JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2015/2016

In the 18 years since it was first published, the JUVE Handbuch Wirtschaftskanzleien has become a reference work for the legal sector. Approximately 800 firms and 3,000 client recommendations were evaluated and included in this year's selections. In the 2015/2016 edition, P+P has 27 recommended profesionals, 8 of which are considered leading. The firm was involved in 2 of the 10 largest transactions in the German market and is recommended in all of its major practice areas.

The "independent firm that is very well connected with leading, often smaller, specialized firms abroad" is one of the "leading" partnerships for private clients (succession / assets / foundations), as well as private equity, which also makes it one of the "leading" firms in Munich.
More than almost any other firm, P+P has "an impressively large team of recognized specialists of all ages for mid-cap transactions" and good contacts to "prominent investment companies", as well as "close relationships to many entrepreneurial families that depend on P+P in questions regarding succession and assets".
In particular, this benefits the corporate law practice of Wolfgang Grobecker and Eva Nase. Their practice area saw the "greatest development" and the team has "rapidly ascended", for which it has "received the highest praise from competitors" and through which it has successfully positioned itself as an alternative to the large firms. The practice traditionally advises a large number of family companies and promotes the dynamic development of the practice in corporate and industrial group law, as well as corporate litigation. In addition to Mr. Grobecker and Mrs. Nase, Reinhard Pöllath remains one of the "frequently recommended" lawyers.

P+P is also lauded for its M&A advice. The firm's strengths are good contacts to family companies and portfolio transactions for private equity firms. The "deep ties to the Munich venture capital market, and increasingly also to VC in Berlin" also ensure plenty of work in the future. Matthias Bruse, Andrea von Drygalski, Philipp von Braunschweig, Otto Haberstock and Georg Greitemann are among the "frequently recommended" advisors. The firm's private equity practice is impressive due to its broad spectrum of fund structuring, buy-outs, venture capital and advice to minority shareholders and management. Leading advisors in Germany are Andrea von Drygalski ("engaged and precise", competitor) and Christian Tonies ("good and fair", competitor) for venture capital. In addition, Benedikt Hohaus has an "excellent reputation for advising management". Other frequently recommended attorneys are Matthias Bruse ("very strong performance", competitor), Otto Haberstock, Philipp von Braunschweig, Michael Inhester ("first class", competitor), as well as Andreas Rodin ("outstanding expertise and quality of service", client).

Due to its expertise, P+P is a "market-leading" firm for fund structuring and is one of the "trusted advisors" for many PE and VC funds. The new AIFM directives require additional expertise, which according to competitors, the firm has "brilliantly mastered – it [P+P] has qualified itself admirably". Furthermore, P+P continues to advise more international clients and is also well-known within the market for advice on outbound investments. "Frequently recommended" attorneys include Andreas Rodin, Patricia Volhard, Amos Veith and Uwe Bärenz.

The firm has "another trump card" with its "strong investment tax practice", which continues to be the firm's "flagship" with regard to international PE investments and fund structuring. Certainly, the firm asserts "its excellent position" in tax law by successfully navigating a generational change through the naming of Berlin partner Ronald Buge. The young Frankfurt partner, Pia Dorfmueller, also contributes to this success by continuing to accelerate the development of the corporate tax practice. P+P's tax law advisory has thereby developed from an "accessory of the fund and transaction team" and established itself as "a solid element in the market". The "leading" tax advisors in Germany include Thomas Töben ("creative, constructive, goal-oriented", client) and Dieter Birk for tax litigation. Andreas Rodin ("top in fund structuring", client) and Michael Best are also frequently recommended.

Furthermore, P+P delivers "first-class" (succession) tax advice for investments of significant private clients and has won top rankings in the succession / assets and foundations practice in Germany with "leading" partners Reinhard Pöllath and Andreas Richter ("very well connected with important families", competitor). P+P's intensified focus on international contacts has resulted in an increased internationalization that solidifies P+P's "unique selling point within the group of independent German law firms". The emphasis lies on succession planning for family companies, including implementing governance structures, moderating shareholder disputes, executing wills, managing assets for UHNI and HNI, and also includes the structuring of their family offices as well as international tax advice (moving to another location, cross-border asset allocation), foundation law (family foundations and non-profit organizations, regulatory law) and capital markets-related tax planning and financial products.  Frequently recommended lawyers include Andreas Rodin ("excellent expertise and service", client; funds), Matthias Bruse, Wolfgang Grobecker (both corporate law) and Stephan Viskorf (tax law).

Last but not least, P+P is "known for its combination of expertise in real estate transactions and real estate tax law". Two P+P partners are "leading" in this practice area: Stefan Lebek ("strong negotiator", client; first-class, competent, pragmatic, cooperative, goal-oriented", competitor) and Matthias Durst (very competent, pragmatic, congenial negotiating partner", competitor). Carsten Führling (first-class", competitor) is also among the frequently recommended attorneys. This practice area has "continued its high-level development" due to the successful integration of the real estate, tax and financing practices. Further, the practice is strengthened by Frankfurt financing experts Jens Linde and Michael Schuhmacher.