Logistics & Transport Sector | Law & Legal Advice

Full-service legal advice for an industry in transition

Modern technologies, sustainability requirements and geopolitical developments are fundamentally transforming the transport and logistics sector. Companies are facing complex challenges – from decarbonisation and digitalisation to resilient supply chains. At the same time, new opportunities are emerging for efficient and future-proof business models.

As a full-service law firm, we support our clients along the entire value chain: from contract drafting and outsourcing projects to regulatory matters such as customs, foreign trade, and investment control. Our advice is comprehensive, covering the entire spectrum from plant engineering to corporate transactions. We address all legal aspects related to warehousing and multimodal transport solutions, advising on all modes of transport, with a particular focus on road, rail, and air.

Our international experts combine deep industry knowledge with technological expertise. We assist with the implementation of digital supply-chain solutions, the compliant handling of data and the integration of ESG strategies. Whether complex logistics infrastructure projects, dispute resolution or day-to-day operations: we provide practical, legally sound and future-oriented solutions.

With global reach and interdisciplinary expertise, we develop strategies that not only work today but also meet the demands of tomorrow.

Our consulting services include

Transport and logistics law

Drafting of all documents relevant to the transport industry contractual relationships
Warehousing and transshipment contracts, cross-docking
Contract logistics and fulfilment contracts
Advice on liability issues, SLAs and KPIs, sustainability requirements (green logistics), resilience in the supply chain, etc.
Advice on ADSp, VBGL, DTLB, logistics terms and conditions and other
industry conditions
Support for the outsourcing of logistics services or processes, from tender (RFP) to implementation
Advice on industry-specific issues (pharmaceuticals, food, chemicals, fashion, automotive, rail and aircraft, etc.)
Dispute resolution and litigation before state courts and arbitration tribunals, nationally and internationally

Plant construction law

Drafting of contracts for the construction of complex logistics facilities, such as storage and conveyor systems for large distribution centres and facilities for the packaging industry
Advice on standard contracts, such as FIDIC, NEC, VOB, VDMA or Orgalime, especially considering German law on general terms and conditions
Ensuring consistency between the main contract and subcontracts (back-to-back)
Project-related dispute resolution and claims management (e.g. dispute adjudication boards in accordance with FIDIC) and enforcement and defence of warranty claims

Real estate

Project development: In particular, drafting of contracts required for use relating to development, transport, 24-hour operation, interventions in nature or permits under the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG)
Leasing: Drafting of lease agreements with a view to the specific requirements of the industry, the financing banks and investors, which also meet the increasing requirements for sustainability
Real estate transactions: Sale and acquisition of individual logistics properties, industrial sites or portfolios, including optimisation under tax and company law
Financing: Both acquisition and project development; traditional forms of financing and alternative financing structures such as joint ventures and real estate leasing

Financing of means of transport and securing transport options

Financing agreements: Drafting and negotiating financing agreements and related security agreements (e.g. loan agreements, transfers of title by way of security, assignments of security, guarantees, etc.) for all means of transport such as lorries, rolling stock and aircraft
Leasing agreements: Drafting and negotiating leasing agreements for trucks, rolling stock and aircraft (finance and operating leases) in close consultation with the lessee, lessor and financing bank
Charter and wet lease agreements: Drafting of full and partial charter agreements, block space agreements and wet lease agreements for road, rail and air vehicles

Insurance

Analysis of potential risks and advice on protection through the appropriate insurance product for all relevant types of insurance
Comprehensive support with correspondence and, if necessary, disputes with insurers
Contacts to reputable experts for claims

IT and data law

Logistics-related IT projects such as the introduction of software solutions for route and freight management as well as inventory control
Drafting of model contracts for the transfer of software
Drafting of platform terms of use
Data protection and data security including advice on cyber attacks
Internet and e-commerce, particularly regarding B2B or B2C platforms (including the Data Act)
Implementation of the AI Regulation (“AI Act”) and the Data Act

Capital market law and M&A

Corporate structuring of business activities (e.g. through strategic restructuring measures in logistics groups)
Investor participation and cooperation with other market participants in the form
joint ventures
Sale and acquisition of companies and company holdings for domestic and foreign clients, to create synergy effects and strategic access to foreign investors, infrastructure and logistics companies
Raising capital on the capital markets, e.g. through capital increases and private placements

Planning and environmental law, public commercial law

Advice on all public law issues relating to logistics real estate
Advice and representation on all regulatory issues relating to logistics services
Advice on land development and preparation of a plot of land for construction, through planning and construction, restructuring and new development
Emission and soil protection law, water and waste law, taking into account all current developments in these areas
Advice and support for project developments for the revitalisation of industrial sites (brownfield facilities)
Energy law support and advice, on the use of renewable energies, issues of self-supply and feed-in to the grid, subsidy programmes

Tax, customs and compliance

Implementation of the requirements of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act
Value added tax law in connection with imports and exports
Formal documentation requirements such as confirmation of arrival
Income tax advantages and disadvantages of a company’s legal form, particularly in an international context
Establishment, use and operation of customs warehouses
Customs procedures, e.g. transit procedures, inward and outward processing
processing, temporary use
Support and representation vis-à-vis customs authorities and in the handling of formalities
Issues relating to the origin of goods and export restrictions
Compliance: recurring training and continuous optimisation of the organisation, handling of compliance violations and internal investigations

