News
17.03.2025 News
azur100: Oppenhoff among the top 10 employers in 2025
With an overall ranking of five stars, Oppenhoff is one of the top 10 law firms in this year's azu100 ranking for young professionals. Associates are particularly impressed by the firm’s comprehensive training programme, the excellent development opportunities and its international orientation.
Tax Law10.03.2025 Newsletter
What changes will the new legislative period bring to tax law?
On March 8, 2025, German political parties CDU/CSU and SPD presented the results of their preliminary coalition talks en route to a new government in Germany and recommended that the party leaders enter into coalition negotiations. They have published their preliminary results in a discussion paper publicly available. The preliminary results only lay the groundwork for the coalition negotiations between the conservative CDU/CSU and the center-left SPD and do not yet contain any binding commitments. Nevertheless, the paper already allows initial conclusions to be drawn regarding potential changes in tax law for both corporations and private households that are likely to come during the tenure of the next government.
10.03.2025 Newsletter
Protecting your own voice in times of AI voice cloning
Voices imitated by AI - known as "voice cloning" or "deepfake audio" - can increasingly be found on the internet. Voice material of just a few minutes is now enough to imitate voices deceptively realistically. With further progress in AI technology, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distin-guish between original and imitation audio files.
03.03.2025 Publication
No injury benefit for ex-professional footballer despite incapacity for work
In its ruling of 25 March 2025, the Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht, BSG) confirmed that an ex-professional footballer is not entitled to injury benefit if he continues to earn during his incapacity for work (B 2 U 2/23 R)
03.03.2025 Newsletter
No compensation of damages after foul in football match without proof of gross violation of rules
The plaintiff asserted damage claims at first instance against an opposing football player after a tackle during an amateur football match in which he suffered a fractured tibia and fibula, followed by a weakness of the big toe flexor and post-traumatic compartment syndrome. He claimed that the defendant had fouled him with a deliberate, illegal "reckless sliding tackle" (“Blutgrätsche”), despite there being no chance of reaching the ball.
03.03.2025 Newsletter
More to it than meets the eye: why arbitration isn’t always the best approach in the sports sector
In sport, it's not just the athletes who fight for victory – also beyond the sport-related contractual content, decisions made during contract negotiations can have a groundbreaking effect for the future. The interests of athletes, clubs, sponsors, media companies and other stakeholders are closely intertwined, which often leads to complex contractual agreements. This makes it all the more important to make provisions for possible legal disputes at the contract drafting stage and to determine where and, above all, before which court such disputes should be settled when the need arises. A question that soon arises in this case is: arbitration clause or jurisdiction agreement?
Private ClientsSuccession, Wealth and Foundations28.02.2025 Newsletter
Data protection vs. transparency: Federal Court of Justice sets new limits for public registers
In June 2024, the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH) ruled that a former chairman of the board of an association can demand 20 years after his departure from said association that his personal data - such as his name, date of birth and place of residence - are only restrictedly accessible in the register of associations (BGH, decision of 4 June 2024 - II ZB 10/23). In theory, this decision strengthens the rights of board members of associations.
Foreign Trade / Compliance & Internal Investigations26.02.2025 Newsletter
Update Foreign Trade: European Union issues 16th sanctions package against Russia
On 24 February 2025, marking the third anniversary of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU adopted its 16th package of sanctions against Russia. This new package aims to intensify economic and political pressure on Russia by targeting key sectors of its economy and entities supporting its military operations and further reduce sanctions circumvention.
InsuranceMergers & Acquisitions / Corporate Law / Tax Law / Employment Law26.02.2025 News
Oppenhoff advised Hardt Holding on sale of Advenius
Oppenhoff has advised Hardt Holding GmbH on the sale of Advenius GmbH to the ATTIKON Group.
Aerospace and DefenceCorporate Law / Mergers & Acquisitions / Commercial / Antitrust Law and Merger Control / Intellectual Property Law / Foreign Trade20.02.2025 News
Oppenhoff advises on German-French armaments program Main Ground Combat System (MGCS)
Oppenhoff has advised KNDS Deutschland on the conclusion of a joint venture agreement with KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Thales for the formation of the MGCS Project Company GmbH.
17.02.2025 Newsletter
Planned regulations for ticket sales: what ticket providers and event organisers need to know now
Ticket sales for sporting and cultural events are about to undergo comprehensive re-regulation. The German government is planning measures to protect consumers from excessive prices and fraudulent practices and to give event organisers more control over the secondary ticket market.
InsuranceBanking and Capital Markets Law, Financing / Corporate Insurance07.02.2025 Newsletter
Overview of regulated remuneration systems
The remuneration systems of key areas of the financial and insurance sectors are extensively reg-ulated. The rules to be applied in a specific case are determined by the supervisory requirements imposed upon the company in question based on its business purpose and, possibly, its size.
Life Sciences/Healthcare05.02.2025 Newsletter
Germany’s Cannabis Market: Regulatory Growth and International Expansion Opportunities
In two articles we analyse the developments and opportunities in the German cannabis market: Franziska Katterbach examines regulatory changes in the medical sector, while Jonathan Sherman highlights how German companies can leverage Canadian capital markets for their expansion.
03.02.2025 Newsletter
Are driver contracts in motor racing to be classified as employment contracts and the drivers therefore as employees?
