Hengeler Mueller

File:WestendDuo, Hengeler Mueller Frankfurt.jpg office]]

File:Benrather Karree, Hengeler Mueller Düsseldorf.jpg office]]

Hengeler Mueller was established on January 1, 1990, through the merger of the two law firms Hengeler Kurth Wirtz and Mueller Weitzel Weisner.{{Cite web |author=Dietmar Student |url=https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/stille-teilhaber-a-7a14dc68-0002-0001-0000-000038577314 |title=Stille Teilhaber |work=Manager Magazin |date=2004-12-16 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}{{Citation |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/archiv/der-kick-beim-gelungenen-deal;572255 |title=Der Kick beim gelungenen Deal |date=October 7, 2002 |newspaper=Handelsblatt |first=Bettina |last=Mävers |language=de}}.{{Citation |url=http://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen-maerkte/hengeler-mueller-praktischer-kommunismus-338451/ |title=Praktischer Kommunismus |first=Thomas |last=Katzensteiner |date=February 10, 2004 |journal=Wirtschaftswoche |language=de}}. The predecessor firms were a partnership founded in 1947 by Rudolf Mueller in Frankfurt am Main and the law firm of Heinrich Wirtz and Hans Hengeler in Düsseldorf. In the following years, the firms expanded by adding further name partners – Heinz Weitzel and Gerhard Weisner for Mueller Weitzel Weisner{{Cite news |author=Bettina Mävers |title=Oleg de Lousanoff ist Partner der Anwaltssozietät Hengeler Mueller: Der Kick beim gelungenen Deal |work=Handelsblatt |date=2002-10-07 |pages=22}}{{Cite news |title=Rudolf Mueller, 90 Jahre |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=1994-11-15 |pages=20}} and Heinz-Bernd Kurth for Hengeler Kurth Wirtz.{{Cite web |author=Gerald Braunberger |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/otto-klepper-ein-wanderer-zwischen-den-zeiten-18494621.html |title=Otto Klepper: Ein Wanderer zwischen den Zeiten |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=2022-11-28 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} Both firms were also active in corporate legal advice, often for representatives of large German banks, insurance companies and industrial corporations.{{Cite news |author=Marcus Rohwetter |title=Was bewegt ... Michael Hoffmann-Becking? Souffleur der Mächtigen |work=Die Zeit |date=2009-01-22 |pages=30}}

Following the merger in 1990, Hengeler Mueller established itself as one of the largest domestic business law firms in Germany. In 1998, the firm employed 120 lawyers, including 55 partners, as well as 130 other staff.{{Cite news |title=Das öffentliche Recht wird für Hengeler Mueller immer wichtiger |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=1998-07-31 |pages=23}} Later followed an office in London and, in 2006, the opening of the sixth office in Munich.{{Cite news |title=Hengeler baut in München aus |work=Börsen-Zeitung |date=2005-07-19 |pages=10}} In addition to its existing offices in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt, the firm opened offices in Brussels and Berlin during the 1990s.{{Cite news |author=Walther Becker |title=Hengeler Mueller pocht auf Eigenständigkeit: Rechtsanwaltssozietät springt nicht auf grenzüberschreitendes Fusionskarussel – International stark |work=Börsen-Zeitung |date=2000-07-11 |pages=22}}

The firm was initially structured as a civil law partnership (GbR) and changed its legal form in 2013 to a partnership with limited professional liability (mbB). This change in legal form took place after Hengeler Mueller, together with other business law firms, had been advocating for the creation of the corresponding legal framework since mid-2010.{{Cite web |author=Jörn Poppelbaum |url=https://www.juve.de/markt-und-management/erfolgreiches-lobbying-groskanzleien-bekommen-alternative-zur-llp/ |title=Großkanzleien bekommen Alternative zur LLP |work=Juve |date=2012-02-16 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.northdata.de/Hengeler%20Mueller%20Partnerschaft%20von%20Rechtsanw%C3%A4lten%20mit%20beschr%C3%A4nkter%20Berufshaftung%20PartG,%20Berlin/Amtsgericht%20Charlottenburg%20(Berlin)%20PR%20291%20B |title=Hengeler Mueller Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mit beschränkter Berufshaftung PartG, Berlin |work=North Data |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}

