Clifford Chance comprehensively advises on banking and regulatory matters in the transactions space, here, practice head Marc Benzler regularly takes the lead. The team also covers regulatory audits, licensing and owner control procedures as well as derivative regulation and documentation matters. In addition to his experience in transactions, Benzler is a key contact for European regulatory law matters, where he frequently cooperates with the firm’s international regulatory experts. He is supported by counsel Kerstin Schaepersmann, who is well versed in regulatory and structured financing matters.

In addition to its expertise in crypto regulation and the structuring of payment systems, Hengeler Mueller focuses on regulatory matters pertaining to transactions and financing rounds. The team assists financial institutions, investors and asset managers with enforcement proceedings and disputes and regularly cooperates with the compliance team. These competencies lead to frequent instructions on greenwashing, ESG-related matters as well as various BaFin procedures. Among the key contacts are regulatory experts Dirk Hermann Bliesener and Christian Schmies; the latter is also well versed in fintech matters and focuses on cryptocurrencies and payment services.

A&O Shearman‘s multidisciplinary practice comprehensively covers regulatory and product-related issues, including digital products at the capital markets interface and crypto-related matters. Advising financial instituitions on regulatory matters pertaining to transactions and restructuring is a key strength; the team also assists with German market entry, the incorporation of banks as well as matters in the ESG and compliance sphere, the latter includes BaFin special audits. Fintech companies regularly instruct the team on BaFin licensing procedures. Practice head Alexander Behrens demonstrates similar competencies and comprehensively advises on German and European financial regulatory law.

Hogan Lovells International LLP comprehensively covers regulatory matters and frequently acts at the capital markets interface; these capabilities lead to regular instructions in the context of digital product launches and the assistance with proceedings against the European Union’s Single Resolution Board pertaining to bank levies and contributions to the European Resolution Fund (SFR). Other key strengths are the restructuring of banks, BaFin licensing procedures as well as payment transaction matters. Among the client roster are banks, credit institutions and international companies. Practice head Richard Reimer is experienced in both institutional and product-specific regulatory law, he is supported by counsel Andreas Doser (financial product launches, cooperation and outsourcing agreements) and Sarah Wrage (regulatory, payment services and investment law) who made partner in January 2024.

Latham & Watkins LLP is well known for its regulatory expertise in M&A and private equity transactions. The team also offers assistance with regulatory audits and enforcement procedures of the ECB and BaFin as well as preventative compliance issues and reporting obligations, licensing requirements for German business activities, including cryptocurrency-related matters, and the implementation of ESG strategies. The practice is led by Markus Krüger (transactions and regulatory advice) and Axel Schiemann, who recently assisted with a cross-border investigation pertaining to AML compliance and advised a global crypto platform operator on licensing matters pertaining to crypto trading and deposits.

Annerton Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH comprehensively advises on regulatory matters pertaining to banking, financial services and investment law and boasts expertise in the fintech sector. Frank Müller is well versed in the structuring of business models and BaFin licensing procedures, while Peter Frey comprehensively covers financial regulatory matters and also has expertise in money laundering law and outsourcing. Anna Izzo-Wagner was most recently instructed on BaFin control procedures as well as matters pertaining to the regulation on European Crowdfunding (ECSP). Nasim Jenkouk (banking and finance law with a focus on fintech) joined RSM Ebner Stolz in April 2023.

CMS is experienced in the automotive sector and routinely advises automotive banks and leasing institutions on the incorporation of deposit-taking banks. Another mainstay is clients’ representation in proceedings before BaFin and the Bundesbank as well as in special audit proceedings; the team is also well versed in remuneration-related matters at the employment law interface. This advice offering is complemented by expertise in crypto-related business models as well as governance and ESG topics; the latter is frequently called upon in the context of sustainable finance. Co-practice head Joachim Kaetzler also co-heads the firm’s international ESG group, while co-head Andrea München covers German as well as Luxembourg and European financial supervisory law.

