Gleiss Lutz continues to offer market-leading advice on funding and state aid law, which companies in the TMT sector and various public sector clients rely on in particular. The team is known for providing comprehensive assistance with IPCEI semiconductor projects and advises various projects on funding according to the objectives of the European Chips Act; projects in the energy and aviation sectors represent additional mainstays. Practice head and European state aid expert Ulrich Soltész primarily handles these matters and in addition to his experience in project support, also possesses in-depth litigation skills and regularly represents clients in audit proceedings and competitor lawsuits. The team has additional dispute resolution capacities in counsel Harald Weiß, who deals with state aid issues that touch on European antitrust law. State aid compliance specialist Burghard Hildebrandt advises the public sector on Covid-19 aid and investment funding structuring, among other matters.

Hengeler Mueller impresses with its in-depth expertise across all areas of funding and state aid law, both on project level as well as in contentious proceedings before European courts. The team is particularly well versed in advising on the design and promotion of innovative technology projects: Jan Bonhage assists with several IPCEI projects related to battery technology and microelectronics, advises on the eligibility of innovative hydrogen projects as well as on large government stabilisation and rescue measures, and is also regularly instructed by private companies to assist with issues relating to the Covid-19 funding program. Hans-Jörg Niemeyer is another popular contact, especially for Europe-wide state aid issues, who has strong expertise in insolvency and recapitalisation issues and also acts for companies in the aviation industry in EU Commission proceedings.

Redeker Sellner Dahs' broad team covers the whole spectrum of state aid matters for a client base consisting of energy suppliers, financial services sector players as well as state and federal ministries. The practice particularly impresses with its focus on sustainability issues and the European Green Deal, which enables it to comprehensively assist with large infrastructure projects: the team is developing an increasing number of funding concepts for renewable energy projects, including a project for the production of green hydrogen. Clients from the energy industry also benefit from Clemens Holtmann's expertise in Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The team's sustainability competencies further show in contentious proceedings: Simone Lünenbürger regularly represents clients in notification procedures and also acts for the public sector in proceedings under European law, while practice head Andreas Rosenfeld is also active in litigation and further assists publicly financed infrastructure projects with antitrust issues. Furthermore, Ulrich Karpenstein contributes constitutional law expertise.

Combined with adjacent capacities in public procurement and antitrust law, Chatham Partners LLP offers clients from the infrastructure, real estate and energy sectors comprehensive advice on state aid law and also represents them in EU notification and review proceedings. The practice assists with various investment subsidies related to residential and commercial construction projects, particularly in northern Germany, and is also regularly instructed by airport and seaport operators to advise on state aid issues. Projects to promote renewable energy represent another mainstay: practice head Marco Núñez Müller assists with the funding of several IPCEI projects in this area and also advises on German funding eligibility for energy projects abroad. Energy suppliers further rely on Christos Paraschiakos, who made partner in July 2022 and stands out for his litigation expertise.

CMS primarily advises on state aid issues at federal level: in addition to private energy suppliers, the practice group predominantly assists the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection with funding initiatives to secure energy supplies and climate protection. The team recently represented BMWK in two notification proceedings before the EU Commission in connection with high-profile recapitalisation aid and also advises on the structuring and registration of sustainable funding concepts. Practice head Michael Bauer's expertise extends to state aid and antitrust law, which he applies both in advising the federal government as well as in representing private companies in state aid review proceedings and competitor lawsuits. In addition to these focus areas, the team further regularly advises on restructuring aid.

Kapellmann und Partner counts various airports, energy suppliers, sports clubs and industrial companies among its client base and primarily advises them on funding eligibility as well as state aid and grants issues related to the structuring of their infrastructure projects. The public sector also makes use of the practice's state aid expertise: practice head Robin van der Hout primarily advises on financing arrangements that comply with state aid law, but also represents clients in complaint proceedings before the EU commission. Antitrust expert Christian Wagner is adept in litigation and assists clients with notification proceedings.

Research and development projects represent a focus for Baker McKenzie's state aid team: it not only assists with the funding of broadband projects and sustainable energy projects, but also advises on notification and funding proceedings pertaining to a semiconductor plant IPCEI, in close cooperation with its corporate and employment practices. Practice head Marc Gabriel is experienced in both state aid and public procurement law and is considered the key contact for innovative funding projects. The team has additional expertise in dispute resolution: Andrés Martin-Ehlers, who joined the practice as counsel in February 2023, applies his antitrust and state aid expertise in various competitor lawsuits in the aviation industry, among other matters. Counsel Janet Butler further advises on matters touching on both state aid and environmental law.

BLOMSTEIN Rechtsanwälte offers clients advice on state aid matters related to antitrust, public procurement and foreign trade law and focuses on complex state aid proceedings in the aviation and energy sectors. The team is particularly often instructed to assist with stabilisation financing to counteract economic consequences of the Ukraine and Covid-19 crises: as a member of various monitoring trustee teams of the EU Commission, practice head Max Klasse oversees commitments related to large recapitalisation and restructuring aid; he also represents clients in several state aid proceedings and further advises on grant issues and foreign subsidies regulation.

Dentons is primarily known for its expertise in state aid litigation: the team regularly acts for both plaintiffs and defendants in disputes concerning the legality of EU aid payments and primarily represents players from the transport and infrastructure sectors in review proceedings and competitor lawsuits. Matthias Nordmann's contentious skills span state aid and antitrust law, while practice head Ilka Mehdorn is considered an environmental law expert. Andreas Haak joined Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB in October 2023.

Clifford Chance's internationally connected, Düsseldorf-based practice primarily assists with state aid compliance and is particularly often instructed by large companies in the TMT and automotive sectors seeking advice on issues relating to foreign subsidies regulation. The expertise of practice heads Thomas Voland, who focuses on constitutional and state aid regulation issues, and Joachim Schütze, who frequently advises on antitrust issues, also shows in their state aid advice on energy projects and investment projects.

Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB's state aid advice focuses on universities, research institutes and colleges and concerns the establishment of publicly financed research and science infrastructures. In this context, practice head Anke Empting assists clients with both the implementation and participation in funding programs and also advises them on the appropriate use of government grants. Empting is further increasingly active in research projects that are intended to help accelerate the coal phase-out.