Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of 25 November 2020 on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers obliged Germany to introduce a procedural mechanism that enables consumers to assert alleged claims through collective redress. Domestic implementation in Germany took place in October 2023, including through the introduction of the new Consumer Rights Enforcement Act (VDuG). As practice to date has shown, energy suppliers in particular have found themselves in the “crosshairs” of VDuG plaintiffs. Why is this the case? And what can affected energy suppliers do?

In German criminal law, a turning point is looming. In October 2020, the Federal Government introduced the government draft of a "Law on the Sanctioning of Association-Related Crimes (VerSanG)". This draft bill will presumably remain unchanged regarding its core content and will presumably come into force.

Deutschland als Gerichtsstandort soll als Forum für internationale Wirtschaftsstreitigkeiten attraktiver werden. Hierfür plant das Bundesministerium der Justiz die Einführung und den Ausbau von Commercial Courts und Commercial Chambers an deutschen Gerichten.

In the ubiquitous phenomenon of so-called mass disputes, the individual actions often raise legal questions that are relevant for the majority of the other proceedings. The sum of the individual actions, although similar in nature, place a heavy burden on German courts because they must deal with every case individually. Mass disputes therefore tie up enormous capacities, including those of companies. To reduce the burden on the judiciary, the German Federal Government responds with a bill of legislative changes to the German Code of Civil Procedure (“ZPO”) by introducing a so-called “leading decision procedure” at the Federal Court of Justice (“BGH”).

Corporate disputes of all types have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether from tensions over employment, consumer rights or tax, businesses are facing growing volumes of litigation on multiple fronts. At the same time, disputes are becoming more complex, time consuming and expensive – yet the appetite to litigate is higher than ever.

The German Arbitration Institute (DIS), which for more than one hundred years has been the leading point of contact in Germany for questions relating to arbitration and alternative dispute resolution for national and international commercial disputes, has recently started offering the "Supplementary Rules for Third-Party Notices (DIS-ERS)".

Explore the evolving responsibilities and strategies for the chief legal officer (CLO) role.

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