Noerr‘s multidisciplinary approach focuses on cross-practice cooperation, such as the advice on remuneration matters at the employment law interface, topics pertaining to IT security, data-driven business models and banking secrecy at the IT and data protection intersection as well as M&A transactions. Among the client roster are banks, payment services providers, asset managers, investors and companies, which regularly instruct the team on compliance matters, including MiFID and MiFID II in the securities area, AML matters as well as cooperation agreements and BaFin procedures and issues pertaining to payment services law. The team is led by insurance supervisory law experts Thomas Heitzer and Jens Kunz, who comprehensively cover financial regulatory, investment and money laundering law. The regulatory expertise in transactions was strengthened with the partner appointment of Dominik Kloka in January 2024.

SERNETZ • SCHÄFER‘s regulatory expertise is frequently called upon in the litigation context, whereas the team also assists with transactions, the development of new financial products, including digital products, as well as payment services supervison and money laundering law matters. The practice is regularly instructed by companies, private equity companies as well as large and regional banks. Practice head Frank Schäfer is experienced in banking, capital markets and financial regulatory law; he is supported by Jörg Mimberg (fintech and payment services supervision law) and Thomas Eckhold (banking, capital markets and financial regulatory law).

Gleiss Lutz is well known for its experience in crisis management as well as transactions and restructuring-related matters due to the close cooperation with the M&A and corporate experts. The team also advises on payment services law and fintech matters and is regularly instructed in connection with regulatory issues pertaining to remuneration. Maximilian von Rome heads the practice and is well versed in European regulatory law. In September 2023, Christian Hissnauer (banking supervisory law and financial market regulation) joined the team from Clifford Chance.

GSK Stockmann's mainstays include clients' representation before the European Central Bank as well as matters pertaining to digitisation and sustainability, including electronic payment services, platform-related topics and the trading of CO2 certificates. Platform operators, companies, financial institutions and fintech companies also benefit from the team's close cooperation with the Luxembourg office; the latter is led by Andreas Heinzmann and regularly assists with matters pertaining to investment law. German practice head Timo Bernau comprehensively covers banking and insurance supervisory law with a focus on the fintech sector. Lisa Watermann (sustainable finance, investment law) made local partner in January 2023.

Deloitte Legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH assists banks and companies with BaFin procedures, market entry and indemnity matters, transactions as well as topics pertaining to management board remuneration. Practice head Mathias Hanten boasts similar competenciesis and Hannes Bracht is a key contact for matters pertaining to payment services.

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB offers comprehensive advice on banking and regulatory matters and increasingly focuses on ​​financial litigation, here, practice head Yorick Ruland is a key contact. This competency was further strengthened with the partner appointments of Tony Beyer and Richard Franz Gerlach in May 2023; both are experienced in regulatory law and dispute resolution. Cornelia Kinast was also promoted to partner at the same time and is well versed in the transactions sphere. Matthias Terlau is a key contact for matters pertaining to new financial services, payment transaction law as well as fintech.

Lindenpartners comprehensively advises credit institutions, fintech companies and asset managers on regulatory issues and also covers interfacing matters pertaining to IT, securities, money laundering and payment transaction law. Recent topics include ESG-related projects in the sustainable finance area. Practice head Lars Röh boasts similar competencies, while new associated partner Jessica Glaser is well versed in capital markets law and matters pertaining to bank liquidation; she joined in April 2023 from a previous in-house role.

Mayer Brown LLP's regulatory practice is integrated into its capital markets group, thus making this interface competency a core strength. Patrick Scholl heads the team, which frequently advises on derivative regulation (EMIR), benchmarks and securities sales, while placing a further focus on ESG-related matters; this includes advice on sustainable financial products and the implementation of the EU taxonomy regulation.

Waldeck Rechtsanwälte PartmbB's regulatory advice focuses on fintech and crypto-related matters with further competencies in the transactions segment. The most recent workload pertains to licensing and owner control procedures as well as topics related to European long term investment funds (ELTIFs) and ESG. Jan Liepe (securities and financial services) and Hendrik Pielka (banking and securities law) jointly head the team, which added Lucas Paolazzi to its partner roster in January 2023; he is well versed in advising financial service providers and specialises in licensing and owner control procedures.