As of 2025, Hengeler Mueller employs more than 350 lawyers, including 93 partners. The firm follows a lockstep compensation, under which the remuneration of professionals is based solely on the duration of their affiliation with the firm.{{Cite web |author=Henryk Hielscher |date=2024-09-30 |title='Berufseinsteiger starten bei uns mit 150.000 Euro pro Jahr' |url=https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/beruf/wirtschaftskanzlei-hengeler-mueller-berufseinsteiger-starten-bei-uns-mit-150-000-euro-pro-jahr/28789256.html |access-date=2025-07-07 |work=Wirtschaftswoche |language=de}}

Outside of Germany, the firm maintains offices in Brussels and London.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hengeler.com/de/service/standorte |title=Hengeler Mueller – Standorte |work=Hengeler |language=de |access-date=2020-05-11}} In addition, Hengeler Mueller is a member of an international law firm network. This network includes Slaughter and May (United Kingdom), BonelliErede (Italy), Bredin Prat (France), De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek (the Netherlands) and Uría Menéndez (Spain).{{Cite web |url=https://www.hengeler.com/de/global/best-friends |title=Best Friends |work=Hengeler |access-date=2016-02-21}}

As a full-service law firm, Hengeler Mueller covers all areas of business law,{{Cite web |url=https://www.juve.de/juve-rankings/deutschland/patentrecht/hengeler-mueller/ |title=Hengeler Mueller |work=Juve |date=2024-09-02 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-08}} in particular transactional work in the fields of mergers and acquisitions,{{Cite news |title=Hengeler Mueller führt in Übernahmeberatung Freshfields Nummer 2 – Hitlisten von US-Aspekten verzerrt – T-Mobile trifft deutsche Sozietäten nicht |work=Börsen-Zeitung |date=2012-01-06 |pages=10}} financing and capital markets as well as advice in contentious disputes.{{Cite web |author=Volker Votsmeier |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/dienstleister/managerhaftpflicht-das-risiko-fuer-vorstaende-und-aufsichtsraete-steigt/28405406.html |title=Das Risiko für Vorstände und Aufsichtsräte steigt |work=Handelsblatt |date=2022-06-27 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}

The firm is equally active in the areas of corporate law, banking law, antitrust law,{{Cite news |title=Recht und Kapitalmarkt: Mandate und Mandanten |date=2025-04-18 |work=Börsen-Zeitung |pages=14}} insurance law,{{Cite web |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/karriere/die-komplette-liste-deutschlands-beste-kanzleien-und-anwaelte-2017/19959484.html |title=Deutschlands beste Kanzleien und Anwälte 2017 |work=Handelsblatt |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} tax law, employment law, real estate law,{{Cite news |title=Neue Spitze für Hengeler Mueller |work=Börsen-Zeitung |date=2022-05-17 |pages=12}} restructuring,{{Cite web |author=Claudia Tödtmann |url=https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/trends/wiwo-top-kanzleien-raus-aus-den-schwierigkeiten-ganz-diskret/29831978.html |title=Raus aus den Schwierigkeiten – ganz diskret |work=Wirtschaftswoche |date=2024-06-07 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} compliance{{Cite web |author=René Bender |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/dienstleister/compliance-viel-beratungsbedarf-beim-ringen-um-saubere-geschaefte/28438600.html |title=Viel Beratungsbedarf beim Ringen um saubere Geschäfte |work=Handelsblatt |language=de |date=2022-06-24 |access-date=2025-07-07}} and internal investigations,{{Cite news |title=Zwei neue Partner bei Hengeler |work=Börsen-Zeitung |date=2014-11-25 |pages=12}} data protection law,{{Cite web |title=Neue Datenschutz-Regeln: Ein Jahr DSGVO: Viel Arbeit und viele offene Fragen |work=Die Zeit |date=2019-05-23 |language=de |url=https://www.zeit.de/news/2019-05/23/ein-jahr-dsgvo-viel-arbeit-und-viele-offene-fragen-190523-99-343249 |access-date=2025-07-07}} competition law{{Cite web |author=Silke Wettach |url=https://www.wiwo.de/politik/konjunktur/klimaschutz-aus-bruessel-kartelle-fuer-das-klima-/28573118.html |title=Kartelle für das Klima |language=de |work=Wirtschaftswoche |date=2022-08-10 |access-date=2025-07-07}}, public procurement law,{{Cite news |author=Marcus Creutz |title=Einbußen bei lukrativen Beratungsgebieten wie Börsengängen: Dennoch Wachstum auf Grund von Geschäftsfeldern wie Finanzierung und Fusionen |work=Handelsblatt |date=2001-08-29 |pages=2}} and white-collar criminal law.{{Cite web |url=https://www.legal500.de/rankings/ranking/c-germany/white-collar-crime/advice-to-companies/10281-hengeler-mueller |title=L500: Hengeler Mueller |work=The Legal 500 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-08}}

