Author Archives: c-wettich

Berner Fleck Wettich has again been named “Top Commercial Law Firm 2019” by the news magazine Focus in the area of corporate law and also in the area of “Mergers & Acquisitions”. This is the result of a survey carried out by the data company Statista for the news magazine Focus. Berner Fleck Wettich has often been recommended by colleagues and clients.

The Focus top list of commercial law firms is based on the recommendations of experts in a total of 21 specialist areas. These experts are partners of commercial law firms on the one hand and in-house lawyers on the other. For the 2019 survey, a total of 10,781 lawyers from commercial law firms and 3,516 lawyers in the legal departments of companies (in-house lawyers) were identified.

In the current issue of WirtschaftsWoche, Berner Fleck Wettich has been named top law firm for M&A 2019. At the same time, Carsten Wettich has been included in the list of the best M&A lawyers in Germany.

To select the best German M&A lawyers, the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI) interviewed more than 4,000 lawyers in 245 law firms about their most renowned colleagues. From this list, a jury of experts selected the 55 top law firms in Germany and the 86 best corporate lawyers.

Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky’s takeover bid for Metro has failed […]

Advisors of Metro’s Supervisory Board
Berner Fleck Wettich (Duesseldorf): Dr. Carsten Wettich, Dr. Olaf Berner (both Corporat/M&A)

Background:

The successful defence against the takeover bid is attributable to several parties – whereby the Hengeler tandem Schapmann and Austmann, which Metro has been advising for a long time, probably made a major contribution. It is reported that the joint statement was prepared in close consultation with the legal department headed by General Counsel and the corporate boutique Berner Fleck Wettich, which was mandated by the Supervisory Board after a pitch.

Read the complete press release (in German) here.

Armira acquires a stake in Toniebox manufacturer Boxine. The Boxine founders remain managing partners. Berner Fleck Wettich, Hengeler Mueller and Arnold Ruess are legal advisors to Boxine and its shareholders respectively. CMS advises Armira.

Boxine is based in Düsseldorf and was founded in 2013. The company distributes the Toniebox, an audio system for children, and the associated audio figures, the so-called Tonies, on which a total of almost 200 radio plays, audio books and music titles are stored. Last autumn, Armira entered the UK market and is set to expand further with the entry of Armira.

In addition to the Munich industrial holding company, other investors, including the Hexal founding family Strüngmann through their Family Office Athos Service, have invested in Boxine.

Berner Fleck Wettich advised the founders and Boxine, with Dr. Thilo Fleck in charge.

Read the complete press release (in German) here.

Innogy has sold its 49 percent stake in the Slovakian holding company VSEH to RWE. Hengeler Mueller, Berner Fleck Wettich and Freshfields provide legal advice.

VSEH is a holding company whose subsidiaries are active in the field of electricity supply and distribution as well as sales in Slovakia. Innogy will initially sell the stake to RWE and RWE intends to transfer the shares to Eon in the coming year. The transaction is part of Eon’s planned acquisition of Innogy’s network and distribution business.

Hengeler Mueller advised Innogy on the transaction, the Düsseldorf-based corporate boutique Berner Fleck Wettich was legal advisor to the Innogy Management Board. RWE has been advised on the acquisition of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. The law firms are also advising on the planned split of Innogy into RWE and Eon.

For the complete report (in German) click here.

The Founders Golf Cup is far more than just a classic tournament, it is a golf event for golfing and non-golfing founders of the digital industry. It is about enabling exciting encounters between entrepreneurs and founders at eye level, even beyond the sport of golf. The tournament is an invite-only event by founders for founders. The event will take place on 30.8.19 in the GC Pankow.

Berner Fleck Wettich is sponsor of the Founders Golf Cup. Interested founders are welcome to contact us for participation in the Golf Cup.

More information: https://www.foundersgolfcup.com/

The Handelsblatt & Best Lawyers have awarded Berner Fleck Wettich in three categories in their latest edition “Germany’s Best Lawyers 2019”. The ranking contains an overview of the law firms of the year 2019 in various fields of law and the lawyers particularly recommended this year.

All four partners of Berner Fleck Wettich are recommended in the current ranking for the following areas of law

– Compliance & Corporate Governance: Carsten Wettich

– Mergers and acquisitions: Christian Nienkemper

– Company law: Olaf Berner, Thilo Fleck

For the eleventh time already, the Handelsblatt has published the list “Die besten Anwälte und Kanzleien Deutschlands 2019” (The Best Lawyers of Germany 2019), based on research by the US publishing house Best Lawyers. Based on a peer-to-peer survey, Best Lawyers has identified Germany’s most renowned lawyers in various fields of law.

The complete results can be found here: Germany’s best lawyers 2019.

The German business magazine  WirtschaftsWoche has awarded Berner Fleck Wettich in its current issue ass TOP Law Firm for corporate law 2019. At the same time, three partners, Olaf Berner, Thilo Fleck and Carsten Wettich, have been included in the list of the best corporate lawyers in Germany. This makes Berner Fleck Wettich one of only eight law firms in Germany and the only boutique with such a high number of mentions in the TOP corporate lawyers’ ranking.

For the selection of the best German corporate lawyers, the Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI) interviewed more than 4,000 lawyers in 245 law firms about their most renowned colleagues. From this list, a jury of experts selected the 55 top law firms in Germany and the 86 best corporate lawyers.

RWE turns up in gas network operation wider: The energy supplier has acquired a majority stake in innogy Grid Holding from innogy. […]

Advisor Executive Board innogy:
Berner Fleck Wettich  (Düsseldorf): Dr. Carsten Wettich (leadership), Dr. Christian Nienkemper (both Corporate)

For the full article (in German) please see.