News

With Jessica Hanke, we are once again gaining an expert for the further expansion of our established real estate law practice as of June 1, 2024. After Gregor Lamla joined our Cologne team in 2022, another experienced specialist is now joining us. Jessica Hanke advises clients across the entire spectrum of real estate law. Her expertise includes in...

“Who is well versed in mergers and acquisitions? Which law firm is a leader in criminal or corporate law? And who is ahead when it comes to problems in employment law?” To answer these and other questions, the business magazine brand eins, together with the statistics portal statista, asked more than 14,000 lawyers from commercial...

The Baden-Württemberg Regional Labor Court (“LAG”) has confirmed the invalidity of the works council election at the Porsche car manufacturer’s Zuffenhausen site. The reason for this was that employees at the Leipzig site had also voted (decision of March 19, 2024 – 15 TaBV 2/23). Facts of the case The decision of the LAG Baden-Württemberg...

When I say that I grew up in a small village that belongs to the town of Hamelin, people can always make an association with my hometown, as almost everyone has heard of the Pied Piper. People outside of Germany and even Europe are also familiar with this legend, so when I travel I am...

Only those who are entered in the shareholders’ list of a German limited liability company (“GmbH”) are formally considered shareholders and can exercise their rights. However, there is an exception if the GmbH has consciously submitted an incorrect list to the commercial register. That is stated in the decision of the Munich Higher Regional Court...

According to the Hamburg Labor Court (decision of January 14, 2024 -24 BVGa 1/24), neither specifications for the use nor the use of ChatGPT and comparable tools via private accounts are subject to co-determination under works constitution law. Facts of the case The works council of a global medical technology manufacturer wanted to obtain a...

In a ruling dated January 10, 2024 (case no. 3 Sa 74/23), the Schleswig-Holstein Regional Labor Court ruled that the dismissal due to illness at issue in this case was invalid due to an incorrect works council hearing. Facts of the case The ruling of the Schleswig-Holstein Regional Labor Court (Landesarbeitsgericht, “LAG”) is based on...

FGvW advised the three shareholders of MBG energy GmbH, which specializes in the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of high-quality photovoltaic systems for business customers, on the sale of around 75 percent of their shares to SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa GmbH, located in Ratingen, Germany. The SPIE parent company, which originates from France, is the independent European market...

The European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) recently ruled in its judgment of March 5, 2024 (case C-588/21 P) that EU citizens have a right of free access to (certain) harmonized European standards towards the European Commission if these standards define specific safety requirements for products or services. Specifically, the case at issue concerned technical standards...

The restriction on the free choice of the registered office of a partnership has been removed with effect from January 1, 2024. Since the Act to Modernize the Partnership Law (Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Personengesellschaftsrechts, “MoPeG”) came into force, the partners of a partnership have the possibility to agree and determine a registered office in...