Axel Wenzel is a partner at Oppenhoff. He began his career as a lawyer at Linklaters LLP and transferred to Oppenhoff upon its foundation in 2008. He studied law at the University of Cologne, obtained his doctorate in law (Dr. jur.) under Prof. Dr. Peter Krebs and acquired an LL.M. (International Commercial and Business Law) at the University of East Anglia (Norwich, England).
Dr. Axel Wenzel
LL.M. (Norwich)
Corporate LawMergers & AcquisitionsSuccession, Wealth and Foundations
Experience
Axel Wenzel specialises in advice to entrepreneurs, enterprises and foundations on all issues of German and European corporate law, in particular in national and cross-border reorganisations, company purchases, joint ventures and in connection with SE structures. As a partner of the practice group Succession, Wealth, Foundations, he also advises wealthy individuals, family-run companies and families of owners as well as non-profit or private foundations on all questions concerning company and property succession. In this connection he focuses on cross-border issues of inheritance and family law, as well as the law on foundations and non-profit organisations.
Axel Wenzel is regularly listed in the sector handbooks JUVE, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers as a recommended lawyer for corporate law, M&A and the succession, wealth and foundations sector. He is also regularly listed in the in-house counsel survey kanzleimonitor.de as a recommended lawyer for corporate law and M&A, in 2022/2023 as Top 1 lawyer for corporate law in Germany.
Education
Dr. Axel Wenzel
LL.M. (Norwich)
PartnerAttorney
Languages
German, English
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 23
50668 Cologne
T +49 221 2091 455
F +49 221 2091 333
Am Sandtorkai 74
20457 Hamburg
T +49 40 808 105 523
Books and Legal Commentaries
Unternehmensnachfolge - Steuerliche und rechtliche Gestaltung [Corporate succession – tax and legal structuring]
Verlag Dr. Otto Schmidt dated 2020 (co-author)
The continued applicability of the rules of jurisprudence to shareholders’ loans in lieu of equity - A legal methodological examination
Wirtschaftsrecht und Rechtsmethodik, Münster, LIT-Verlag dated 2005, ed. by Prof. Dr. Peter Krebs
Articles and Essays
Verstoß englischen Erbrechts gegen den deutschen ordre public wegen Fehlen eines Pflichtteilsrechts von Kindern [English inheritance law violates German public order because children have no right to a compulsory portion]
Zeitschrift für die Steuer- und Erbrechtspaxis, Issue 12/2022, pp. 453-459 (in collaboration with David Falkowski)
Schadensersatzanspruch auf Zustimmung zur Rückgängigmachung eines pflichtwidrigen satzungsändernden Beschlusses trotz dessen Bestandskraft [Damage claim for consent to the rescission of a resolution amending the statutes in breach of duty, despite its legal validity]
EWiR dated 22 April 2022, Issue 8, p. 232 (in collaboration with David Falkowski)
Private client law in Germany: Overview
ThomsonReuters Practical Law dated 2021 (in collaboration with Elmar Krüsmann and David Falkowski)
Vertretungsmacht des Stiftungsvorstands: mögliche Beschränkung durch Satzungsregeln, nicht durch Stiftungszweck [Power of representation of the board of a foundation: possible restriction through provisions of the statutes and not through the foundation’s purpose]
DER BETRIEB dated 21 June 2021, Issue 25, pp.1389-1390 (in collaboration with David Falkowski)
Zum Entzug der Geschäftsführungs- und Vertretunsbefugnis eines Komplementärs [Withdrawing the management and representation powers of a general partner]
DER BETRIEB dated 07 December 2020, Issue 49, pp. 2623- 2624 (in collaboration with David Falkowski)
Anwachsungsklausel kann bei zweigliedriger GbR zu Pflichtteilsergänzungsanspruch führen [Accretion clause can lead to a claim for supplementation of the compulsory portion in the case of a two-tier GbR]
DER BETRIEB dated 26 October 2020, Issue 43, page 2291 (in collaboration with David Falkowski)
Private client law in Germany: Overview
ThomsonReuters Practical Law dated 2020 (in collaboration with Elmar Krüsmann and David Falkowski)
Zur Bewertung eines Unternehmens im Zugewinnausgleich [Company valuations and the equalisation of accrued gains]
DER BETRIEB dated 4 May 2018, p. 1072 (in collaboration with Dr. Luise Hausschild)
Anwendung des internationalen Gesellschaftsrechts auf das Stiftungskollisionsrecht [Application of international corporate law to the conflict of laws with respect to trusts]
Discussion of the FCJ judgement dated 8 September 2016 – III ZR 7/15, in: IWRZ 36, 2017
Corporate Social Responsibility – Neue Berichtspflichten für große Unternehmen [Corporate social responsibility – new reporting obligations for large enterprises]
Magazin pressesprecher dated 1/2017 (in collaboration with Dr. Günter Seulen)
Private client law in Germany: Overview
ThomsonReuters Practical Law dated 2016/2017 (in collaboration with Matthias Bassüner)
Welche Stiftung passt zu mir? [What kind of foundation is the right one for me?]