The legal classification of driver contracts in motor racing is of key importance - not only from a legal perspective, but also from an economic perspective. A question that especially arises is whether a racing driver is an employee or a self-employed service provider. This distinction has far-reaching consequences, for example for social security contributions, protection against dismissal, liability issues and the structure of labour law provisions and principles as a whole.
Employment Law29.01.2025 Newsletter
Trade unions have no digital access right to the company – German Federal Labour Court sets limits to institutional freedom of association
In its decision of 28 January 2025 (see press release), the German Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht, “BAG”) clarified that an employer is not obliged to provide a trade union with the work e-mail addresses of its employees for the purpose of recruiting members. The BAG thus sets clear limits to the freedom of association guaranteed by Art. 9 (3) of the German Constitution (Grundgesetz, “GG”) and restricts the employer's obligations in this context to mere acts of tolerance.
Life Sciences/HealthcareMergers & Acquisitions / Corporate Law / Tax Law / Employment Law / Foreign Trade22.01.2025 News
Oppenhoff advises Lange Medtech on the acquisition of the German medical technology company ErgoSurg
Oppenhoff has comprehensively advised the Chinese Lange Medtech Group on the acquisition of a majority stake in ErgoSurg GmbH. The previous managing shareholder of ErgoSurg will invested.
Employment Law14.01.2025 Newsletter
Fourth Bureaucracy Reduction Act – Practical questions & answers
The world of work is increasingly shaped by Digitisation. In this environment, the simplification of bureaucratic processes is constantly gaining in importance in order to relieve the burden on companies and establish more efficient workflows. This goal is also pursued by the Fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act (Bürokratieentlastungsgesetz IV, “BEG IV”), which came into force on 1 January 2025 and with which the outgoing legislator wishes to promote the reduction of administrative hurdles and digitisation in the economy.
Employment Law07.01.2025 Newsletter
Application of the AI Regulation as of 2 February 2025
The European Regulation 2024/1689 of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence ("AI Regulation") came into force last year. It will apply in stages. Chapters I and II of the AI Regulation are already applicable as of 2 February 2025, and thus in particular the prohibi-tion of certain practices in the field of artificial intelligence and the obligation of providers and de-ployers of artificial intelligence systems to provide their users with a sufficient level of so-called "AI literacy". Kathrin Vossen, Dr. Axel Grätz and Annabelle Marceau explain what this means and what measures need to be taken by 2 February 2025.
Aerospace and Defence23.12.2024 News
Oppenhoff advises KNDS Group on implementation of its new uniform corporate identity
KNDS, a leading European manufacturer of military land systems based in Amsterdam, has renamed its parent company and group companies around Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG and Nexter Systems S. A. and introduced a new, standardised brand identity.
Corporate Law / Mergers & Acquisitions / IT Law and Data Protection / Employment Law / Real Estate Law / Banking and Capital Markets Law, Financing / Antitrust Law and Merger Control20.12.2024 News
For faster microchips: Oppenhoff advises SCHOTT on the acquisition of QSIL GmbH Quarzschmelze Ilmenau
Oppenhoff has advised the special glass manufacturer SCHOTT AG on the acquisition of QSIL GmbH Quarzschmelze Ilmenau. This is the largest acquisition in SCHOTT’s 140-year history.
Life Sciences/HealthcareMergers & Acquisitions / Corporate Law / Insolvency and Restructuring / Employment Law19.12.2024 News
Oppenhoff advises Bayer on acquisition of HiDoc Technologies
Oppenhoff has advised Bayer AG on the acquisition of HiDoc Technologies GmbH. With the strategic acquisition of HiDoc Technologies planned for Q1 2025, Bayer is expanding its portfolio in the field of digital health and further expanding its involvement in the area of self-medication.
Compliance & Internal Investigations18.12.2024 Newsletter
Newsflash: EU adopts 15th package of restrictive measures against Russia – Companies may benefit from wind-down derogations and extended deadlines
On December 16, 2024 the Council adopted a 15th package of restrictive measures with the objective of further limiting Russia’s ability to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine. The new measures entered into force on December 16, 2024 respectively December 17, 2024.
12.12.2024Frankfurt am Main News
Dr. Markus Rasner appointed Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Singapore in Frankfurt
Partner Dr. Markus Rasner appointed Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Singapore in Frankfurt.
Compliance & Internal Investigations / Antitrust Law and Merger Control09.12.2024 Newsletter
German Federal Cartel Office: Transfer of Employees May Already Be Subject to Merger Control
The German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) recently investigated a significant case involving so-called "Acqui-Hires." The Case concerned the transfer of almost all employees of Inflection AI, Inc. to Microsoft Corporation. Although the specific transaction ultimately did not require notification in Germany, the case illustrates that the transfer of highly qualified employees may, under certain conditions, be subject to merger control.
Energy Law29.11.2024 Newsletter
The energy impulse: The overbuilding of grid connection points in the amendment to the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG) – windswept and sunburnt?
Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more commonplace for grid operators to receive a large number of grid connection requests from wind and solar projects. This can sometimes lead to waiting periods (of years) before grid operators are able to connect renewable energy plants to the public electricity grid, which in turn results in significant delays in the completion of wind or solar parks. This fact is unknown to some project developers in its current and sometimes extreme form. In the worst case, where a project developer has already made firm commitments such as to supply electricity under a power purchase agreement (PPA), this can trigger severe (penalty) payments. In short, the economic viability of entire projects can be jeopardised by the backlog of connection requests to the grid operator.