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Dr Thorsten Ammann

Counsel
Excellent IT lawyer, always reliable.
Legal 500 Germany 2020
About

Thorsten Ammann advises national and international operating business clients in all aspects of information technology law with a strong focus on disruptive technologies, such as blockchain driven solutions, artificial intelligence, IoT, smart factories and other aspects of Digital Transformation.

Thorsten has exceptional experience in complex, large and multi-national IT projects with a strong footprint in the chemistry, automotive, finance, insurance, health and telecommunications industry sector. Thorsten’s portfolio covers the full lifecycle of IT projects including, but not limited to, preliminary legal project advise, contract drafting and contract negotiation as well as legal support during project implementation including contract, escalation and claim management. His legal experience also covers public tenders, mediation, arbitration and litigation matters.

Thorsten is co-author of several leading edge legal compendiums, such as the Computer Law Guide and the Legal Guide on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and regularly publishes expert papers in first class legal expert magazines. In his role as a legal IT expert, Thorsten is a popular speaker in his legal field of expertise. He has been recognized by Legal 500 as an IPT key lawyer and recommended as an “excellent IT lawyer always reliable”.

Professional QualificationsRechtsanwalt admitted with Rechtsanwaltskammer Cologne

EXPERIENCE

  • Legal advice of several financial institutions and insurance companies in public tender procedures including contract development, contract negotiation and in complex IT- as well as in business process outsourcing projects.
  • Ongoing legal advice of DAX and MDAX corporations in large-scale ITC and business digitalization projects and disruptive technologies, in particular blockchain and AI-based solutions.
  • Legal support of national and international operating business clients during implementation of digital solutions in compliance with contractual arrangements, including contract, claim and escalation support and support in mediative, arbitral, out-of-court and in-court discussions and legal proceedings.
  • Legal advice of international operating financial service providers and premium car manufacturers as to implementation of group-wide cloud-based IT solutions.
  • Legal advice and support of a global health care manufacturer as to group-wide IT consolidation efforts.
  • Legal advice and support of a worldwide leading IT outsourcing services provider in public tender procedures.
  • including review and negotiation of large-scaled IT outsourcing agreements, also focusing on robotics and artificial intelligence.
Languages
  • German
  • English
  • French
  • Luxembourgish
Education
  • Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Second State Examination, 2013
  • Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Ph.D., 2011
  • Saarland University and Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Law, First State Examination, 2007


    Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, special qualification in attorney professional law, 2005


    Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, special qualification in information, telecommunications and media law, 2005

Awards

  • Legal 500 Germany 2022: Recommended for information technology: information technology and digitalisation; “Jan Pohle and Thorsten Ammann are very communicative. Their English is exemplary, as is their ability to explain complex legal issues in English. Their style is particularly helpful, as they are always happy to take the time to discuss the key differences in law, clients and practice that need to be considered when doing business in Germany.”
  • Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers 2023/2024: Recommended for information technology law
  • WirtschaftsWoche 2023: Recommended as “top lawyer” for IT law

Publications

Dr. Thorsten Ammann has made several publications and regularly speeches on IT-related topics. Some examples:

  • Source code escrow in M&A transactions, in: Remmertz/Kast, Digital Escrow – Rechtsschutz durch Hinterlegung digitaler Wirtschaftsgüter, announced to be published in 2022
  • Standard software business, in: Taeger/Pohle Computerrechtshandbuch, 36. EL 2021, chap. 32.2
  • Use of artificial intelligence tools in the financial and insurance industry sector, CR 2020, 633 et seqq.
  • Digital transformation of business processes in AI as a Service solutions in regulatory environments, DRSITB 2020, 599 et seqq.
  • AI as a Service - Artificial Intelligence out of the cloud and its legal challenges, CR 2020, 295 et seqq.
  • Industry 4.0 – Opportunities and legal challenges, Handelsblatt Webinar Industry 4.0, 1. April 2020
  • COVID-19 and its effects on IT agreements, BITKOM Webinar, 1. March 2020
  • Outsourcing in AI, in: Kaulartz/Braegelmann, Handbook Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Munich 2020, 186 et seqq.
  • Smart Factory - Industrial Revolution 4.0, expert session at DLA AI and BigData Night on October 16, 2019 in Cologne in cooperation with the German-American Lawyers Association e.V.
  • Blockchain technologies and smart contracts in the telecommunications business, DSRITB 2020, 599 et seqq. – also keynote speech at the DSRI Herbstakademie 2019 in Bremen on 14.9.2019
  • Group-wide BigData analytics based on AI from a German, Austrian and Swiss law perspective – keynote speech at German Society for Law and Informatics’ international meeting on June 28, 2019 in Krems/Austria (in cooperation with Dr. Gregor Schroll LL.M., Annika Wanderer LL.M., Stefan Panic und Monique Sturny)
  • Key Legal Challenges of Blockchains and AI, Disrupt Meetup Digital Law & Legal Tech as of 23. May 2019, Düsseldorf
  • Bitcoin as payment instrument in online business activities, keynote speach at BITKOM Forum Recht, April 10, 2018, Berlin
  • Revised legislation of German works and construction law and its impact for drafting of IT agreements, DSRITB 2018, 667-681 – also keynote speech at the DSRI Herbstakademie 2018 in Bochum on Sep 14, 2018
  • Artificial intelligence and its particularities being key for designing high quality IT agreements, DSRITB 2017, 503 et seqq.
  • German

  • Source code escrow in M&A transactions, in: Remmertz/Kast, Digital Escrow – Rechtsschutz durch Hinterlegung digitaler Wirtschaftsgüter, announced to be published in 2022
  • Standard software business, in: Taeger/Pohle Computerrechtshandbuch, 36. EL 2021, chap. 32.2
  • Use of artificial intelligence tools in the financial and insurance industry sector, CR 2020, 633 et seqq.
  • Digital transformation of business processes in AI as a Service solutions in regulatory environments, DRSITB 2020, 599 et seqq.
  • AI as a Service - Artificial Intelligence out of the cloud and its legal challenges, CR 2020, 295 et seqq.
  • Industry 4.0 – Opportunities and legal challenges, Handelsblatt Webinar Industry 4.0, 1. April 2020
  • COVID-19 and its effects on IT agreements, BITKOM Webinar, 1. March 2020
  • Outsourcing in AI, in: Kaulartz/Braegelmann, Handbook Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Munich 2020, 186 et seqq.
  • Smart Factory - Industrial Revolution 4.0, expert session at DLA AI and BigData Night on October 16, 2019 in Cologne in cooperation with the German-American Lawyers Association e.V.
  • Blockchain technologies and smart contracts in the telecommunications business, DSRITB 2020, 599 et seqq. – also keynote speech at the DSRI Herbstakademie 2019 in Bremen on 14.9.2019

Prior Experience

Prior joining DLA Piper UK LLP in 2015, Dr. Thorsten Ammann worked as an attorney for international law firms in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • German Association for Lawyers and Informatics e.V.
  • German American Lawyer's Association e.V.

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