Public procurement, state aid and antitrust law

Support in tendering procedures and in review and court proceedings
Advice on the awarding of concessions, for example in ground handling services
Compliance with the Public Procurement Directive for sectoral contracting authorities in Europe-wide tenders and in the sub-threshold area, e.g. social standards and minimum wage requirements
Compliance with the new Concessions Directive for the award of construction and service concessions, which also covers sectoral contracting authorities such as airports and ports
Cooperation with the Commission, national governments and ministries and in proceedings before the European courts and umbrella organisations, including on antitrust issues
EU state aid law and subsidies

Employment law

Ongoing employment law advice (drafting contracts, recruitment, hiring, termination of employment, discrimination, etc.)
Advice on efficient personnel deployment systems and flexible personnel deployment
(temporary employment, freelancers, secondments, etc.)
HR compliance
Occupational health and safety
Legal review of working time models and advice on implementation in individual contracts and collective employment law
Advice on collective bargaining law for the design of industry-specific working conditions in in-house collective agreements
Strategic and legal restructuring advice on corporate changes, operational changes and acquisition and disposal processes
Work 4.0 / NewWork (home office, SaaS, people analytics, coopetition, etc.)

Experience

Advising BayernLB on the financing of three local trains with zero-emission fuel cell propulsion for regional train services in Bavaria

A team led by Dr. Alper Utlu advised BayernLB on the green financing of three hydrogen-powered Siemens Mireo Plus H trains for the "Linienstern Mühldorf 2025+" regional transport service. The trains will replace diesel railcars from December 2026 and promote emission-free local transport in Bavaria.

Press release

Dr. Alper Utlu

Paul-David Kahl

Advising BayernLB on the financing of 18 electric multiple units for the subnetwork "Ostsee-Alster"

A team led by Dr. Alper Utlu advised BayernLB on the green financing of 18 Alstom electric multiple units for the subnetwork "Ostsee-Alster". The trains will be operated by DB Regio from 2027 and will promote sustainable local transport between Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. BayernLB acted as lead arranger with KfW IPEX Bank; the leasing partner is DAL.

Press release

Dr. Alper Utlu

Paul-David Kahl

Advising Helaba on the financing of five battery hybrid vehicles for DB Regio AG

Our team advised Helaba on the financing of five battery-hybrid FLIRT trains for DB Regio in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The financing is provided through a sale-and-lease-back structure with the LHI Group.

Press release

Dr. Alper Utlu

Paul-David Kahl

Affiliated company in the technical wholesale sector on a new automated central warehouse

Advice including contract drafting and negotiation regarding a new automated central warehouse (construction, implementation and warehouse outsourcing).

Alessa Steigertahl

Leading retail company on the redesign of intralogistics

Advice on the delivery, installation and commissioning of intralogistics systems for the production and logistics centre, as well as the re-equipping of the entire intralogistics system with warehouse automation technology for two locations in Europe.

Alessa Steigertahl

World-leading provider of integrated automated supply chain technology on logistics plant construction project in the Middle East

Advice to a global leader in integrated automated supply chain technology on the planning and construction of a fully automated distribution center in the Middle East, as well as drafting and negotiating the corresponding EPC contract (FIDIC-based).

Timo Stellpflug

Leading online platform for pet supplies on contract logistics agreements in 10 European countries

Advice and redesign of contract logistics agreements for 13 existing central warehouses in 10 European countries.

Timo Stellpflug

Alessa Steigertahl

Douglas on logistics plant construction projects and several collaborations

Advice on several logistics plant construction projects and collaborations, including the construction and operation of a new central warehouse for the DACH region, cross-dock centers, collaboration with Swiss Post, the expansion of logistics capacities and ‘Fulfillment by Douglas’, as well as a pilot project with the delivery service Gorillas and a collaboration with the delivery service Wolt.

Timo Stellpflug

Alessa Steigertahl

Leading manufacturer of intralogistics solutions and systems in the field of warehouse logistics and warehouse automation in numerous logistics plant construction projects

Advice on several plant construction projects (logistics, process automation) in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Poland.

Dr. Janina Pochhammer

Timo Stellpflug

Complex data center construction projects across the world

Several world-leading internet and online service providers as well as providers of critical infrastructures (transport / healthcare) on large-scale data center-related infrastructure projects from build-to-suit projects to colocation agreements.

Dr. Sabine Kaben

Dr. Carsten Schulz

Timo Stellpflug

British Land purchase of three Wembley warehouses

We advised British Land on the purchase of three warehouses at Hannah Close in Wembley for £157 million. This was a development-led opportunity aligned to British Land's strategy of delivering new urban logistics space.

Alan Evans

Michael Goldberg

Sarah Bolton

Advised Cain International

Advised Cain International on its £550 million logistics portfolio acquisition from Firethorn Trust. The Grade A logistics portfolio comprised seven UK sites, totalling 3.25 million sq. ft across 22 assets, including two newly built developments, and five consented land sites.

Press release

Logistics & transport

Full-service legal advice for an industry in transition

Our consulting services include

Experience

Advising BayernLB on the financing of three local trains with zero-emission fuel cell propulsion for regional train services in Bavaria

Advising BayernLB on the financing of 18 electric multiple units for the subnetwork "Ostsee-Alster"

Advising Helaba on the financing of five battery hybrid vehicles for DB Regio AG

Affiliated company in the technical wholesale sector on a new automated central warehouse

Leading retail company on the redesign of intralogistics

World-leading provider of integrated automated supply chain technology on logistics plant construction project in the Middle East

Leading online platform for pet supplies on contract logistics agreements in 10 European countries

Douglas on logistics plant construction projects and several collaborations

Leading manufacturer of intralogistics solutions and systems in the field of warehouse logistics and warehouse automation in numerous logistics plant construction projects

Complex data center construction projects across the world

British Land purchase of three Wembley warehouses

Advised Cain International

Our team

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