and public sector clients in climate and environmental law litigation and regulatory control proceedings, for instance in relation to product regulations and immission control guidelines. The team is also adept at planning issues pertaining to urban development projects.

The focus of Clifford Chance's environmental and planning law team rests on energy and climate projects as well as on ESG issues: the group thus advises on environmental regulatory requirements and approval proceedings for LNG projects, CO2 terminals and projects for the production of green hydrogen and ammonia and further assists with project financing and transaction issues in collaboration with adjacent practice groups. Energy law expert Mathias Elspaß handles various projects to reduce CO2 emissions and is also considered the key contact for network expansion projects, while Thomas Voland, who is experienced in product compliance, primarily deals with ESG issues but also acts in contentious proceedings, for example when defending clients against climate claims. Senior associate Katharina Vollmer is recommended for her advice on ESG aspects of large real estate and infrastructure projects.

Gleiss Lutz' project-related environmental and planning advice is aimed at energy suppliers and transport companies as well as public sector players seeking assistance with large infrastructure projects as well as research and climate protection projects. Here, planning support rest on the shoulders of Burghard Hildebrandt and practice head Marc Rutloff, who is further experienced in product regulation, environmental compliance aspects of joint ventures and M&A transactions and also advises public sector clients on climate-related issues and planning litigation. Counsel Eva Koch assists with environmental law at its interface with subsidy law and Lars Kindler, who focuses on energy and environmental law, made counsel in November 2023.

In addition to its in-depth expertise in environmental regulatory matters, ESG aspects of corporate transactions and soil and groundwater law, Hengeler Mueller also impresses with experience in infrastructure planning. High-profile companies predominantly instruct Jan Bonhage to assist with environmental regulatory issues and approval proceedings for transport and energy projects, while Vera Jungkind continues to regularly advise large industrial companies on emissions control law, pollutant regulation and contaminated site management. Fabian Quast primarily assists with ​​product compliance. Counsel Moritz Rademacher (licensing, environmental and state aid law) joined Kümmerlein as equity partner in January 2024.

BBG und Partner handles a constantly increasing number of matters in the infrastructure sector and, with the expertise of its three practice heads Malte Kohls, Peter Schütte and Christoph Meitz, is able to comprehensively advise on network expansion projects as well as on the construction of LNG terminals in Germany. Kohls assists clients such as the Federal Network Agency and 50Hertz with planning approval proceedings and decisions and closely cooperates with Meitz, who is also instructed by companies active in the hydrogen economy to advise on environmental aspects of high-voltage overhead line projects. Schütte primarily focuses on approval and emissions control matters related to LNG projects. Drawing on the expertise of Jantje Struß, the group also handles climate projects in the transport sector.

Lenz und Johlen, who opened a new office in Berlin in November 2023, assists large real estate developers and commercial operators as well as public sector clients, particularly with urban planning matters and district developments. In this context, practice head Rainer Voß advises on water, soil and pollution control law and also represents clients in approval and development plan proceedings; Michael Oerder is a key contact for construction planning advice on commercial projects. The team's environmental law expertise is also in demand for industrial and infrastructure projects: Felix Pauli regularly advises wind farm operators and companies in the hydrogen industry on project-related developments of new systems. Inga Schwertner is one of the key contacts for water and soil protection issues.

Linklaters particularly often demonstrates its environmental and planning skills in planning and approval procedures for large electricity and gas projects: in this context, the team is not only involved in federal planning advice, but due to practice head Markus Appel‘s expertise, also covers contractual and climate protection aspects. Appel also increasingly advises on ESG and provides environmental due diligence and compliance assistance for IPOs, M&A transactions and project financing.

Baker McKenzie has in-depth expertise in product-related environmental law and regularly advises on environmental and emissions control due diligence in the context of large-volume corporate transactions and product launches. Ulrich Ellinghaus is known for his expertise in product and supply chain compliance and is primarily instructed by companies in the automotive and chemical sectors, while counsel Andreas Schulz impresses with expertise in transaction-related environmental law, among other matters. The practice is led by administrative lawyer Marc Gabriel.

Dentons is particularly renowned for its expertise in packaging law and is also able to advise on product-related environmental issues and circular economy matters. Practice head Ilka Mehdorn is regularly instructed by industrial associations and consumer goods manufacturers to assist with environmental compliance, appropriate contract drafting and the development of recycling systems, but also advises on waste and packaging regulatory standards and frequently represents clients in administrative proceedings. Further expertise exists in ​​pollutant and disposal regulation.

