Gleiss Lutz is considered one of the leading addresses for dispute resolution: under the leadership of Stefan Rützel, who is experienced in financial and corporate as well as post-M&A disputes, the team has in-depth expertise in compliance-related follow-up proceedings - including in connection with corporate liability -, claims and liability claims enforcement as well as in defending clients against cartel damages claims. Class and mass lawsuits in the capital market and antitrust context, in which Eric Wagner is particularly active, as well as product liability and recall cases represent additional mainstays, while the team recently also experienced an increase in energy disputes - here, its representation of Lanxess, led by David Quinke, in the billion-dollar dispute over an EEG levy is particularly noteworthy. Andrea Leufgen is an experienced contact for transactional, banking and financial disputes as well as joint venture disputes, while Tobias Boecken focuses on conflicts in the construction and plant engineering sector.

Hengeler Mueller's powerful dispute resolution practice acts in capital market disputes, antitrust damages litigation, conflicts in the IT and communications sector as well as in board liability and post-M&A proceedings. Philipp Hanfland is particularly experienced in the latter area as well as in the context of capital market, corporate and insolvency conflicts, while Antonia Hösch has extensive expertise in contractual and corporate disputes and Markus Meier focuses on representing companies in civil law disputes. Numerous financial services and energy companies also rely on the team in complex, cross-border disputes before state courts.

Due to its interdisciplinary set-up and global integration, Linklaters‘ renowned dispute resolution practice handles an impressive number of contentious matters for national and international companies in the healthcare, energy, automotive and financial services industries; the team places a particular focus on banking, corporate and commercial disputes, antitrust damages proceedings as well as D&O and product liability conflicts. In the energy sector, the practice further focuses on contentious supply contract, price adjustment and hardship clauses issues, as well as on construction, commercial and corporate conflicts. Contentious ESG matters are also increasingly contributing to the practice’s case load – here Julia Grothaus (antitrust and corporate law) places a strong focus on liability risks associated with sustainability issues. While Rupert Bellinghausen is active in post-M&A arbitration proceedings, class actions, antitrust damages litigation, product liability and corporate disputes, Kerstin Wilhelm advises on white-collar criminal proceedings. Counsel Anke Krause is one of the key contacts for product liability proceedings and contractual disputes. Since publication, former practice head Alexandros Chatzinerantzis has left the firm.

Baker McKenzie's comprehensive dispute resolution expertise includes insolvency, antitrust and post-M&A disputes as well as a wide range of pharmaceutical and patent conflicts, in which the group primarily represents clients from the pharmaceutical, IT and infrastructure sectors, but also financial institutions and insolvency administrators, ministries as well auditing firms. The practice is jointly managed by Heiko Haller and Günter Pickrahn: in addition to routinely advising pharmaceutical companies on contractual disputes, Haller's expertise is particularly evident in conflicts relating to large energy projects, such as the construction of nuclear power plants and offshore wind farms; Pickrahn, who also acts as an arbitrator, handles post-M&A disputes as well as licensing and intellectual property rights issues. In the corporate litigation sphere, Tobias Höfling assists with numerous resolution challenges, board liability disputes and conflicts between M&A advisors and investors over transaction remuneration, while technology-related disputes and mass litigation represent Nicolai Behr's focus, who made partner in July 2023. Senior Associate Max Oehm is a key contact for professional liability issues.

With a broad sector focus that includes the automotive, technology and energy industries, Clifford Chance is dedicated to commercial, contractual, corporate and antitrust disputes, in particular cartel damages proceedings (follow-on), as well as cum-ex-related and data protection conflicts; practice heads Michael Kremer, Jan Conrady and Thomas Voland are among the key contacts for the latter area. The team also possesses deep expertise in banking and financial services disputes, with complementary skills in white collar crime and tax issues. Of counsel Uwe Hornung is a key contact for contentious corporate and transactional matters.

