Düsseldorf
Cologne
Dr. Norbert Schulte advises clients on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions as well as joint ventures.
For more than a decade, Norbert lead the Firm’s German Practice and served on the firmwide Executive Committee as well as the firmwide Management Committee until 2021. Also, he previously served as managing partner of the Firm’s Düsseldorf office until 2019.
- Advised Heckler & Koch Group, a privately held defense company active in the manufacturing of small arms for the North American Treaty Organization (NATO), in the corporate restructuring of its top-level holding company
- Represented Intersnack Group, one of the leading manufacturers of savory snacks in Europe, in the formation of an equity joint venture with Johanning Snack GmbH & Co. KG
- Advised the shareholders of S1nn GmbH & Co. KG (S1nn) on the sale and transfer of all of their partnership interests in S1nn to Harman Group
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Germany: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Real Estate Law, 2018-2027
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, Recommended: Corporate Law and M&A, 2023-2026
- The Legal 500 EMEA, Recommended, Germany: Corporate and M&A, 2024
- IFLR1000, M&A, 2023
- German-American Lawyers Association
- Member of the Board of Trustees of Bucerius Law School
- Member of the Supervisory Board of Gottfried Schultz SE
- Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe, Second State Exam
- University of Freiburg, Dr. jur. (PhD)
- Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, MALD
- University of Freiburg, First State Exam
- University of Münster
- Germany
- English
- French
- German
- Polish
- Russian
Dr. Jens Ortmanns
Düsseldorf
Cologne
Advises investors on domestic and cross-border real estate projects
Structures and negotiates complex real estate deals, joint ventures and financings
Supports large-scale property developments with a market-leading track record on forward deals
Provides strategic advice in relation to property investments including distressed investments, restructurings and NPL deals
Dr. Jens Ortmanns represents investors on all aspects of domestic and cross-border real estate projects. A significant part of Jens’ practice is devoted to complex real estate transactions, large-scale developments, joint ventures and financings as well as distressed real estate investments, restructurings and NPL deals.
Jens is the global head of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee.
Lawyer of the Year
Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Real Estate 2026
Recognized in
Chambers Europe, Band 2 in Germany: Real Estate, 2021-2026
Leading Individual
Legal 500 EMEA, Real Estate 2021-2025
Jens inter alia advised in connection with the following acquisitions, developments and disposals:
- Art-Invest on the acquisition, development and sale of numerous commercial and hotel projects in Germany and abroad, including Alter Wall Hamburg, Kaiserhof Cologne, Walzstahlhaus and Fürst & Friedrich Düsseldorf, Neuer Kanzlerplatz Bonn, Abraham Lincoln Park Wiesbaden, Pullman Hotel Cologne and 25hours Florence, Italy
- Attestor and Bentham Capital on the acquisition, financing and leasing of various commercial properties in Berlin and Hamburg
- Blackstone on the acquisition of an office property in Frankfurt
- Bruton Capital on the acquisition, leasing and financing of food retail assets across Germany
- die developer on projects New Heart on the Block and FortyFour in Düsseldorf as well as Lichtwerk Berlin and Urban Soul Bonn
- evolutiq on logistics investments across Germany
- a leading Swiss family office on an NPL acquisition
- a leading US family office on residential investments in Germany
- H.I.G. Realty on real estate investments in Germany, including The Grounds Real Estate Development
- KKR and Mirastar on logistics acquisitions and financings
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Lawyer of the Year in Germany: Real Estate Law, 2025-2027
- Chambers Europe, Band 2 in Germany: Real Estate, 2021-2026
- Legal 500 EMEA, Leading Individual in Germany: Real Estate Law, 2021-2025
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Germany: Corporate Law, Private Equity Law and Real Estate Law, 2017-2027
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, Leading Names: Real Estate Law, 2024-2025