Hengeler Mueller's clients include, among others, national and international companies from various economic sectors as well as the public sector.{{Cite web |url=https://www.rws-verlag.de/aktuell/newsticker-kanzleien/hengeler-mueller-erwirkt-freigabe-des-bundeskartellamts-fuer-die-uebernahme-von-kustomer-durch-meta-70498/ |title=Hengeler Mueller erwirkt Freigabe des Bundeskartellamts für die Übernahme von Kustomer durch Meta |work=RWS Verlag |date=14 February 2022 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-08}}{{Cite web |author=Anika Krüger |url=https://www.juve.de/verfahren/leistungsschutzrecht-google-gewinnt-mit-hengeler-gegen-verlage/ |title=Google gewinnt mit Hengeler gegen Verlage |work=Juve |date=2016-02-23 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-08}}

Since its foundation, Hengeler Mueller has been involved in major proceedings and transactions. In 2024, Klemens Handke described Hengeler Mueller in Business Insider as one of the "largest" and "highest-revenue German business law firms".{{Cite web |author=Klemens Handke |url=https://www.businessinsider.de/karriere/partnerin-bei-grosskanzlei-hengeler-mueller-so-laeuft-unser-auswahlverfahren-tipps/ |title=Partnerin bei Großkanzlei Hengeler Mueller: So läuft unser Auswahlverfahren |work=Business Insider |date=2024-10-14 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}