With extensive expertise in the financial services, life sciences and energy sectors, Hogan Lovells International LLP is considered a popular address for corporate, energy, commercial and antitrust disputes, while practice head Tanja Eisenlaub also regularly handles litigation in the automotive sector. Other mainstays include insolvency disputes and civil and administrative conflicts as well as data protection proceedings and complex, international supply chain disputes in the automotive and mobility sectors; Detlef Haß is considered particularly adept in the latter segment. In addition to litigation before state courts, counsel Christoph Pelz is also well versed in out-of-court dispute resolution.

Latham & Watkins LLP's in-depth dispute resolution experience spans complex commercial disputes, mass litigation and data protection conflicts as well as insolvency and antitrust damages proceedings and contentious post-M&A issues - an area in which Alena McCorkle is particularly well versed - and is reflected in numerous instructions from high-profile international companies from the technology, financial services and automotive sectors. Practice head Christoph Baus is experienced in commercial litigation, while counsel Stefan Patzer's expertise covers litigation as well as of ​​out-of-court dispute resolution; Anne Löhner excels in complex, often cross-border commercial disputes, mass proceedings as well as post-M&A and shareholder disputes.

SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft acts in product liability and insolvency disputes as well as in corporate, antitrust and post-M&A conflicts, with key contacts including Stefan Zeyher, Philipp Rüppell, Jochem Reichert and Ben Steinbrück. Thomas Liebscher, who advises on corporate, group and capital market law as well as M&A, and Michael Molitoris, who is experienced in product liability and insurance disputes, are other names to note. Counsel Isabel Fischer focuses on commercial, corporate and contractual disputes.

White & Case LLP is primarily active in energy sector disputes, but also has extensive experience in the insurance and technology industries as well as in bankruptcy and restructuring conflicts; key contacts include Gero von Jhering and counsel Marlene Maesch. Supply contract proceedings represent another mainstay, which are primarily handled by Markus Burianski and Christian Theissen, as well as post-M&A disputes and contentious matters in the financial services industry; practice head Markus Langen frequently acts in the latter area, while Alexandra Diehl has extensive expertise in mass proceedings in the automotive, energy and pharmaceutical sectors.

In addition to corporate and product liability disputes, CMS represents numerous clients in complex national and international commercial and transport disputes, but is also involved in post-M&A, banking and financial conflicts as well as in contentious matters in the life sciences sector. The practice is jointly led by Thomas Lennarz (focuses on mass litigation) and Nicolas Wiegand, who predominantly handles arbitration proceedings in connection with large construction projects, joint ventures, IP, IT and energy.

DLA Piper represents national and international companies in the automotive, TMT and life sciences sectors in disputes relating to liability, contract and corporate law and also has expertise in mass litigation. Practice head Thomas Gädtke is considered a specialist in the latter segment, who is also well versed in product and corporate liability as well as in financial services conflicts. Investment protection proceedings as well as commercial and infrastructure disputes are part of Marc Jacob's repertoire, while Wolfgang Jäger has experience in commercial contract litigation and civil damages prosecution; Frank Roth is a sought-after contact for contentious insolvency and joint venture matters.

In addition to representing clients in civil and criminal litigation, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's dispute resolution practice also handles collective redress and mass litigation. The team is regularly instructed by national and international companies to assist with corporate and product liability disputes, post-M&A conflicts and ESG litigation, as well as with cartel damages proceedings. Georg Weidenbach is particularly well versed in the latter area, while Markus Rieder, who is experienced in cross-border commercial litigation, advises on ESG disputes including climate and environmental protection matters.

WACH UND MECKES und Partner Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB has expertise in insolvency disputes, particularly Karl Wach and Frank Meckes, and is also well versed in conflicts in the environmental, energy and technology sectors. In the latter, Maximilian Menz is particularly adept in disputes, while Robert Straubmeier specialises in contentious insolvency and corporate matters. Arno Riethmüller is a key contact for transaction-related litigation.

