Germany

1. Information pursuant to Sec. 5 Digital Services Act (Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz) and the Regulation on Service Information Requirements (Dienstleistungs-Informationspflichten-Verordnung)

Freshfields is an international law firm operating in numerous countries under different organisational forms and to which particularly Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in the United Kingdom organised under the laws of England and Wales, Freshfields PartG mbB in Germany and Spain (there with the suffix Sucursal en España de Sociedad Profesional), Freshfields US LLP organised under the laws of the State of New York, Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB in Austria, Freshfields Ireland LLP in Ireland, Freshfields partnership registered in Hong Kong, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Law Office and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Foreign Law Office in Japan, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Singapore Pte. Ltd. and Studio Legale associato a Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Italy belong (collectively the “Freshfields Group”).

Freshfields practises law in Germany through Freshfields Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mit beschränkter Berufshaftung (hereinafter: Freshfields PartG mbB), and in Austria through Freshfields Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mit beschränkter Berufshaftung (hereinafter: Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB) pursuant to Sec. 1 Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesellschaftsgesetz) and Sec. 59b Federal Lawyers‘ Act (Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung).

Freshfields PartG mbB has its seat in Frankfurt am Main and is registered with the partnership register at the Amtsgericht Frankfurt am Main under register number PR 2677.

Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB has its seat in Hamburg, Germany, and is registered with the partnership register of the Amtsgericht Hamburg under register number PR 1341. It has a branch office in Vienna which is registered with the commercial register of the Commercial Court of Vienna under number FN 544740 p. Details can be found here.

A list of all members of Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB is available on request. The reference to “partners” means members of Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB as well as consultants and employees of Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB with equivalent standing and qualifications who are not members of the partnership. Of Counsels, consultants and counsel are not members of the partnership.

2. Contacts

Information required to contact Freshfields PartG mbB can be found under Contact us.

You can also reach Freshfields PartG mbB via the special electronic mailbox for lawyers (besonderes elektronisches Anwaltspostfach – beA). The beA SAFE-ID of Freshfields PartG mbB is:

DE.BRAK.fa2b9ebd-f20a-4aca-91d1-fb7606787c67.08a2

You can also contact Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB here: Contact us.

You can reach the beA of Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB via beA SAFE-ID:

DE.BRAK.c0ecb03a-8960-4935-9063-b0db429e9150.0d95

3. Bar admission

Freshfields PartG mbB was admitted as a joint practice firm by the Frankfurt am Main Bar Association on 5 April 2023.

Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB was admitted as a joint practice firm by the Hamburg Bar Association on 21 February 2023.

Unless otherwise stated, all lawyers of Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB are admitted in Germany or Austria and are members of the relevant local Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer). Please find here the contact details of these Bars:

• Berlin: Rechtsanwaltskammer Berlin
• Düsseldorf: Rechtsanwaltskammer Düsseldorf
• Frankfurt am Main: Rechtsanwaltskammer Frankfurt am Main
• Hamburg: Rechtsanwaltskammer Hamburg
• Hanover: Rechtsanwaltskammer Celle
• Munich: Rechtsanwaltskammer München
• Münster: Rechtsanwaltskammer Hamm
• Nuremberg: Rechtsanwaltskammer Nürnberg
• Vienna: Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien

Foreign lawyers admitted in other jurisdictions and based in Germany or Austria are also members of the relevant local Bar and additionally and according to their home state regulations members of foreign Bars.

Lawyers also acting as tax advisers (Steuerberater) or separately, as notaries (Notare), are admitted in Germany to practise as tax advisers or notaries and are members of the relevant local Bars (Steuerberaterkammer /Notarkammer):

• Düsseldorf: Steuerberaterkammer Düsseldorf
• Frankfurt am Main: Steuerberaterkammer Hessen
• Hamburg: Steuerberaterkammer Hamburg
• Munich: Steuerberaterkammer München
• Frankfurt am Main: Notarkammer Frankfurt am Main (regulated by: Der Präsident des Landgerichts Frankfurt am Main, der Präsident des Oberlandesgerichts Frankfurt am Main, das Hessische Ministerium der Justiz)

4. Professional code of conduct rules

Lawyers:

• BRAO - Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung
• BORA - Berufsordnung für Rechtsanwälte
• FAO - Fachanwaltsordnung
• RVG - Gesetz über die Vergütung der Rechtsanwältinnen und Rechtsanwälte
• CCBE - Berufsregeln der Rechtsanwälte der Europäischen Gemeinschaft
• EuRAG - Gesetz über die Tätigkeit europäischer Rechtsanwälte in Deutschland

Tax advisers:

• StBerG - Steuerberatungsgesetz
• DVStB - Durchführungsverordnung zum Steuerberatungsgesetz
• BoStB - Berufsordnung der Bundessteuerberaterkammer
• StBGebV - Steuerberatergebührenverordnung  

Notaries:

• BNotO - Bundesnotarordnung  
• BeurkG - Beurkundungsgesetz
• Richtlinien der Notarkammern  
• DONot - Dienstordnung für Notarinnen und Notare  
• GNotKG - Gerichts- und Notarkostengesetz
• NotAktVV - Verordnung über die Führung notarieller Akten und Verzeichnisse

The professional code of conduct provisions applicable to lawyers and trainee lawyers in Austria can be found on the website of the Vienna Bar Association.

5. Tax Identification Number 

Freshfields PartG mbB:

DE322853242

Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB:

ATU64057022

6. Privacy policy

Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB are committed to safeguarding the privacy of visitors to this website. Please read our privacy policy.

7. Information pursuant to Sec. 36 Act on Settlement of Consumers’ Disputes (Verbraucherstreitbeilegungsgesetz)

The relevant dispute resolution body with power to hear consumer disputes for claims involving an economic interest arising out of the lawyer-client relationship is the Schlichtungsstelle der Rechtsanwaltschaft (German Conciliation Body for the Legal Profession), Neue Grünstraße 17, 10179 Berlin, www.schlichtungsstelle-der-rechtsanwaltschaft.de. However, members of the legal profession are not obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings brought before a consumer dispute resolution body.

Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB do not participate in any dispute resolution proceedings brought before consumer dispute resolution bodies, including the Schlichtungsstelle der Rechtsanwaltschaft (German Conciliation Body for the Legal Profession).

8. Professional indemnity insurance

Freshfields PartG mbB and Freshfields Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB each maintain professional indemnity insurance pursuant to Secs. 59n and 59o of the Federal Lawyers' Act (Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung - BRAO) with Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft (Allianz Versicherungs-AG, 10900 Berlin). The geographical scope of the insurance coverage includes legal advice in the member states of the European Union and fulfils at least the legal requirements according to Secs. 59n and 59o BRAO as well as Sec. 67 Tax Advisory Act (Steuerberatungsgesetz - StBerG) in conjunction with Secs. 51 et seqq. on the Implementation of the provisions for tax advisers, tax agents and tax advisory companies (Verordnung zur Durchführung der Vorschriften über Steuerberater, Steuerbevollmächtigte und Steuerberatungsgesellschaften - DVStB).