Hengeler Mueller’s regulatory team focuses on incorporation across the German banking sector. Here, the practice assists financial institutions in various transactions and reorganisations and regularly cooperates with the experts from the M&A, tax and employment law teams. Dirk Hermann Bliesener and Carl-Philipp Eberlein frequently take the lead, while Christian Schmies is a key contact for fintech matters, which constitutes another core strength of the practice. This is complemented by expertise in litigation and compliance.

Linklaters comprehensively advises German and international banks, financial institutions, investors and companies on regulatory issues, where the diverse team regularly acts across practices and locations. The mainstays include regulatory support for M&A transactions across the banking and asset management sector as well as advising banks and credit institutions on reorganisation and restructuring projects. In addition to financial and investment regulatory law, practice head Andreas Steck is also a key contact for insurance supervisory law, while Andreas Dehio advises on securities trading law and licensing procedures.

A&O Shearman is led by Alexander Behrens and comprehensively covers regulatory law and product-specific topics for financial institutions and financial services providers. The mainstays include regulatory support in M&A transactions, joint ventures and restructuring in the financial sector, with most recent instructions pertaining to the review of booking models and special audits by supervisory authorities. The team is also experienced in digitisation issues, the use of AI as well as ESG and compliance matters. The competencies at the interface between digitisation and regulatory law were strengthened in January 2024 with the addition of Joachim Wuermeling as of counsel; he was previously on the executive board of the Deutsche Bundesbank.

Clifford Chance comprehensively covers regulatory matters and frequently acts in close cooperation with the capital markets and financing teams in the advice on product-specific regulatory law. The mainstays include the support in transactions and mergers, with most recent instructions pertaining to special regulatory audits and investigations by or on behalf of supervisory authorities such as the European Central Bank and BaFin. Here, practice head Marc Benzler frequently took the lead; he also supports financial institutions in connection with the incorporation of banks and their subsidiaries, including licensing, market entry and compliance issues. He is supported by senior counsel Kerstin Schaepersmann, who boasts similar competencies.

Thanks to the cross-practice cooperation, Hogan Lovells International LLP's regulatory expertise is regularly called upon in the context of restructurings, reorganisations and transactions in the banking sector, as well as in the compliance area and in connection with internal investigations; the forensic expertise was most recently demonstrated in connection with special audits by BaFin. The team is also experienced at the capital markets interface, where banks are supported in proceedings against the European Union’s Single Resolution Board pertaining to bank levies as well as the distribution of structured products. This is complemented by capacities in the payment and fintech area, which were recently strengthened with the appointment of Sarah Wrage to partner in January 2024. The practice is led by Richard Reimer (institutional and product-specific regulatory law), who is supported by counsel Andreas Doser (German and European regulatory law).

Latham & Watkins LLP impresses with the support for sector-specific M&A matters, including private equity transactions, where the team regularly advises on cross-border matters, while the assistance with investigations and enforcement proceedings of the ECB and BaFin is another core competence. Markus Krüger and Axel Schiemann regularly cover both segments and jointly lead the team, both are also well versed in regulatory and payment transaction law in connection with fintech matters.

White & Case LLP‘s regulatory know-how across the financial services sector includes transaction support, owner control procedures as well as BaFin licensing procedures, securities regulation and regulatory disputes before the European courts, including various annulment proceedings before the European Court against the European Union’s Single Resolution Board (SRB). Another focus is on new technologies, such as crypto custody and digital securities transactions. Practice head Henning Berger combines expertise in German and European regulatory law with capacities in administrative, European and constitutional law and is supported by Woldemar Häring, who comprehensively covers regulatory issues.

Boutique Annerton specialises in financial regulatory law and routinely advises German and international banks as well as financial institutions, companies, fintechs, crypto exchanges and payment services providers. This client roster is supported in digital economy matters, regulatory and payment transaction law issues in connection with German market entry as well as new product launches. The crypto sector is another core focus, where the team advises on blockchain-based payment solutions and licensing procedures. Clients also benefit from the frequent cooperation with the Luxembourg location. Key contacts include Frank Müller (banking, regulatory, payment transactions and money laundering law) and Anna Izzo-Wagner (regulatory and investment law, compliance). Alireza Siadat (blockchain and cryptocurrencies) joined Deloitte Legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH in November 2024; Anh-Vu Tran (investment and investment tax law) left the team in January 2025 for an in-house role.