Dentons' cross-border dispute resolution practice operates across a broad spectrum, ranging from corporate, commercial and liability disputes to post-M&A conflicts. The practice is also assisting with a growing number of contractual and (plant) construction disputes, particularly in the industrial, automotive, energy and construction sectors; Matthias Hadding and Thomas Nebel are particularly active here. The latter jointly heads the practice with Heiko Heppner, who focuses on contractual and corporate disputes.

Under the joint leadership of Thomas Wambach and Christian Strasser, Heuking's dispute resolution team acts in contractual, corporate liability, liability and commercial disputes, while post-M&A disputes as well as mass proceedings, in particular diesel claims, contribute significantly to its case load; the group has further expertise in contentious plant construction matters. In September 2023, the Munich practice was strengthened by the arrival of Christina Nitsche, who primarily represents technology companies, start-ups and advertisers and joined from Peters Schönberger und Partner.

Jones Day impresses with its experience in M&A disputes as well as construction and engineering conflicts, for which Thomas Weimann is one of the key contacts. He jointly leads the team with Johannes Willheim, who, in addition to his arbitration expertise, also has extensive competencies in energy disputes, primarily in cross-border proceedings concerning gas price adjustments. Dieter Strubenhoff also has expertise in disputes in the construction, plant engineering and infrastructure sectors as well as in the aviation and life sciences industries.

In addition to advising international clients on corporate, post-M&A and commercial disputes, Norton Rose Fulbright's cross-border litigation practice is also experienced in product and product liability law; in the latter area, counsel Nikolas Smirra is considered a key contact. The practice is led by Jamie Nowak, who is well versed in commercial disputes, and further focuses on the representation of real estate funds, insurance companies and property management companies as well as on banking and commercial disputes.

Various national and international medium-sized companies and large corporations regularly draw upon Taylor Wessing's experience in commercial, insurance and corporate disputes as well as in product liability litigation. In the latter segment, practice head Philipp Behrendt and product liability specialist Henning Moelle are particularly experienced. Moelle also represents high-profile clients from the pharmaceutical industry who, in addition to energy, shareholder and post-M&A conflicts, contribute to the practice's case load.

WilmerHale particularly focuses on complex civil and regulatory disputes, especially with an antitrust background, while the team also has expertise in corporate litigation as well as product liability and warranty proceedings. The practice is jointly led by Vanessa Wettner, who was recently involved in numerous civil proceedings against consumer protection associations, Stefan Ohlhoff, who is active in large cartel damages proceedings in the automotive, automotive supplier, finance and healthcare industries, and Hans-Georg Kamann, who handles antitrust, state aid and EU law litigation.

Eversheds Sutherland regularly demonstrates its litigation expertise in supply chain disputes as well as in distribution and product liability conflicts, while the team also possesses expertise in post-M&A litigation as well as contentious insurance and antitrust matters. The practice is particularly visible in the aerospace and automotive sectors, in the latter area especially on behalf of suppliers. Practice head Joos Hellert is dedicated to commercial, distribution and corporate disputes and is supported by Alexandra Watzlawek (commercial and contractual disputes with a focus on supply chain conflicts and the automotive sector), Fabian Volz (defense against product liability claims) and Stephan von Marschall (commercial conflicts, post-M&A, arbitration).

Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB's dispute resolution practice is visible in the technology and telecommunications, financial services and automotive sectors and offers expertise in post-M&A and corporate liability disputes as well as in contractual and corporate conflicts. Complex commercial disputes in the technology and financial services sectors are primarily handled by practice heads Sibylle Schumacher and Johanna Weißbach.

SKW Schwarz' experienced litigators focus on supply, commercial and distribution disputes. Damages and compensation claims represent a focus for Oliver Korte, while practice head Arndt Tetzlaff represents medium-sized companies, banks and insurance companies in post-M&A and corporate liability disputes, and Ulrich Reber assists national and international clients with civil law and insolvency-related conflicts. Franziska Ladiges (IT litigation and data protection) and Jens-Hendrik Kern (inheritance and tax conflicts) both made partner at the beginning of 2023.