Europe - Germany • Dispute resolution

Latham & Watkins LLP

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Latham & Watkins LLP's in-depth dispute resolution experience spans complex commercial disputes, mass litigation and data protection conflicts as well as insolvency and antitrust damages proceedings and contentious post-M&A issues - an area in which Alena McCorkle is particularly well versed - and is reflected in numerous instructions from high-profile international companies from the technology, financial services and automotive sectors. Practice head Christoph Baus is experienced in commercial litigation, while counsel Stefan Patzer's expertise covers litigation as well as of ​​out-of-court dispute resolution; Anne Löhner excels in complex, often cross-border commercial disputes, mass proceedings as well as post-M&A and shareholder disputes.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Latham certainly dominates with depth and versatility. The team is top-class across all positions. We see Latham as a pioneer, especially in the area of ​​technology, and therefore as particular strong in ​​mass proceedings.'
  • 'Christoph Baus: Great strategist. Asks the right questions.'
  • 'Anne Löhner: Very thorough and solution-oriented.'
  • 'Alena McCorkle: Great fighting spirit.'
  • 'Very good training for (younger) associates, both technically and in soft skills. Very good thematic structure and close integration of the litigation department with the corporate, finance and restructuring departments. Real and functioning cross-office collaboration.'
  • 'Christoph Baus: Technically excellent, very clever and very good in the courtroom.'
  • 'Alena McCorkle: Excellent professional skills, high level of commitment, very clever head.'
  • 'Well-coordinated Hamburg team with strong, experienced leadership.'

Key clients

  • Credit Suisse
  • Mastercard Europe SA
  • Mercedes-Benz Group AG
  • Scottish Widows
  • Vodafone

Work highlights

  • Advising Credit Suisse on the so-called Suisse Secrets allegations and several securities claims following the insolvency of Greensill Bank.
  • Represented Mastercard in a variety of individual proceedings following a third-party cyber incident.
  • Victory for ZF Automotive US, Inc, a subsidiary of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, before the US Supreme Court on the question of the admissibility of discovery for private arbitration proceedings abroad.

Lawyers

Rising stars

Stefan Patzer

Stefan Patzer

Latham & Watkins LLP

Stefan Patzer represents German and international clients in a wide range of complex and high-profile disputes, both in and out of court as well as in arbitration proceedings. Mr. Patzer handles a variety of different litigation and arbitration matters, including: Securities litigation and mass actions Complex commercial litigation Insolvency-related litigation Competition and cartel damages claims Insurance-related disputes His focus industry sectors include automotive, energy & infrastructure, healthcare, and financial services. Mr. Patzer draws on experience successfully handling hundreds of court hearings, including some of the largest and most complex mass litigations in Germany. He regularly speaks and writes on current legal issues for leading industry publications, including Börsen-Zeitung, Handelsblatt, and Legal Tribune Online (LTO).

Leading individuals

Christoph A Baus

Christoph A Baus

Latham & Watkins LLP

Dr. Christoph Baus, a complex commercial trial lawyer, served as Global Vice Chair of the firm’s Litigation & Trial Department and currently serves as Regional Chair of the Litigation & Trial Department in continental Europe. Mr. Baus represents clients at trial and in arbitration in a range of disputes, related to: Complex commercial Securities Professional liability Shareholders M&A Insolvency Antitrust damages and abuse of dominance Mr. Baus has unparalleled experience in courtrooms and has led some of the most complex and high-profile cases, including Germany’s largest mass securities litigation matter. He is regularly lauded by leading legal publications, including JUVE and Chambers Europe, and has been compared to Cicero and James Bond.

Next Generation Partners

Alena McCorkle

Alena McCorkle

Latham & Watkins LLP

Dr. Alena McCorkle represents German and international clients from a wide range of industries in complex and cross-border disputes, both in and out of court, as well as in arbitration proceedings. Dr. McCorkle handles a full spectrum of litigation and arbitration matters, including: International disputes with a focus on cross-border discovery Consumer litigation and mass actions Complex commercial litigation and arbitration, including post-M&A disputes Securities litigation Constitutional complaints Over the years, she has established trustful relationships with long-standing clients. International clients benefit from Dr. McCorkle’s strong intercultural skills, which she developed through her work on international matters as well as in the firm’s global recruiting and associates committees, during a client secondment in Milan, and during her legal training in Latham’s Chicago office. Since then, Dr. McCorkle has built strong ties into Latham’s US litigation practice. Dr. McCorkle is a member of the firm’s Global Legal Professional & Paralegal Committee. She maintains an active pro bono practice focused on enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities and fostering inclusion in education and society. Standard commentaries on the German Code of Civil Procedure and the German Federal Court of Justice have cited her doctoral thesis on internet research that judges perform in civil litigation.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Christoph Baus

Other key lawyers

Anne Löhner, Alena McCorkle, Stefan Patzer