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German Desk

Practices

German Desk

Capabilities

Our multidisciplinary German Desk has extensive experience counseling and representing clients based in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on a full range of U.S. legal matters. Often working alongside local law firms, we frequently also represent our U.S.-based clients on matters in those regions.

Our representations cover the full range of legal practice areas, including dispute resolution, transactions and regulatory matters. We help clients overcome the challenges posed by cross-border business dealings, including unfamiliar laws, alternative business practices, cultural differences, bureaucratic red tape and language issues. Our experience provides us with a unique understanding of how business is done in different jurisdictions, and we are familiar with the difficulties arising in transactions and disputes.

  • Representing a client in divestitures of U.S. chemical manufacturing interests of a German public company.
  • Representing a client in the purchase of a petrochemical manufacturing division by a German public company.
  • Representing a client in the buyout of a minority interest in a U.S. subsidiary by a majority shareholder in Germany.
  • Leading a multijurisdictional team of lawyers in Germany, France and Australia in connection with the purchase of a French multinational company’s worldwide electronic metals business by a global specialty chemicals company.
  • Serving as lead U.S. counsel in the $95 million divestiture of the German-based pharmaceutical packaging division of a public company.
  • Representing German and Japanese airbag and seatbelt restraint producers in transportation matters.
  • Representing German and Swiss explosives producers in transportation matters.
  • Representing a German-owned worldwide supplier of support services to the automotive industry in the successful defense of four single-plaintiff discrimination cases alleging race, age and sex discrimination in Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky. We have also represented the client in arbitrations in Kentucky and Texas, and have defended nine EEOC charges.
  • Negotiating the renewal and amendment of a major creosote supply contract between a leading manufacturer of coal tar products and a diversified German chemicals company.
  • Negotiating the acquisition of a pond products business on behalf of a Germany-based water garden products business and its private equity sponsor.
  • Conducting labor arbitrations against the United Auto Workers on behalf of a subsidiary of a Germany-based world-leading supplier to the paper industry.
  • Defending a subsidiary of a Germany-based world-leading supplier to the paper industry in a putative class action claiming race discrimination; we were able to avoid class certification.
  • Representing a German-owned subsidiary in its purchase of manufacturing assets from a bankruptcy estate and subsequent start-up of first U.S. manufacturing operations.
  • Representing a German-owned subsidiary in establishing U.S. sales operations for industrial recycling lines.
  • Representing a German-owned subsidiary in the acquisition of a professional services provider with cross-border operations in Canada.
  • Representing a subsidiary of a German machinery supplier in negotiating and drafting equipment sales contracts and related documents for biomass projects in Alabama, Florida, California and Canada.
  • Representing a German machinery supplier in negotiating and drafting equipment sales contracts for wood-based panel plants incorporating patented microwave technology in the United States and New Zealand.
  • Representing a German machinery supplier in negotiating and drafting equipment sales contracts for production machinery for various industries in the United States, Canada and New Zealand.
  • Representing a German machinery supplier in drafting exclusive sales agreements for the use of technology and related equipment for the manufacture of home building products.
  • Establishing terms and conditions of sale for German, Canadian and U.S. manufacturers and distributors.
  • Obtaining a confidential settlement for a German manufacturer in connection with product liability litigation involving a fire and explosion at a customer plant site.
  • Representing a German manufacturer’s interests in product liability litigation for wrongful death defended by a manufacturer’s insurer.
  • Representing a subsidiary of a German manufacturer in litigation involving rights to patented technology, resulting in a settlement following mediation establishing the client’s rights to the technology.
  • Obtaining a confidential settlement through mediation for a German equipment supplier in connection with trade secret litigation involving production technology.
  • Recovering substantial amounts owed to a German equipment supplier in connection with the bankruptcies of the owner and general contractor on an industrial project.