Germany: Contracts and Commercial Law

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that shareholder creditors cannot use foreign choice-of-law clauses to avoid claw-back actions under insolvency proceedings.

Bridge loans provide critical short-term liquidity during corporate restructuring, but they carry significant legal risks for both lenders and borrowers in crisis situations. This analysis examines the legal framework governing bridge financing in restructuring contexts, including insolvency avoidance rules, unconscionable lending liability, and the ongoing obligation to file for insolvency.

Germany has enacted reforms establishing specialised international commercial court chambers that allow English-language proceedings and streamlined appeals directly to the Federal Court of Justice. This development positions German state courts as a competitive alternative to arbitration for cross-border commercial disputes, prompting parties to reassess their dispute resolution strategies in contracts with a German nexus.

Eine fehlende Telefonnummer in der Widerrufsbeleh- rung, eine falsche Bezeichnung des Bestellbuttons: Was nach Kleinigkeiten klingt, kann Unternehmen in kostspielige Gerichtsverfahren treiben.

The creditors' committee serves as a crucial oversight body in German insolvency proceedings, wielding significant monitoring and co-determination powers over the insolvency administrator.

Shareholder loans serve as vital financing tools for German Mittelstand companies, but they can trigger insolvency obligations when financial difficulties arise. A qualified subordination (qualifizierter Rangrücktritt) offers a solution by converting these loans into liable capital, yet the Federal Court of Justice has established strict substantive requirements that must be met to achieve the desired legal and tax effects.

On 15 October 2025, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA) presented their report with proposals for revising the Investment Firms...

Dies stellt einen Paradigmenwechsel im EU-Datenrecht dar, mit weitreichenden Folgen für alle Wirtschaftssektoren.

If an application for provisional measures is to be served under the Hague Convention, and the authority responsible for the service informs the Court several months after the request that service...