DLA Piper appoints renowned team of experts in company pension schemes

DLA Piper strengthens its international practice in the field of company pension schemes with the appointment of Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock as a partner, Jörn Manhart as counsel and Dr Julia Meler as a senior associate. The team joins DLA Piper's Employment practice group at the Düsseldorf office.

Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock and Jörn Manhart joined Advant Beiten together in 2010, where they developed specialized expertise in company pension schemes within the Employment law practice group, both as partners. They represented renowned and market-leading clients and with the support of senior associate Dr Julia Meler, they advised on the establishment of the first German social partner model for pure contribution commitments in 2022 and executed one of the first significant pension buy-out transactions in Germany as early as 2018. The team possesses particular industry expertise in the Banking & Finance, Automotive, and Chemistry sector.

"With the addition of Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock, Jörn Manhart, and Dr Julia Meler, we gain a highly experienced team in the field of company pension schemes," says Dr Kai Bodenstedt, Co-Managing Partner of DLA Piper in Germany alongside Dr Martin Haller. "The arrival of the expert team led by Christian and the resulting expansion of this area is a strategically important step for the firm, as the demand for consultancy in the area of company pension schemes continues to grow," added Dr Martin Haller.

Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock, Jörn Manhart, and Dr Julia Meler specialize in advising on company pension law issues in labour and insurance supervisory law, catering to employers and product providers. The team possesses extensive practical experience in outside funding transactions involving pension funds and trust structures. Additionally, they provide advice on M&A, restructuring, and reorganization processes concerning all aspects of company pension schemes.

Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock and Jörn Manhart are both members of the Eberbach Circle, an association of leading attorneys in business law firms specializing in company pension schemes. Additionally, von Buddenbrock is a member of the Specialist Committee for Labor Law of the Working Group for Company Pension Schemes.

"We are delighted to join DLA Piper and collaborate across practice groups within a global environment alongside excellent colleagues and teams. Our goal is to offer our clients an exceptional service and to provide new opportunities for the further development and growth of the employment law practice," says Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock.