Ahlers & Vogel

The firm: Founded in 1858, Ahlers & Vogel have a proud and long-standing tradition of delivering the highest standards in practical, client-orientated, legal advice and representation. Today, Ahlers & Vogel provide their national and international clients with premium legal services in all major areas of commercial law from their three offices in Northern Germany (Hamburg, Bremen and Leer). All qualified German lawyers, the 40+ team of professionals at Ahlers & Vogel are committed to resolving complex challenges through an integrated approach that combines trusted legal expertise and commercially astute, entrepreneurial thinking to deliver the best solutions. Their clients rely on the firm’s reputation for sound advice and experienced, efficient representation in contractual negotiations as well as court and arbitration proceedings. These established professional attributes also make members of Ahlers & Vogel valued, and frequently appointed, arbitrators and commercial mediators.

Today, the specialist areas of the firm’s practice are national and international trade, maritime and transport law, company and corporate law, labour law as well as construction and real estate law.

With clients based all over the world, Ahlers & Vogel have a truly global, multidisciplinary presence and perspective through the MSI Global Alliance, a worldwide association of independent medium-sized firms of lawyers, auditors and tax consultants. In addition, the team have developed and established their own network of tried and tested local law experts, allowing Ahlers & Vogel to draw upon specialist expertise to facilitate the provision of legal assistance wherever it is required.

National and international trade law: As Germany’s economy is strongly influenced by international trade activities Ahlers & Vogel have always maintained close working relationships with importers and exporters of goods.

The “International Trade Team” of experts have a wealth of experience and extensive practical expertise advising on a far-reaching range of matters, including the substantive aspects of national and international trade law, such as UN Sales Convention (CISG), or Incoterms. Ahlers & Vogel ’s comprehensive advice and trusted insight also covers all aspects of trade finance. In addition, drawing on the firm’s expertise in maritime and transport law, any issues related to the international carriage of goods, in particular cargo claims, can be efficiently handled by the “International Trade Team” swiftly and effectively.

Meet the national and international trade law team

Maritime and transport law: As one of the largest practice groups at Ahlers & Vogel , the maritime and transport law department advise on all aspects of dry and wet maritime law alike (ship and yacht building, sale and purchase, ship finance, operational matters, chartering disputes, cargo claims, maritime casualties, marine insurance, maritime labour etc.), complemented by expertise on inland shipping, road, rail, air and multimodal transport law. Thanks to their extensive experience, the maritime and transport specialists of Ahlers & Vogel provide a highly responsive service, with the provision of comprehensive and efficient advice on the most diverse problems of shipping and transport law. In particular, ship owners and operators, shipyards, P&I Clubs and hull insurers are some of the key sector groups who rely on the maritime expertise of Ahlers & Vogel.

Ahlers & Vogel also cater to a very specialised part of the maritime industry: yachts. The dedicated “Ahlers & Vogel Yachting Team” are based in Hamburg and have many years of experience in the ship building, ship repair and yachting industries. This specialist expertise has led to the development of long-standing, well-established working relationships with many of the key players in the market, be they shipyards, suppliers, insurers or managers.

Finally, Ahlers & Vogel operate a “Maritime Casualty Hotline” providing a 24/7 service for clients seeking support from the maritime casualty response team. This group of specialist advisors provide clients with immediate assistance in crisis situations from ship collisions, fires and engine failures to salvage, piracy and personal accidents – on site, on board and all around the world.

Meet the maritime and transport law team

Company and corporate law: Ahlers & Vogel have a strong “Company and Corporate Law Team”, who advise both national and international clients ranging from medium-sized companies and family-run partnerships to multinational stock-listed companies. This specialist team of lawyers provide expert advice on all areas of Company and Corporate Law, covering everything from day-to-day legal issues of corporate law to matters relating to transformation law, corporate finance, restructuring, as well as corporate disputes. Ahlers & Vogel represent numerous overseas clients in relation to all aspects of their German corporations and business.

The “Company and Corporate Law Team” have an extensive M&A practice, who are continuously engaged in national and international corporate transactions; very often working closely with other practice groups within the firm, to draw on their expertise and insight. With access to an established network of tried and tested local experts, Ahlers & Vogel provide highly efficient transactional services all around the world. The team also has a particular focus on corporate and shareholder disputes, with its lawyers representing clients before state courts, as well as in arbitral proceedings.

Meet the company and corporate law team

Labour law: For decades, Ahlers & Vogel have provided guidance to clients through the manifold problems, obstacles, idiosyncrasies and complexities of German and European labour law. Both on a national and an international level, new laws and regulations are constantly being passed, which contribute to making this area of the law more and more challenging to navigate each day. Ahlers & Vogel meet these comprehensive challenges head on, with a determined focus and specialist insight that ensure they can always provide clear advice and practical solutions for their clients. To date, the Employment Law Team includes five specialised lawyers (three of them bar-certified specialists in employment law), as Ahlers & Vogel believe that this high degree of experience and competence is essential when it comes to assisting businesses in preventing the proper implementation of labour law from becoming a stumbling block.

Ahlers & Vogel cover both individual and collective labour law. In addition, the team provide sound expertise for particular sectors, such as the maritime industry, as well as churches and diaconal employers. The firm’s experts draw up tailor-made employment contracts and collective employer/works council agreements, handle matters concerning issues arising from posting of workers within Europe and beyond, including social security ramifications, and conduct negotiations with all stakeholders involved, from trade unions to works councils. If required, they are determined litigators before state courts and in arbitration.

Meet the labour law team

Real estate and construction law: Ahlers & Vogel advise their clients on all legal and commercial issues relating to real estate. As highly experienced litigators, the firm’s lawyers also regularly appear before state courts and in arbitration proceedings. In addition, Ahlers & Vogel provide legal advice on public and private building and construction law and the law of architects, as well as on financing and management issues. The team also support clients in the supervision of construction projects nationwide and overseas. Finally, Ahlers & Vogel assist in real estate transactions, including the setting up of requisite corporate structures. Since construction, tenancy, corporate and tax law, as well as a multitude of contractual issues, play a role, interdisciplinary work in this field of law is indispensable. As such, the firm’s clients and networks include international construction groups, construction companies, project developers, public clients, investors and closed-end real estate funds.

Meet the real estate law team
and the construction law team