Glade Michel Wirtz

Number of partners: 9

Number of lawyers: 30

Languages: German, English, French

Firm Overview:

Düsseldorf based GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ is an independent law firm focusing exclusively on corporate and competition including M&A, litigation and compliance work and one of Germany's major domestic law firms. The lawyers of GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ act on complex national and international matters, which require highly specialised skills and experience.

International:

About 50% of GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ' client base consists of international clients, including large corporations and financial institutions like Mercedes Benz Group, Deutsche Telekom, Daimler Truck, Continental, Red Bull, Scania, Vonovia, Siemens Energy or SC Johnson and various international private equity funds. GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ' domestic clients include DAX corporations, MDAX corporations, German Mittelstand and industry associations. Clients value the high partner attention and entrepreneurial understanding and praise the outstanding quality of the firm's work products.

Outside Corporate & Competition:

GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ has established a 'best in class' network which includes the German market leader boutique firms in each area of law to ensure top tier legal services to GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ' clients in all their legal needs. In addition, GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ has a track record of steering large and complex domestic and cross-border projects also in collaboration with major law firms.

Outside Germany:

GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ regularly works with leading corporate and competition practices around the globe.

First Class:

GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ provides its clients with first class legal solutions made in Germany. The partner led advice in efficient and powerful teams is tailored to the specific needs of the clients in every individual assignment.

Accolades

The Düsseldorf based firm is a valid alternative to the large international law firms. 'GMW is now regarded nationwide as a role model of how to successfully establish a law firm, namely with a clear focus on two areas (corporate and competition law) and uncompromising quality', according to legal magazine JUVE . The firm won JUVE Awards in the categories 'Law Firm of the Year for Competition' and 'Law Firm of the Year for Corporate' (just recently in 2023) and was shortlisted in 2018 as 'Law Firm of the Year' in Germany. JUVE : ' Competitors have great respect for the practice: they describe GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ as ‘sensationally well connected’ and even as the ‘alpha male of the boutiques.’ Global Competition Review says in its GCR 100 ranking (2022) ' GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ consistently punches above its weight to compete with the big national and international firms in the German antitrust market. '

The partners of GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ are regularly top ranked in the German league tables and in international publications.

Main Areas of Practice:

■Corporate/M&A: 6 partners

■Competition: 3 partners

■Compliance: 3 partners

■Litigation: 5 partners

Recent & Notable Work:

Continental AG

Advising Continental AG in connection with an investigation by the public prosecutor's offices in Frankfurt and Hanover in the course of investigations relating to the use of illegal defeat devices in VW diesel engines.

Partners: Dr Marco Sustmann, Dr Alexander Retsch

Daimler Truck Holding AG

Advice in connection with the intended merger of Mitsubishi Fuso (MFTBC) and Hino Motors (Hino), a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC).

Partners:Dr Marco Sustmann, Dr Andreas Merkner, Dr Friedrich Schulenburg

Daimler Truck Holding AG

Accompanying the share buyback with a volume of up to EUR 2 billion announced in July 2023.

Partners: Dr Andreas Merkner, Dr Marco Sustmann

Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft

Advice as Counsel-to-the-Project for various high-profile initiatives of the German banking landscape in its endeavors to further digitalize its products to compete with players like Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, or the large credit card schemes.

Partners: Dr Silke Möller

Deutsche Telekom AG

Advice to Deutsche Telekom AG as opponent to Vodafone Group plc's attempt to acquire Liberty Global assets in Europe worth about EUR 18.3 billion. Representation in the European Commission's merger control proceedings and appeal against the clearance decision before the EU General Court.

Partners: Dr Markus Wirtz, Dr Christian Karbaum

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

Advice in connection with GEA's Climate Plan 2040 (Say on Climate), the first such consultative vote by an AGM within the German DAX family.

Partners: Dr Andreas Merkner, Dr Friedrich Schulenburg

Mercedes Benz Group AG

Advising Mercedes-Benz Group AG in connection with a new share buyback policy and two share buybacks to repurchase own shares worth up to EUR 7 billion (combined value).

Partners: Dr Marco Sustmann, Dr Alexander Retsch

Mercedes Benz Group AG

Advising Mercedes-Benz Group AGin connection with lawsuits by national and international shareholders which allege the violation of disclosure requirements with respect to diesel exhaust emissions (dispute value: more than EUR 1 billion; model case proceedings pending),

Partners: Dr Marco Sustmann, Dr Alexander Retsch

SC Johnson & Son, Inc.

Advice regarding potential damage claims stemming from the alleged drugstore product cartel.

Partners: Dr Christian Karbaum

Scania AB

Advising on the establishment of a JV with sennder Technologies GmbHto form a leading digital freight forwarder in Europe with the aim to unlock electric solutions in road logistics across Europe.

Partners: Dr Marco Sustmann, Dr Andreas Merkner, Dr Christian Karbaum

Siemens Energy AG

Advising previously Siemens AG and now Siemens Energy AG (to which Siemens AG has transferred, among other things, its power plant construction business affected by the cartel for technical building equipment) on private damage claims.

Partners: Dr Markus Wirtz, Dr Christian Karbaum

Torqx Capital Partners B.V.

Merger control advice to the Dutch PE investor on its acquisition of Elcee, an industrial components specialist.

Partners: Dr Silke Möller

Vion Food Group

Advice to Vion Food Group, an international meat and food industry group and one of the largest meat companies in the world, in a major restructuring of its German operations.

Partners: Dr Achim Glade, Dr Silke Möller, Dr Markus Wirtz