A large number of DAX companies from various sectors draw upon DLA Piper's expertise in environmental compliance, with the practice placing particular emphasis on ESG issues: Ludger Giesberts regularly advises on due diligence in supply chains as well as regulatory requirements and risks in connection with carbon footprints and sustainability standards. The team is also particularly adept in product-related advice on safety and environmental obligations to companies in the consumer goods industry, has experience in planning-related soil and pollution control matters and also regularly handles related litigation. Litigation expert Thomas Gädtke heads the practice.

Franßen & Nusser Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB's environmental law advice is based on in-depth experience in product safety and product environmental law as well as expertise in the circular and waste management industry. Head of the product law team Jens Nusser regularly assists with construction product issues and is also well versed in issues relating to electrical law. Gregor Franßen heads the environmental law team and advises chemical companies on soil protection law and the disposal of hazardous substances. The practice also regularly acts in soil protection and product law litigation.

Hoffmann Liebs' environmental expertise is regularly evident in advice on soil protection and contaminated sites law. In this context, the practice assists various industrial companies with remediation contracts as well as with administrative and legal proceedings. Another focus is pollution control and major accident law in connection with large planned projects and real estate transactions. The team is led by environmental lawyer Volker Hoffmann, who advises on land recycling and industrial development projects, among other matters.

Kapellmann und Partner has extensive planning law expertise, which it applies in the context of approval and plan approval proceedings, regulatory advice on real estate transactions and emissions control issues. The team regularly assists with the eligibility of wind farms, solar parks and commercial areas and also represents clients in environmental litigation and regulatory control proceedings related to large infrastructure projects. Hendrik Schilder, who advises on environmental compliance aspects of construction projects, and public construction law expert Christian Bönker jointly head the practice.

Rittershaus' strong team is particularly adept at assisting with urban development and infrastructure projects; the practice portfolio includes land use planning and approval proceedings as well as comprehensive advice on building plans, emissions, noise and species protection in connection with residential construction projects. The group places a particular focus on future-oriented construction projects and not only advises on sustainable project development of commercial areas, but also increasingly on buildings rights in the wind power and photovoltaic sphere, with Wolfgang Patzelt being particularly visible. Practice head Hartmut Fischer is a sought-after contact especially for complex land-use planning issues.

In the context of urban development projects, Greenberg Traurig Germany applies its environmental and planning expertise in approval proceedings as well as in building and monument law issues. The team advises on district developments, particularly in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, both on a strategic and procedural level and also has expertise in water and pollution control compliance. Practice head Martin Hamer is well versed across all these areas and is further adept in waste management as well as climate and nature conservation law.

Public law boutique Köchling & Krahnefeld Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB is primarily active in large infrastructure projects, which the team accompanies from conception through to planning approval and approval procedures. The team assists clients with network expansion projects as well as with the construction and conversion of power plants and is a  particularly popular choice due to its expertise in emissions control law. The group also regularly handles contentious proceedings, particularly in relation to urban developments. Lutz Krahnefeld has expertise in waste and contaminated sites law and jointly heads the practice with Claire Pröbstle, who advises on environmental aspects of infrastructure projects, and Markus Ehrmann, who is adept in climate protection and energy law.

okl & partner's advice offering covers pollution control law, waste law and environmental compliance as well as representation in planning approval proceedings. Anno Oexle predominantly advises clients on infrastructure and industrial projects and is also a sought-after contact for recycling and circular economy law; he jointly leads the practice with compliance expert Alexander de Diego and Rainer Geesmann, who is experienced in planning law. Dominik Lück has extensive experience in waste management issues, including administrative law procedures. Stefan Kopp-Assenmacher left in July 2023 to found public commercial law boutique KOPP-ASSENMACHER Rechtsanwälte.

Oppenhoff's expertise in water, emissions and soil protection law primarily shows in energy projects and real estate transactions. Led by compliance expert Stephan Müller, the team is also increasingly advising on ESG issues as well as on German climate protection regulation. Environmental and energy lawyer Holger Hofmann further acts in approval and administrative proceedings and assists with the renovation and restructuring of commercial properties.

PAULY Rechtsanwälte has strong expertise in waste and packaging law and in this context assists refineries, packaging and consumer goods manufacturers as well as companies from the waste management industry; the team also extensively applies its electrical law and circular economy experience in ​​product recycling matters and regularly advises on emissions control law. The practice is headed by environmental lawyer Markus Pauly  and further adept in packaging litigation, in which context it represents all eight dual systems in Germany.

Pohlmann & Company focuses on environmental compliance and ESG issues and advises companies from various industries on setting up their compliance systems. Close networks with international partner firms enable the team to carry out risk analyses on German, British and US environmental regulations. Practice head Uwe Erling has in-depth expertise in climate and emissions protection law and represents clients before authorities, particularly in the context of environmental cleanup projects. Former practice head Horst Schlemminger (environmental law, real estate law) retired in April 2023.