• Hengeler Kurtz Mueller advised Texaco on the acquisition of Deutsche Erdöl-Aktiengesellschaft in 1966, the first ever public takeover bid in Germany.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/06/06/archives/texacos-bid-to-take-control-of-deutsche-erdol-succeeds.html |title=Texaco's Bid to Take Control Of Deutsche Erdol Succeeds |date=June 6, 1966 |work=The New York Times}}.
• The law firm represented Deutsche Telekom in its €5.5 billion disposal of cable regions to US-based Liberty Media. In 1996, Hengeler Mueller advised the consortium on the IPO of Deutsche Telekom.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hengeler.com/de/expertise/a-brief-history |title=A Brief History |work=Hengeler |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}
• At the end of the 1990s, the firm advised the newly founded DaimlerChrysler AG on the merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler.Reinhard Pöllath: 200 Jahre Wirtschaftsanwälte in Deutschland. Nomos-Verlag, Baden-Baden 2009, ISBN 978-3-8329-4446-9, S. 124.{{Cite news |author=Martin W. Huff |title=Bei der Fusion Daimler Chrysler leisten die Anwälte Schwerarbeit |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=1998-06-05 |pages=29}}{{Cite news |author=Sönke Iwersen |title=Verhandlungen und Übernahmen – Schlaflos im War Room |work=Handelsblatt |date=2008-10-28}}
• In the early 2000s, Hengeler Mueller served as counsel to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in its €1.69 billion acquisition of metering and ceramics divisions from Siemens.{{Cite web |author=Aled Griffiths |url=https://www.juve.de/deals/kkr-haelt-hengeler-die-treue/ |title=KKR hält Hengeler die Treue |date=2002-08-22 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-09}}
• Since 2011, Hengeler Mueller has advised MAN SE in defending against claims for damages related to the European truck cartel.{{Cite news |author=Claudia Tödtmann |title=Diese Kartellrechtler sparen ihren Klienten Millionen |work=Wirtschaftswoche |date=2019-07-22}}
• In 2012, the firm advised Porsche SE in connection with the integration of Porsche into Volkswagen Group.{{Cite news |title=Hengeler Mueller |work=Börsen-Zeitung |date=2012-07-07 |language=de}}
• In February 2014, following an extensive period of legal proceedings, the case initiated by the heirs of Leo Kirch against Deutsche Bank ended with a settlement. Hengeler Mueller had advised Deutsche Bank in this damages case.{{Cite news |title=Kirch-Vergleich kostet Deutsche Bank 925 Millionen Euro |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=2014-02-20}} In March 2014, it became known that the Munich public prosecutor's office was conducting an investigation into lawyers from Hengeler Mueller for alleged incitement to make false statements and aiding and abetting fraud, and that the law firm's offices had been searched. The lawyers were accused of having coordinated untrue statements with witnesses in this trial.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/verdacht-auf-beihilfe-zum-prozessbetrug-anwaelte-der-deutschen-bank-im-visier-der-staatsanwaltschaft-1.1920939 |title=Anwälte der Deutschen Bank im Visier der Staatsanwaltschaft |work=Süddeutsche Zeitung |date=2014-03-24 |language=de |access-date=2015-03-22}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/banken/hengeler-mueller-deutsche-bank-anwaelte-im-visier-der-staatsanwaltschaft/9661170.html |title=Deutsche Bank-Anwälte im Visier der Staatsanwaltschaft |work=Wirtschaftswoche |date=2014-03-24 |language=de |access-date=2015-03-22}} The investigations against the lawyers were later dropped. In April 2016, members of Deutsche Bank's Executive Board were acquitted in the related trial before the Munich Regional Court.{{Cite web |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/freispruch-fuer-deutsche-bank-chef-juergen-fitschen-4-banker-14198086.html |title=Kirch-Prozess: Freispruch für fünf Top-Banker der Deutschen Bank |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=2016-04-25 |language=de |access-date=2018-05-15}}
• From 2015, Hengeler Mueller advised Robert Bosch GmbH in connection with allegations regarding the manipulation of diesel vehicle emissions control (Diesel emissions scandal). Bosch was ordered to pay a fine of €90 million, which, according to Christiane Schiffer in Juve, was a comparatively low amount compared to other emissions cases.{{Cite web |author=Christiane Schiffer |url=https://www.juve.de/verfahren/diesel-skandal-hengeler-mandantin-bosch-zahlt-90-millionen-euro/ |title=Hengeler-Mandantin Bosch zahlt 90 Millionen Euro |work=Juve |date=2019-05-23 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} Porsche SE and Volkswagen AG were also represented by Hengeler Mueller in 2019 in the course of the VW emissions scandal.{{Cite web |author= |url=https://www.juve.de/verfahren/dieselprozesse-porsche-entgeht-mit-hengeler-zweitem-musterverfahren/ |title=Porsche entgeht mit Hengeler zweitem Musterverfahren |work=Juve |date=2019-03-27 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}
• In 2020, Hengeler Mueller represented Deutsche Lufthansa AG in securing a state aid package worth €9 billion in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |author=Martin Ströder |url=https://www.juve.de/deals/corona-rettung-inhouse-juristen-und-hengeler-ringen-um-staatshilfen-fuer-lufthansa/ |title=Inhouse-Juristen und Hengeler ringen um Staatshilfen für Lufthansa |work=Juve |date=2020-06-03 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-08}}
• In 2022, the Finnish group Fortum was advised on the conclusion of the state stabilization package for its German subsidiary Uniper. Uniper had encountered financial difficulties as a result of the Russian gas supply stop, leading to the nationalization of the company.{{Cite web |author=Eva Brendel |url=https://www.finance-magazin.de/transformation/ukraine-krieg/so-lief-die-uniper-verstaatlichung-hinter-den-kulissen-ab-146489/ |title=So lief die Uniper-Verstaatlichung hinter den Kulissen ab |work=Finance Magazin |date=2023-03-09 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}{{Cite web |author=Martin Ströder |url=https://www.juve.de/deals/viele-kanzleien-und-inhouse-anstrengungen-ebnen-weg-in-die-zukunft/ |title=Viele Kanzleien und Inhouse-Anstrengungen ebnen Uniper den Weg |work=Juve|date=2022-12-29 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} Also from 2022, Hengeler Mueller advised the largest group of bondholders of the Adler Group, which at that time was in financial crisis and was to be rescued through restructuring.{{Cite web |author=Ludger Steckelbach |url=https://www.juve.de/markt-und-management/groesste-glaeubigergruppe-von-adler-ruft-hengeler-zu-hilfe/ |title=Größte Gläubigergruppe von Adler ruft Hengeler zu Hilfe |date=2022-05-17 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}
• Already in 2020, Hengeler Mueller advised the Siemens group on the transaction involving the spin-off of Siemens Energy and its subsequent IPO.{{Cite web |author= |url=https://www.lto.de/recht/kanzleien-unternehmen/k/siemens-inhouse-hengeler-mueller-latham-watkins-abspaltung-boersengang-siemens-energy |title=Siemens Inhouse / Hengeler Mueller / Latham & Watkins: Siemens will Energiesparte an die Börse bringen |work=Legal Tribune Online |date=2020-05-29 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} When Siemens Energy needed to be financially stabilized in 2023, Hengeler Mueller advised the group on securing guarantee lines totaling €12 billion and a federal government guarantee.{{Cite web |author=Martin Ströder |url=https://www.juve.de/deals/freshfields-hengeler-und-viele-inhouse-berater-sichern-die-zukunft-von-siemens-energy/ |title=Freshfields, Hengeler und viele Inhouse-Berater sichern die Zukunft von Siemens Energy |work=Juve|date=2023-11-22 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}
• In 2024, Hengeler Mueller advised Deutsche Bahn on the sale of its logistics subsidiary DB Schenker to the Danish transport and logistics group DSV for an enterprise value of €14.3 billion.{{Cite web |author=Stefan Schmidbauer |url=https://www.lto.de/recht/kanzleien-unternehmen/k/dsv-kauf-db-schenker-logistik-deutsche-bahn |title=Freshfields und Hengeler beraten zum Schenker-Deal |work=Legal Tribune Online |language=de |access-date=2025-07-08}}

