Christian Schwarz

I was born in 1976 and studied law in Bonn (Germany) and Strasbourg (France). After my legal traineeship at the Bonn Regional Court and the 2nd state law examination, I was admitted to the bar in 2005. In 2011, the board of the Cologne Bar Association allowed me to use the title “Specialist Lawyer for Tax Law”. In 2016, I successfully took part in the “Certified Executor of Wills (AGT)” course, which was carried out in cooperation with the Working Group for Wills Execu...

Justus Kreuels´ practice involves patent prosecution in the fields of mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, information technology and medical engineering and patent opposition as well as invalidity proceedings before the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office, and the Federal Patent Court. He studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and at RWTH Aachen University where he graduated as Master in Engineering in 2007. In 2...

Born in 1976 Legal studies at the University of Münster First Exam ("1. Staatsexamen") in 2002 Doctoral studies at the University of Münster Research consultant at the University of Münster's Freiherr-vom-Stein Institute, the academic research center of the Association of North-Rhine Westphalian Districts, 2002 - 2004 Doctor of Laws (Dr. jur.) 2005 Legal clerkship ("Referendariat") at the Paderborn District Court Second (Bar) Exam ("2. Staatsexamen"), bar admission 2006, with t...

Hildegard Schöllmann is a lawyer and local partner in the Cologne office of Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner mbB. She advises on all food and feed law issues along the food industry’s value chain as well as on the relevant complementary areas of law such as trademark and competition law. Prior to joining Friedrich Graf von Westphalen, she was a partner in the German food law boutique KWG Rechtsanwälte. She studied law in Cologne and Amsterdam. Hildegard comprehensiv...

Yorick Ruland is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Banking and Finance Law. Yorick practices law in Cologne, Germany Best Lawyers has recognized Yorick Ruland since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Yorick Ruland is held by other lawyers.

Professor Dr Stefan Hertwig specialises in the field of public commercial law, with particular emphasis on public procurement law and European state aid law. According to the trade magazine JUVE, he is one of the “leading names in public procurement law”. Who is Who Legal certifies him “an incredibly strong name in the German market, noted for his expertise in public funding and government contracts”. The practice group under his leadership advises the public sector an...

Patent attorney Markus Kreuzberg has more than 20 years of experience in patent and utility model law and extensive expertise in international intellectual property law. His other areas of expertise include employee invention law, trademark law, and design protection. He represents clients before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the Federal Patent Court (BPatG), the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the World Intellectual ...

Rainer Birke is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice and Criminal Defense. Rainer practices law in Düsseldorf, Germany Best Lawyers has recognized Rainer Birke since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Rainer Birke is held by other lawyers.

Achim Kirchfeld is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Achim practices law in Düsseldorf, Germany Best Lawyers has recognized Achim Kirchfeld since 2011. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Achim Kirchfeld is held by other lawyers.

Born in 1959 Trained and worked as police officer in North Rhine-Westphalia, 1979 - 1983 Legal studies and clerkship at Bielefeld University State bar exam and bar admission in 1989 Worked in the legal department of Dr. Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG, Bielefeld, 1990 - 1991 With the firm since 1992 Certified Specialized Attorney in Administrative Law since 1993 Doctor of Laws (Dr. jur.) 1994 under Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Papier Visiting lecturer at the University of Rostock since 2002 Honorary P...