CMS is a popular address for automotive banks and leasing institutions in connection with the incorporation of deposit-taking banks thanks to relevant industry expertise across the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. The team is also experienced in supporting the incorporation of institutions, including related licensing procedures, as well as advising on regulatory matters in the context of ​​institutional risk management. Most recent instructions pertain to the latter segment, where the practice acted on behalf of institutions in BaFin special audits. This is complemented by clients' representation in proceedings against BaFin and the Bundesbank as well as expertise in compliance. The team is jointly led by Joachim Kaetzler (regulatory law, compliance, money laundering and corruption prevention) and Andrea München (German, Luxembourg and European regulatory law).

Noerr comprehensively covers all aspects of regulatory law and advises banks, financial institutions and payment services providers as well as companies and asset managers. Most recently, the practice advised on regulatory issues pertaining to digital business models and crypto assets as well as on restructuring and cooperation agreements, Jens Kunz frequently took the lead here, and also assisted with BaFin proceedings and AML compliance issues. Additionally, the team regularly supports transactions across all practices. Kunz co-leads with Thomas Heitzer, who focuses on insurance supervisory law.

The regulatory law and financial market regulation expert Christian Hissnauer leads the Gleiss Lutz team since the departure of Maximilian von Rom in May 2024. The practice advises German and international banks and financial institutions on all regulatory issues, including incorporation as well as liquidation. The team is well versed in cross-practice issues at the interface with corporate law and M&A and regularly supports transactions as well as the restructuring of banks and other stabilisation measures.

GSK Stockmann boasts expertise in ESG and digitisation matters and regularly advises fintechs, digital platforms and services providers, companies and banks on various issues pertaining to payment transactions and banking law, including product launches, the implementation of digitisation platforms as well as e-money and crypto securities, cooperation agreements and licensing. Other mainstays include the advice on compliance and preventive regulatory matters. Munich-based Timo Bernau heads the team and is well versed in payment transactions and e-banking; he also advises on investment funds and regulatory law.

Financial services institutions regularly instruct Lindenpartners on securities trading and ESG, such as the implementation of ESG and sustainable finance regulations, MiFID compliance issues as well as clients' representation before BaFin, including special audits and administrative proceedings. This is complemented by expertise in data protection, IT and money laundering law. The practice is jointly led by Lars Röh and Frank Zingel; both comprehensively advise on regulatory law.

Deloitte Legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH‘s client roster includes European and international banking groups as well as corporate groups, which the team advises on licensing procedures according to the payment services supervision law (ZAG), various payment services law issues, token-related projects according to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) as well as market entry, the incorporation of subsidiaries and licensing matters. Transaction support is another key competence, which was strengthened in September 2023 with the arrival of Simon Grieser from Reed Smith LLP. This offering is complemented by various interface competencies, such as IT and data protection law; the investment law intersection was strengthened in May 2024 with the addition of Matthias Meinert from Dechert LLP . Mathias Hanten (cross-border support, M&A and deposit protection) heads the team, which was further strengthened with the addition of Alireza Siadat (blockchain und cryptocurrencies) from Annerton in November 2024.

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB continues to act in a wide range of banking and regulatory matters, with the firm also having strong expertise in the area of financial litigation in particular. FinTech-related mandates are another focus of the practice group headed by Yorick Ruland.

Jones Day‘s regulatory team is led by Michael Fischer and acts integrated into the wider European practice. The mainstays include transaction support as well as the advice to banks and financial institutions on their business activities in Germany and on governance issues.

Mayer Brown LLP's team acts integrated into the capital markets practice and focuses on issues at the interface between capital markets and regulatory law, including bonds, structured products, derivatives and digital securities, where practice head Patrick Scholl regularly takes the lead. Another focus is ESG, including the support in matters pertaining to taxonomy compliance and sustainable financial products.

Waldeck Rechtsanwälte PartmbB‘s regulatory expertise is frequently called upon in the fintech and crypto-related context, including licensing procedures and cooperation agreements, while other mainstays include transaction support, securities trading matters and compliance as well as AML compliance. The client roster is equally diverse and consists of payment services providers, asset managers, stock exchanges, securities firms, banks and companies. The team is jointly led by Jan Liepe (banking, stock exchange and capital markets law) and Hendrik Pielka (focus on stock exchange and financial sector).