Hengeler Mueller was ranked as one of the three leading German business law firms by the legal specialist publisher Juve in 2024.{{Cite web |url=https://www.juve.de/juve-rankings/deutschland/nationaler-ueberblick/#nationaler-ueberblick-top-50 |title=Nationaler Überblick |work=Juve |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} The British rating agency Chambers and Partners also lists Hengeler Mueller as one of the leading German business law firms (as of 2025).{{Cite web |url=https://chambers.com/law-firm/hengeler-mueller-germany-122:4129 |title=Hengeler Mueller |work=Chambers and Partners |language=en |access-date=2025-07-07}}

Hengeler Mueller is a member of the association Pro Bono Deutschland e. V., based in Frankfurt am Main, which pursues, among other aims, the promotion of free legal advice for non-profit organizations.{{Cite web |url=https://www.karrierefuehrer.de/recht/in-dubio-pro-bono.html |title=In dubio pro bono |work=Karriereführer |date=2013-03-22 |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}} In the context of such cooperation, Hengeler Mueller advised the International Refugee Assistance Project in 2021 on the establishment of a European subsidiary.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lto.de/recht/kanzleien-unternehmen/k/hengeler-mueller-pro-bono-non-profit-organisation-irap-gruendet-europaeische-tochtergesellschaft |title=Hengeler Mueller: Non-Profit-Organisation IRAP nun in Europa vertreten |work=Legal Tribune Online |language=de |access-date=2025-07-07}}

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• [https://www.hengeler.com/en/ Official site]

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Category:Law firms of Germany

Category:Law firms established in 1990