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, Recommended: Real Estate and Construction Law: Real Estate Business Law as well as Project Development and Plant Construction as well as Private Equity and Venture Capital: Private Equity Transactions, 2025
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, Recommended, Germany: Real Estate Law, 2023-2024
- IFLR1000, Project Development, Real Estate Acquisitions, Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Funds, 2023
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Leading Lawyer in Germany: Corporate Law, Private Equity Law and Real Estate Law, 2023
- WirtschaftsWoche, Top Lawyer 2022 in Germany: Real Estate Law, 2022
- McDermott Will & Schulte Real Estate Group, global head
- McDermott Will & Schulte Executive Committee, member
- Trier University, Dr. jur. (PhD)
- Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Exam
- Trier University, First State Exam
- Université d’Orléans
- Germany
- English
- French
- German
Dr. Marc Oberhardt
Düsseldorf
Dr. Marc Oberhardt advises clients on corporate restructuring and insolvency. He focuses his practice on restructuring of companies within and outside of insolvency proceedings (debtor-in-possession, insolvency plan proceedings, debt restructuring, advice of directors and shareholders), distressed M&A (advice of insolvency administrators and investors in connection with acquisitions out of insolvency proceedings), as well as on all general insolvency-related matters (claw-back proceedings, advice of creditors, etc.).
Marc advised:
- Hakle GmbH in the implementation of insolvency proceedings in self-administration with subsequent insolvency plan
- Postcon NRW GmbH in the context of reorganisation by way of insolvency proceedings in self-administration and by means of an insolvency plan
- SIGNA Retail on the acquisition of Karstadt Warenhaus as well as in the acquisition of the premium and sport department stores of Karstadt
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Germany: Restructuring and Insolvency Law, 2021-2025
- The Legal 500 EMEA, Recommended, Germany: Restructuring and Insolvency Law, 2021-2023
- German Lawyers’ Association (DAV)
- Work group of insolvency and restructuring within the DAV
- Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Exam
- University of Cologne, Dr. iur.
- University of Cologne, First State Exam
- Germany
- English
- German
Daniel F. Gottlieb
Chicago
Daniel F. Gottlieb counsels a wide range of healthcare industry clients, including healthcare providers, health plans, health information technology vendors, life sciences companies and data aggregators. He is sought out for his legal knowledge and practical approach on data protection, interoperability, and complex data and software licensing transactions, collaborations and strategic initiatives.
- Represented multiple EHR software developers and healthcare providers regarding the implementation of the information blocking prohibition under the 21st Century Cures Act and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology’s final information blocking rule
- Represented many hospital systems and other healthcare providers in the acquisition of EHR systems, enterprise data warehouses and related services from leading health IT vendors
- Chambers USA, Healthcare and Healthcare: Privacy, 2021-2026
- Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, 2015-2025
- Best Lawyers in America, Healthcare Law, Privacy and Data Security Law, 2015-2027
- Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year in Chicago: Privacy and Data Security Law, 2025 and 2027
- Thomson Reuters, Stand-out Lawyer – independently rated lawyers, 2023-2026
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
- International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)
- Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, JD, cum laude
- University of Michigan, BA
- Illinois
Dr. Alexa Ningelgen
Düsseldorf
Dr. Alexa Ningelgen advises major private and public companies as well as authorities on all aspects of public law, including administrative, regulatory, and constitutional law. She has in-depth knowledge of administrative litigation and the relevant procedures.
Alexa Ningelgen regularly represents her clients with interests in a wide range of industries, including real estate, infrastructure, environment, and transportation. She also has a strong focus on foreign trade law issues, in particular FDI procedures as well as export control and sanctions. Other main areas of focus include immigration law and advising on public law issues in connection with transactions.
