The Legal 500 Germany 2020

Legal 500 Germany is the German edition of the international ranking guide, one of the first that began its research over 30 years ago. In the current edition, 22 P+P professionals are listed; of these, four experts are considered "leading". The firm also receives a top tier ranking for its advisory in the non-profit sector, its venture capital expertise and its fund structuring competence.

P+P is considered one of the leading law firms in Germany for non-profit advisory. The firm is often engaged by foundations, charitable organizations and individuals in the sciences, arts and culture, education and development cooperation sectors and advises them, inter alia, with regard to the formation of various institutions, social venture funds and on restructuring measures. Often, the experienced team works closely with the M&A and private funds practice groups. The team is led by Andreas Richter and Christoph Philipp, who is versed in succession advice. Associated partner Katharina Gollan is another 'extremely active' contact for foundations and non-profit organizations. Stephan Viskorf and Maximilian Haag are also among the core advisors.

The firm also receives a top listing for its fund structuring practice, with Amos Veith as the "leading" advisor. He is also ranked as "leading" along with Andreas Rodin for the 'excellent' investment funds practice. P+P is considered the 'top dog' for private equity and stands out due to its 'uniquely fast response times' and 'clear advice'. The team supporting the 'outstanding' Amos Veith and 'grand seigneur' Andreas Rodin takes a full service approach and advises initiators and investors comprehensively on private equity funds and other alternative investment funds, as well as global fund investments, including regulatory and tax law aspects and dispute proceedings;they also have special expertise in fund structures in Luxembourg. Regulatory and fund structuring specialist Sebastian Käpplinger was appointed partner in January 2019. The core team also includes Berlin partners Uwe Bärenz and Tarek Mardini. References praise the whole team: 'very high level of expertise combined with a pleasant working atmosphere', 'proactive, pragmatic and extremely service-oriented', 'market penetration like no other law firm', 'team spirit is of primary importance and not the focus on its own mandate clock', 'well-networked team', 'safe haven in the area of German, and indirectly also Luxembourg, fund structures'.

Munich partner Benedikt Hohaus is also considered "leading" for his management advisory. P+P is a 'renowned player' in this area. P+P's advice on national and international transactions in close cooperation with the tax and funds team allows its 'special competence' to shine at these particular interfaces.  Other recommended attorneys in the private equity transaction practice include Andrea von Drygalski, Philipp von Braunschweig and Tim Kaufhold, as well as team leaders Eva Nase and Jens Hörmann. The market accordingly confirms these positive impressions. 'Very reliable and competent, consistently high quality', 'perpetually reachable, even on weekends',  'well-networked with other law firms in Germany and abroad'.

Christian Tönies is another "leading" partner for venture capital. P+P's clients include venture capital firms and funds, institutional and strategic investors and startups. The firm's expertise spans a variety of sectors in its advice on funding rounds, exits and tax planning measures, in particular in e-commerce, Internet, biotech, nanotechnology and telecommunications.

Munich partner Eva Nase is the driving force of the corporate law practice. The team advises private and listed companies on shareholder meetings and changes in legal form, as well as on corporate law disputes, and it gains favor with 'particular expertise' in the compliance segment and on D&O liability matters. References attest to the practice's 'high quality advisory, professional structures' and 'good reachability'. Furthermore, they praise their 'first-rate professionalism' and 'efficient and friendly demeanor', as well as the fact that they are 'well-networked with other firms in Germany and abroad'.

The firm's real estate clients also praise the firm: 'P+P is fast, has strong negotiation skills and offers excellent quality. They know the market. Matthias Durst and Stefan Lebek are long-term, trusted partners who always lead and support us in finding outstanding solutions.' Stefan Lebek is a first-class attorney, who combines this with a great deal of pragmatism in order to come up with reasonable and appropriate solutions.' Further, Timo Winkelmann is a prominent 'core attorney' who is particularly visible in the market with regard to advice on property development and real estate transactions.

The firm's tax advisory supports and complements the various practice areas, the spectrum of which ranges from fund structuring, real estate and other transactions, as well as HNWIs for the tax structuring of their assest, succession planning, as well as representation for fiscal offenses. In addition to Hardy Fischer, Munich partner Michael Best is mentioned for his cross-border structuring and transactional advice. The practice is praised for being 'exceptionally client-oriented' and is 'always pleasant to deal with', it reacts 'quickly and flexibly' and also continues to offer 'creative solutions'.