Dr. Stephan Brandes
Stephan has a broad practice in the areas of corporate law, M&A, restructuring, banking and finance and dispute resolution.
He advises family-owned businesses and listed companies in all matters of corporate law, ranging from corporate governance and corporate finance matters to crossborder mergers and acquisitions and restructurings, also in distressed situations. His practice also encompasses representation in litigation and arbitration in corporate and post-M&A disputes.
Stephan is the author of numerous publications on corporate law (inter alia Münchener Kommentar zum AktG, Münchener Handbuch des Gesellschaftsrechts).
Work highlights
- Family business regarding comprehensive restructuring including refinancing of an existing syndicated loan agreement, reorganization of the corporate structure and sale of shares
- Former Dax-30 company regarding post-M&A dispute with foreign investor in various DIS arbitration proceedings including reversed transaction of a complex M&A transaction as well as resale of target to another investor
- Familienunternehmen bei umfassender Sanierung einschließlich Refinanzierung eines bestehenden Konsortialkreditvertrages, Reorganisation der Konzernstruktur und Veräußerung von Beteiligungen
- Self-management of a medium-sized company implementing a restructuring plan regarding the realization of a bidding procedure and sale of a subsidiary in crisis operating in the field of automotive to a private equity company as well as detachment of the target from an existing syndicated financing
- Family business regarding internal restructuring of its business unit of agricultural films and purchase of two national and international competitors
- German publishing house regarding spin-off of a business unit and sale to a leading media group
- Family business regarding purchase of a manufacturer of medical films in the People’s Republic of China and various other jurisdictions including subsequent integration as well as enforcement of post-M&A claims in SCIA arbitration proceedings
- Further Dax-30 company regarding defense against claims of a former subsidiary from inter-company relationship
- Ehemaliges Dax-Unternehmen bei der Abwehr von Ansprüchen eines ehemaligen Tochterunternehmens aus Organschaftsverhältnis
- Various companies and corporate bodies regarding enforcement of and defense against D&O claims
- German family business in ICC arbitration proceedings regarding defense against claims in connection with failed negotiations on the formation of a joint venture in Egypt
- Mexican family office in ICC arbitration proceedings regarding enforcement of claims from sale of a German automotive company to a Chinese investor
- Dax-30 company regarding investigations of the French stock exchange supervision AMF concerning alleged violations of compliance obligations in capital markets
- Various family businesses as borrowers regarding conclusion of syndicated loan agreements and bonded loan agreements with national and international credit institutions
- Various companies regarding disputes on resolution deficiencies and arbitration proceedings
Publications
- Früherkennung und Bewältigung bestandsgefährdender Risiken im Unternehmen, ZIP 2021 Heft 46, S. 2374 (Teil 1); Heft 50, S. 2566 (Teil 2) 19. Nov. 2021
- Gutgläubiger Erwerb bei bedingter Abtretung von GmbH-Geschäftsanteilen, GmbH-Rundschau 2012, 545
- Cross Border Merger mittels der SE, AG 2005, 177
- Europäische Aktiengesellschaft: Juristische Person als Organ, NZG 2004, 642
- Gutgläubiger Erwerb bei bedingter Abtretung von GmbH-Geschäftsanteilen, GmbH-Rundschau 2012, S. 545
- Mitbestimmungsvermeidung mittels grenzüberschreitender Verschmelzungen, ZIP 2008, 2193
- Mitbestimmung der Arbeitnehmer in der SE: Gestaltungsfreiheit und Bestandsschutz, ZGR 2003, 767 (Co-Autor)
- Article 38 - 51 SE-VO in Munich Commentary to Stock Corporation Law (Co-Author)
- Post Merger Litigation in: Servatius, Corporate Litigation, 2. Auflage 2021
- Rückforderung übermäßig abgeführter Gewinne nach Beendigung eines Ergebnisabführungsvertrages in: Liber Amicorum für Martin Winter, 2011
- Rückzahlung überhöhter Vorstandsgehälter, ZIP 2013, 1107
- Commentary on Sec. 15 - 18 GmbHG in Bork/Schäfer, GmbHG
Education & Engagement
- Member of Gesellschaftsrechtliche Vereinigung (VGR), Member of Deutsch-französische Juristenvereinigung. Member of Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit e.V. (DIS)
Education
- Universität Freiburg, Universität Genf, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Universität Heidelberg (Dr. jur.)
- Universität Genf, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Universität Heidelberg (Dr. jur.)
- Languages: German, English, French
- Sprachen: Deutsch, Englisch, Französisch