Transportation: Shipping
Europe Guide 2024 : Germany
Band 3
About
Provided by Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow
ERG is an international law firm working in the fields of the maritime, finance and energy sector. ERG primarily focuses on commercial law, finance law and corporate law. The firm's lawyers in their offices at Hamburg and London advise on English, German, Marshallese, Liberian, Greek, Spanish and Indonesian law.
ERG's clients are, among others, credit institutions, institutional investors, private equity and hedge funds, family offices, leasing companies, shipping companies, ship and container management companies, shipyards as well as other companies with and without a maritime connection from Germany and abroad.
Main areas of practice:
- Ship finance
- Ship sale and purchase
- Corporate law, mergers and acquisitions
- Charter and ship management contracts
- Shipbuilding and repair
- Dispute resolution
- Marshall Islands law
Chambers Review
The boutique law firm Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow is renowned for its exquisite strength in ship financing mandates. The team often acts for domestic and international investment funds and banks on the financing of vessel acquisitions and the construction of newbuilds as well as loan agreements and sale-and-leaseback transactions. Further strength lies in refinancings and debt and financial restructurings. Back-to-back bareboat financings are also handled by the firm, as are other contractual shipping issues. Leasing and shipping companies as well as ship owners also belong to Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow's excellent client base. The practice is additionally equipped to advise on the negotiation of shipbuilding contracts and various transactional matters, in addition to handling both shipping arbitration and litigation.
Work Highlights
- Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow advised Commerzbank as lender, facility agent and security agent of a banking consortium on an up-to EUR500 million financing to Meyer Werft for five cruise ship newbuilds.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"ERG are always very pragmatic, quality-wise they are top level, and they also don't bill every five minutes. The partners also don't just bill the hours but are extremely involved."
"For me it was a perfect experience working with ERG. The collaboration was very good because they deeply understand the market and have many connections."
"I especially like working with ERG as a mid-sized or boutique firm because I can get to know all the people I work with well and I appreciate that I can always work with the same partner."
"Their answers are precise, proactive, and not too theoretical even though they have a very high level of knowledge."
"ERG are always very pragmatic, quality-wise they are top level, and they also don't bill every five minutes. The partners also don't just bill the hours but are extremely involved."
"For me it was a perfect experience working with ERG. The collaboration was very good because they deeply understand the market and have many connections."
"I especially like working with ERG as a mid-sized or boutique firm because I can get to know all the people I work with well and I appreciate that I can always work with the same partner."
"Their answers are precise, proactive, and not too theoretical even though they have a very high level of knowledge."
Notable Practitioners
Leading practitioner Stefan Rindfleisch is held in high esteem for his considerable expertise in ship financing mandates. National and international investment funds, banks as well as ship owners seek his assistance with sale-and-leaseback transactions, the financing of new vessels, the acquisition of vessels via auctions and bareboat financing.
"Stefan Rindfleisch is a very good lawyer and has been in the sector for decades."
Carolin Schmeding wins recognition and enters the rankings for advising both ship owners and banks on the financing and refinancing of various types of vessels.
"Carolin Schmeding is extremely pragmatic but still technically very good. She really makes sure everything is correct from a legal dogmatic point of view, but also that it is implemented pragmatically."
Newly entering the rankings this year, Hendrik Brauns is held in high esteem for his deep experience in maritime finance. He frequently advises lenders on the financing of newbuilds, in addition to handling a range of vessel acquisition financings and refinancings.
"Hendrik Brauns is extremely diligent in his financing documents and navigating through pages of regulatory standards. He gets the important points right for his clients."
"He knows the market and its developments very well and always finds a practical solution, avoiding conflicts and finding amicable solutions for all parties."
Ranked Lawyers at
Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow
Germany
Members
Provided by Ehlermann Rindfleisch Gadow
Adam Parmenter
Benjamin Chen
Christiana Soukri
Christina Kertscher
Hanna Marbun
Hanno Geissler
Hauke Rittscher
Henrike Sauber
Julia Glocke
Klaus Dimigen
Maje Tode
Marta Ron
Melissa Madadi
Nils Klages
Nina von Borries
Head of Department
Stefanie Rogge
Sven Deters