Alexa advised:
- National and international real estate investors and project developers in matters of planning and environmental law in connection with complex real estate developments
- Numerous companies in administrative approval procedures and administrative court proceedings
- Public authorities in administrative proceedings and litigation in the transport sector
- Various industrial companies on sanctions and export control law regarding the supply of goods and services in connection with Belarus, Iran, Russia and Ukraine
- Major international companies in a variety of industries in German foreign investment control proceedings
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Germany: Environmental Law and Public Law, 2027
- Chambers Europe, Up and Coming in Germany: Public Law: General, 2026
- The Legal 500 EMEA, “Leading Partner” in Germany: Commercial Administrative Law, 2023-2026
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, “Rising Star”: Public Commercial Law: Environmental Law, 2024–2026
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, Recommended: Public Law: Planning and Environmental Law as well as Administrative and Constitutional Law, 2024-2026
- The Legal 500 EMEA, “Next Generation Name” in Germany: Commercial Administrative Law, 2022
- University of Cologne, Dr. jur.
- Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Exam
- University of Cologne, First State Exam
- Germany
- English
- German
- Spanish
Dr. Oliver Lieth
Düsseldorf
Dr. Oliver Lieth leads McDermott’s German banking and finance practice since 2011. His advisory focus is on real estate finance. His long-standing track record in this area does not only include high-volume single asset transactions, but also complex real estate portfolio transactions in senior and mezzanine structures. He and his team are familiar with both, financings according to the LMA standard as well as the VdP standard.
Furthermore, Oliver has special expertise and longstanding in corporate credit lines and automotive wholesale finance. For more than 15 years, he advises banks and car manufacturers on cooperation agreements for sales financing in the automotive industry. The geographic scope and industry knowledge in the automotive finance sector covers Europe, South America as well as Asia.
Oliver Lieth advised:
- Several sponsors in numerous real estate and real estate portfolio financings
- Various banks on property financing
- Multiple borrowers in promissory note (Schuldscheindarlehen) transactions
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Germany: Corporate Law and Real Estate Law, 2021-2027
- Chambers Europe, Band 3 in Germany: Real Estate: Finance, 2024-2026
- Thomson Reuters, “Stand-out Lawyer” – independently rated lawyers, 2022-2024
- University of Bonn, Dr. jur. (PhD)
- Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Exam
- University of Edinburgh, LLM
- University of Bonn, First State Exam
- Germany
- English
- German
Christian Krohs
Düsseldorf
Cologne
Christian Krohs is the European head of McDermott’s Antitrust Group and advises clients on all aspects of antitrust and competition law for more than 20 years. His practice includes representing clients in proceedings and litigation before German and EU antitrust authorities and courts, coordinating complex antitrust and merger projects before authorities worldwide, and handling compliance programs and investigations.
He has extensive experience, in particular, in relation to cartel investigations, cartel damages claims, as well as national, EU and international merger control projects. He has also advised numerous clients regarding questions of market dominance and its abuse as well as antitrust and anticorruption compliance.
Christian is an experienced lawyer who has spent many years in the antitrust and competition law departments of leaders international law firms in Germany, Brussels and London. He is a well-respected author of several publications and continues to comment on relevant topics of antitrust and competition law.
- Represented defendants in long-term, multinational cartel investigations and proceedings, concerning, inter alia, electrical equipment, natural resources, natural gas, civil engineering, and food and consumer goods
- Advised regarding large, multinational alliances among competitors, including the organization and management of complex economic analyses regarding efficiencies and synergies
- Advised on merger control proceedings, in connection with numerous significant mergers such as Coop/REWE/CORE, Nagel-Group/Transthermos, Karstadt/Kaufhof, SIGNA/Sport-Scheck, Pfeifer & Langen/Rügenwalder
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Germany: Antitrust and Competition Law, 2021-2027
- JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms, Recommended, Antitrust Law, 2022-2026
- JUVE, “The 50 Leading Minds in Investment Control”, 2024
- Global Competition Review 100, Recommended, 2024
- Member of the German Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Antitrust Experts Association)
- Member of the ICC Global Competition Commissions
- Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Exam
- University of Aberdeen, LLM, International and European Law
- University of Cologne, First State Exam
- Germany
- English
- German
Dr. Sebastian Keding
Düsseldorf
Dr. Sebastian Keding has extensive experience in advising banks, car subscription providers as well as vehicle manufacturers and importers nationally and on cross-border projects at the interface between financing law and distribution networks in the mobility sector. He also advises FinTechs on the development of their business models. Sebastian has advised various vehicle manufacturers and importers on their retail finance cooperations and on complex cross-border wholesale financing structures as well as companies on the structuring and implementation of innovative products such as subscription product. Sebastian is a well-respected author of several publications on automotive relevant topics of finance and civil law.
