German Desk

Corporate Business

In corporate transactional matters, our experience includes structuring, tax, antitrust, intellectual property, workforce, global trade, customs, employee benefits, real estate, and environmental law. We counsel and assist buyers, sellers, venture capital investors, management groups, independent committees of directors, and investment banking firms with strategic planning and regulatory compliance for complex cross-border transactions.

Our German Desk team works with management in the United States and in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria on the negotiation and documentation of such transactions, as well as related due diligence investigations and all legal aspects of integrating the businesses involved. We provide responsive and proactive service to meet demanding transactional timelines.

International Trade

We advise on U.S., German, EU, and other applicable trade and customs laws, helping companies ensure their import and export practices and vendor contracts are legally sound, compliant, and aligned with business objectives.

Subsidiaries & Corporate Governance

We assist German-speaking clients with selecting the appropriate jurisdiction for forming U.S. subsidiaries, structuring entities efficiently from corporate and tax perspectives, and implementing sound governance structures.

International Tax

Our tax attorneys advise clients from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria on U.S. tax matters, including:

• Choice of entity, formation, and compliance requirements
• Application of tax treaties to specific transactions and structures
• Structuring acquisitions or dispositions of entities or property, including Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) considerations for foreign sellers subject to U.S. tax withholding and reporting obligations on dispositions of U.S. real property interests
• Application and interpretation of transfer pricing regulations for transfers of tangible and intangible property
• Requirements for tax-deferred mergers, spin-offs, and inbound contribution transactions 

Dispute Resolution

FBT Gibbons has represented German and other European clients in significant litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings, involving complex questions of international and non-U.S. law. These matters have included issues relating to EU data protection and privacy requirements, as well as U.S. civil litigation rules governing document production and e-discovery.

Representative matters have involved federal and state laws addressing employment disputes, manufacturing and commercial contract disputes, intellectual property issues, and tort claims. Some cases have involved specialized statutes such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Alien Tort Statute, and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Immigration

We advise on and obtain work visas and resident permits for managers and employees, including green cards. In coordination with CPA firms, we also assist expatriates navigate U.S., German, and international law, particularly concerning tax and inheritance issues.

Intellectual Property

We develop cost-effective strategies for protecting and licensing patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, and help clients execute those strategies worldwide.

Inbound

• Assisted with the U.S. aspects of the sale of one of the largest German shoe manufacturers to a private equity fund.
• Advised a German supplier of surface finishing and environmental technology systems on large‑scale OEM projects and the formation of a U.S. joint venture.
• Advised a German market leader on a joint venture with a European competitor targeting the U.S. market.
• Advised German-owned companies on U.S. market expansion through acquisitions and greenfield investments.
• Served as lead U.S. counsel for numerous German-owned companies across multiple industries, including automotive suppliers (Tier 1 and Tier 2), plastic molding, commercial knives, industrial sensors, waste separators, gear drives, and automotive safety technologies.
• Represented a German laser software company in several U.S. acquisitions in the industrial and medical sectors.
• Represented a German food and beverage company in a venture capital investment in a U.S. technology company.
• Represented a German fragrances, flavorings, and cosmetics ingredients company in its acquisition of the U.S. flavor business of a Danish company.
• Managed a successful restructuring of U.S. operations for a German luxury brands company, including lease renegotiations, workforce restructuring, and divestiture of a business line.
• Represented a publicly traded Swiss corporation, a leading global producer of specialty steel, in its purchase of the outstanding stock of the world’s leading supplier of forging die steels, plastic mold steels, die‑casting tool steels, and custom open‑die forgings, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Outbound

• Advised a U.S.-based material handling automation and software engineering company on a license and know-how transfer agreement with a German equipment manufacturer.
• Advised a U.S.-based, publicly traded company on its attempted acquisition of a German target in an auction process.