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Dr Wolfgang Jäger

Partner
We would mandate Wolfgang Jäger for German Litigation/Arbitration again at any time.
Client, Legal 500 2022
About

Dr Wolfgang Jäger is a pure litigation and arbitration lawyer specialized on mostly international dispute resolution cases for more than 20 years.

Wolfgang regularly advises in the context of crime litigation cases, such as the pursuance of companies' civil damage claims against perpetrators after the occurrence of bribery, fraud, embezzlement, or insolvency-related offences (often in cooperation with white collar lawyers).

Wolfgang also focuses on cross border enforcement, i.e. the pursuance of or defense against a recognition and enforcement of foreign legal title into German assets (often in cooperation with foreign legal counsel).

Moreover, Wolfgang advises on commercial contract disputes, which includes both German state court litigation and international arbitration (ICC, DIS, CIETAC) on the controversial interpretation or breach of contracts, for example on damage claims due to deficient product deliveries, delay, or non-performance. Further focuses of Wolfgang's work are banking litigation cases (e.g. disputes on loan agreements, bank guarantees, interest schemes, or on threatening damage claims) and professional liability cases.

Wolfgang has particular experience working for clients from the automotive, banking and financial services sector as well as for healthcare and food companies.

Professional QualificationsRechtsanwalt admitted with Rechtsanwaltskammer Frankfurt am Main

EXPERIENCE

  • Representing the previously #1 British telecom company in the pursuance of post M&A damage claims based on a group of German and Swiss perpetrators' fraud (criminal inflation of the target's turnover figures on balance sheets that were relevant for fixing the purchase price of a German internet business on sale); achievement of approx. EUR80 million attachment orders along with comprehensive enforcement into bank accounts, real estate, movables, and ships; representation of the clients' civil interests in criminal adhesion proceedings (Adhäsionsverfahren); advice on related insolvency matters; judgment for EUR209 million achieved; international cooperation with other law firms in London, Zürich, and Cape Town (successful settlements).
  • Pursuance of EUR10 million damage claims of a German international “tier 2” automotive supplier based on potential bribery in foreign countries; internal investigations, interviews of employees, court proceedings for the recovery of damage; international cooperation with foreign legal counsel; cooperation with another leading German law firm on joint letterhead (successful settlement of the case).
  • Advising the Special Administrator of a Cyprus bank on defending against attachment measures by investors from the Seychelles amounting to EUR202 million, which were pursued on the basis of a British judgment in Germany; European recognition process; obtaining of a rare court order “ex officio” rejecting the attachment measures out of the position of being a “third party” (not formally involved in the proceedings); in cooperation with a major British law firm.
  • CIETAC arbitration in Shanghai for a US/Chinese client from the healthcare sector against its German joint venture partner; dispute about contract interpretation issues and damages; applicability of German substantive law and Chinese procedural law; in cooperation with colleagues from Shanghai and San Francisco.
  • Documentary proceedings (Urkundenklage) for Swedish clients before the German state courts regarding disputed export guarantees on first demand, combined with parallel ICC arbitration against the export partner for damages.
  • Pursuance of damage claims and unjust enrichment claims based on a purportedly tax saving business model based on loans of securities (similar to “cum/cum” trades/dividend stripping; in cooperation with tax specialists from DLA Piper and from another law firm); advice included the assessment of former directors' liability, the supervisory board's obligations under ARAG/Garmenbeck rules, and questions of D&O coverage.
Languages
  • German
  • English
Education
  • Justus-Liebig University Gießen, First State Examination
  • Higher Regional Court Frankfurt am Main, Second State Examination
  • Justus-Liebig University Gießen, Dr. jur

Awards

  • JUVE Handbook 2023/2024: Often recommended for dispute resolution: litigation, arbitration and product liability; "innovative spirit paired with tenacity, showing absolute commitment to the client", client
  • Legal 500 Germany 2023: Recommended for dispute resolution: arbitration (including international arbitration) and commercial litigation; “[goes] far beyond the expected actions and [pushes] the case from all sides proactively and unconventionally”; “Not only insanely clever, but also extremely persistent and assertive.... has bite and doesn't let up in court, but at the same time is extremely collegial.”
  • Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers 2023/2024: Recommended for litigation

Prior Experience

Wolfgang worked for a leading international law firm (2000 - 2010) and for its German predecessor (1997 - 1999) as a commercial litigator/arbitrator, respectively, before je joined DLA Piper as a partner in 2010.

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