Sebastian advised:
- a start-up on the structuring and implementation of a cooperation with a car manufacturer in the field of car subscriptions
- a car manufacturer on factoring models for the Belgian, Dutch and Spanish markets, among others
- a car manufacturer on its wholesale financing model in various European markets (including Germany, France and Italy)
- Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Exam
- University of Bonn, Dr. jur.
- University of Bonn, First State Exam
- Germany
- English
- German
Carina Kant
Cologne
Düsseldorf
Carina Kant advises on German and European antitrust and competition law. She has many years of experience in advising on national and international merger control proceedings, cartel damages proceedings, antitrust compliance and antitrust aspects of distribution agreements, research and development agreements and purchasing pools.
Carina Kant has experience advising companies in a range of sectors including food manufacturing, consumer goods retail, real estate, agribusiness, food and beverage wholesale, media, pharmaceuticals, automotive, recycling and waste management and private equity. Carina has extensive experience in coordinating international merger control and FDI filings in numerous jurisdictions.
Carina advised:
- clients (i.a.) from real estate, food industry, consumer goods retail, agribusiness, food and beverage wholesale, media, pharmaceuticals, automotive, recycling and waste management and private equity in a range of national and international merger control proceedings
- and represented clients from numerous industries in merger control proceedings before both the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office
- clients on cartel damage litigation issues
- Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Antitrust Experts Association)
- Higher Regional Court of Celle, Second State Exam
- University of Lausanne, LLM, Master of Advanced Studies in International and European Commercial Law
- Trier University, First State Examination
- Trier University, FFA, Japanese Law
- Trier University, FFA, French Law
- Germany
- English
- German
- French
Dr. Matthias Kampshoff
Düsseldorf
Insolvency and corporate law advice.
Debtor-in-possession proceedings.
Crisis and insolvency restructurings.
Distressed M&A transactions.
Board, shareholder, creditor and investor counseling.
Matthias advises companies, board members, shareholders, investors, bankruptcy administrators, and creditors on insolvency law matters and in restructurings.
He focuses on restructuring businesses in crisis and insolvency situations, with particular experience guiding debtor-in-possession proceedings.
He regularly counsels on domestic and cross-border distressed M&A matters, including work in retail, automotive, chemicals, media, and information technology.
He serves as managing partner of McDermott’s German offices.
Thought Leader
Lexology Germany, 2026
Lawyer of the Year
Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™, Restructuring & Insolvency, 2025-2026
Ranked in
Chambers Europe, Restructuring/Insolvency, 2024-2026
- Meyer family on agreements with the Federal Government and the State of Lower Saxony to stabilize Meyer Werft
- Insolvency administrator of international Heubach group on the sale of the business to Sudarshan
- Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof in its insolvency proceedings and sale to NRDC/Bernd Beetz
- The international Borgers Group during operational restructuring and refinancing as well as sale to Autoneum
- Hakle in its debtor in possession proceedings and on its successful insolvency plan
- Lexology, Thought Leader in Germany, 2026
- Chambers Europe, Band 3 in Germany: Restructuring/Insolvency, 2024-2026
- Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year in Germany: Restructuring and Insolvency Law, 2025-2026
- Managing Partner, McDermott’s German offices
- University of Münster, Dr. jur.
- Higher Regional Court of Hamm, Second State Exam
- University of Münster, First State Exam
- Germany
- English
- German