Clifford Chance 's expertise in investment law is complemented by interfacing tax and regulatory competencies pertaining to capital investments, which cover all asset classes, including alternative assets such as real estate, private equity and private debt. Among the client roster are investment companies, financial institutions and insurance companies, which regularly instruct Marco Simonis (structuring, launch and management of investment products; fund-related structured products) and Sonya Pauls (corporate, private equity). Most recent work pertains to alternative investment structures, the restructuring of fund participation and fundraising as well as traditional fund launches and structuring; the team demonstarted these competencies in the infrastructure and energy sectors.

Linklaters‘ key strength in the investment fund area is the advice on the structuring and launch of funds. The team focuses on alternative asset classes, including real estate funds, as well as debt funds and European long-term investment funds (ELTIFs). Matters pertaining to fundraising, regulatory law and ESG are also covered. The practice management demonstrates real estate expertise with co-head of the real estate practice Markus Wollenhaupt and Alexander Vogt, who advises on alternative investments as well as transactions in the asset management sphere. Olena Tokman made partner in May 2023 and is well versed in regulatory issues and transactions.

Dechert LLP cooperates closely with its global financial services and investment management group and comprehensively advises on the structuring and launch of financial and investment products. The team covers various asset classes with a focus on ​​private debt and other alternative investments. This is complemented by expertise in related regulatory and tax issues, including ESG. Hans Stamm is a key contact for tax law matters and jointly heads the practice with banking supervisory and investment law expert Angelo Lercara; Lercara has additional expertise in regulatory issues pertaining to ESG.

German and international banks, PE funds and asset managers regularly instruct Hengeler Mueller‘s team on cross-border and cross-practice issues as well as interfacing regulatory and corporate law matters. Recent work includes the advice on a private debt platform in Europe and launching a fund with several investment segments for the special fund of the city of Marburg in a Europe-wide procurement process. Carl-Philipp Eberlein (insurance, banking supervision and investment law) and Christian Schmies (banking supervision law, blockchain and crypto assets) are the key contacts.

POELLATH's mainstay is the advice on private equity funds and other alternative investment funds; recent instructions frequently pertain to the technology sector. The practice is jointly led by Amos Veith (fund structuring) and Jens Steinmüller, who is well versed in regulatory and tax issues as well as fund participation and investments. Thus, the team covers investor-related regulatory matters as well as the implementation of EU legal frameworks in connection with ESG, fundraising and contract documentation.

Simmons & Simmons‘ combined regulatory and tax expertise is regularly called upon by national and international asset managers, institutional investors and fund sponsors, which also benefit from close cooperation with the Luxembourg office when launching suitable vehicles in Germany and Europe. Practice head Benedikt Weiser is well versed in fund structuring and fund launches; his team has recently been increasingly active in advising on ​​sustainability-related matters, including in connection with disclosure and taxonomy regulations. Weiser is the sole practice head since May 2023, former co-heads Harald Glander (launch and sales of open and closed funds, master KAG structures and ETFs) and Jochen Kindermann (regulatory, compliance, asset management) are still among the key contacts. Sabrina Schwiebert and Daniel Lühmann (both regulatory law) are experienced in the asset management and investment fund sector and made partners in 2023.

YPOG impresses with expertise in structuring venture capital funds and increasingly advises on infrastructure, debt and private equity funds. The latter is a key strength of Andreas Rodin, who jointly covers tax law issues with Sebastian Schwarz; Schwarz was appointed partner in December 2023. Practice head Fabian Euhus is experienced in the venture capital space, he is also well versed in fund structuring, international fundraising and regulatory matters.

CMS combines its multidisciplinary approach with a focus on fund structuring, including all asset classes, as well as investor advice and fund-related transactions. Recent instructions pertain to fund structuring in the real estate, renewable energy, venture capital and private equity sectors, as well as large investment fund restructurings. Practice head Daniel Voigt is well versed in fund structuring and the acquisition of fund participations, he also comprehensively covers regulatory matters. Tillman Kempf complements this with expertise in the tax structuring of funds.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP specialises in advising on German and Luxembourg fund structures as well as European regulatory law and has a strong focus on the private equity market. The team covers fund sales as well as sustainability-related disclosure matters. Practice head Patricia Volhard travels between the London, Paris, Luxembourg and Frankfurt locations and international counsel Jin-Hyuk Jang is well versed in regulatory matters, including the management and sale of private funds as well as fund structuring. Volhard complements this with ESG-related expertise and her qualification as a French lawyer, thus she routinely covers cross-border matters.

Led by Robert Kramer (regulatory law) and Petra Eckl (tax law), GSK Stockmann regularly assists fund-launching institutions, initiators and investors in the structuring of special funds across various asset classes, including related tax matters. Clients also benefit from the close cooperation with the Luxembourg office on cross-border tax issues. Recent work pertains to the ESG area (with frequent ties to the real estate sector), such as the launch of ESG funds, including related regulatory matters and ESG upgrades for closed funds, as well as German mezzanine fund structures in the real estate sector and fund restructuring. Dominik Berka (tax law) and Lisa Watermann (sustainable finance, institution- and product-related advice on investment law) were appointed local partners in January 2023.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH routinely cooperates with the Luxembourg team in assisting asset managers and institutional investors with the structuring, launch and sale of alternative investment funds, investments in alternative investment products and the structuring of investment platforms. This is complemented by expertise in regulatory and tax matters. Practice head Bela Jansen ((investment) tax and regulatory issues in the asset management area), Achim Pütz (conception, documentation and sales of structured financial products) and Martin Hüwel (asset management, investment and insurance supervisory law). Henning Brockhaus (previously at KPMG Law in Germany) joined the practice in July 2023 and is well versed in the securities fund area. Frank Wilbert (asset management and regulatory law) joined WTS in 2023.

Ashurst LLP comprehensively advises on regulatory matters, which are regularly called upon in connection with infrastructure, real estate and debt funds. Investment houses constitute a large proportion of the client roster, which the team advises on fund launches, including frequent cooperations with the Luxembourg location on cross-border matters, as well as ESG-related matters. Co-practice head Detmar Loff is well versed in regulatory law and advises on licensing matters, risk management and investment suitability checks; he jointly heads the team with Jasmin Gütle, who specialises in advising institutional investors on investments in international fund structures.

Heuking's full service approach covers competencies at the interfaces with real estate, corporate law as well as M&A; practice head Michael Dröge is a key contact for the latter. The team advises on the launch and structuring of funds, regulatory issues and matters pertaining to investments in funds, including crypto-based funds. Among the client roster are capital management and investment companies as well as family offices.