Unternehmeredition dated February 2016 (in collaboration with Matthias Bassüner)
Annotation of Federal Court of Justice judgement BGH II ZR 61/15 (Hidden contribution in kind of a shareholder’s old receivable)
EWiR dated 2016, p. 427
Private client law in Germany: Overview
ThomsonReuters Practical Law dated 2015 (in collaboration with Wolfram Vogel)
Kooperationen unter Beteiligung gemeinnütziger Körperschaften [Cooperations involving non-profit organisations]
KSzW dated 2014, p.190 (in collaboration with Wolfram Vogel)
Private client law in Germany: Overview
ThomsonReuters Practical Law dated 2014 (in collaboration with Wolfram Vogel)
Neue Regeln für Stiftungen und Vereine [New rules for foundations and associations]
Initiativbanking aktuell dated April 2013 (in collaboration with Wolfram Vogel)
Vertretung der AG im Rechtsstreit mit dem Vorstand durch den Aufsichtsrat als Gremium [Representation of the stock corporation in a dispute with the management board by the supervisory board as a body]
Comment on Federal Court of Justice II ZB 1/11, EWiR dated 2013, p.565
Das MicroBilG [The Act amending the balance sheet accounting of micro corporations]
Legal Tribune Online dated April 2012
Einbringung einer Bereicherungsforderung nach fehlgeschlagener Voreinzahlung auf eine Kapitalerhöhung als verdeckte Sacheinlage [Contribution of an enrichment claim following the failed prepayment towards a capital increase as a hidden contribution in kind]
Comment on Federal Court of Justice II ZR 212/10, EWiR dated 2012, p. 147
Praxisrelevante Probleme der Mitteilungspflichten nach § 21 AktG [Practice-relevant problems of notification obligations pursuant to Sec. 21 German Stock Corporation Act]
AG dated 2012, p. 274 (in collaboration with Michael Grimm)
VGR-Tagung 2011 - Diskussionsbericht zum Vortrag von Dr. Dr. h.c. Georg Maier-Reimer 'Debt Equity Swap' [VGR Conference 2011 – Discussion report on “Debt Equity Swap” speech by Dr. Georg Maier-Reimer, LL.M.]
Gesellschaftsrecht in der Diskussion [Corporate law under discussion], dated 2011
New Rules for the Remuneration of Board Members in Germany
International Corporate Governance dated 2009 (Digital Guide)
Nochmals: Die Anrechnung der verdeckten Sacheinlage nach dem MoMiG [Once again: the assessment of hidden contributions in kind pursuant to the German Act to Modernise the Law Governing Private Limited Companies and to Combat Abuses]
ZIP dated 2009, p. 1185 (in collaboration with Dr. Dr. h.c. Georg Maier-Reimer, LL.M.)
Kapitalaufbringung in der GmbH nach dem MoMiG [Capital funding of German private limited compaiesy pursuant to the German Act to Modernise the Law Governing Private Limited Companies and to Combat Abuses]
ZIP dated 2008, p. 1449 (in collaboration with Dr. Dr. h.c. Georg Maier-Reimer, LL.M.)
Das Ordnungsgeldverfahren nach § 335 HGB wegen unterlassener Offenlegung von Jahresabschlüssen [Disciplinary fine proceedings pursuant to Sec. 335 German Commercial Code on grounds of the non-disclosure of annual accounts]
Betriebs-Berater dated 2008, p. 769
Stirbt die Limited? [Is the Limited dying?]
Markt und Mittelstand dated September 2016, p. 10