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Dr Gunne W. Bähr LL.M.

Partner
Excellent reputation as one of the most prolific supervisory specialists in the German insurance sphere.
Chambers Europe
About

Dr Gunne Bähr focuses on insurance and reinsurance laws, insurance corporate and regulatory law. His client list includes domestic and international insurance and reinsurance companies, brokers and industrial policyholders whom he assists in insurance and reinsurance matters, as well as in lawsuits and arbitration procedures.

A further focus of his work is on product development and policy wordings (industrial and consumer business), as well as mediation law.

Gunne advises and represents clients in complex liability and coverage proceedings, for example regarding directors and officers, and other financial lines insurances such as errors and omissions, professional indemnity and FI, but also with respect to product liability and other industrial insurances. He has handled widely noted D&O cases for insurers as monitoring and coverage counsel, but also represents clients in court and arbitration proceedings. Besides that, Gunne has also represented reinsurers in arbitration proceedings concerning disputes about reinsurance issues and was involved in the settling of disputes between them.

He has also provided services in respect to international insurance programmes and a number of distribution cooperations in the insurance sector, as well as with respect to group insurance structures and questions regarding internet distribution.

Over the years, Gunne has developed particular interest in insurance supervisory law and the German Financial Services Supervisory Authority (BaFin). He advises on insurance regulatory and corporate matters, inter alia, on M&A projects within the insurance sector and authorisation procedures.

Furthermore, he advises on issues regarding business organisation and compliance, also with respect to the Solvency II Directive. He has represented numerous (re)insurance companies and their officers and directors in insurance litigation and regulatory matters regarding the BaFin.

Professional QualificationsRechtsanwalt admitted with Rechtsanwaltskammer Cologne

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising insurers from EU/EEA countries on the introduction of products on the basis of the freedom to provide services (Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, The Netherlands, United Kingdom et al)
  • Advising an international insurance group on alternative risk transfer (ART)
  • Advising a Swiss reinsurer on the acquisition of a reinsurer in Germany
  • Advising an insurance company on the purchase of insurance and reinsurances in Germany (Due Diligence and drafting of contracts, also in run-off situations)
  • Advising a branch of an EEA insurer on brokerage law and distribution issues
  • Advising a British insurance company on the distinction between direct services and services through a branch office and on the so-called 'provisions of general good'
  • Advising a Korean insurance company on the foundation of an insurance agency in Germany
Languages
  • German
  • English
Education
  • University of Hamburg, First and Second State Examination, Ph.D.
  • Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Muenster, LL.M.

Awards

  • JUVE Handbook 2023/2024: Leading name for insurance regulatory law (2021/2022) and often recommended for insurance law: product advice, litigation and contract advice and corporate advice; "experienced, pleasant and goal-oriented", client; "top", competitor
  • Legal 500 Germany 2023: Leading individual for insurance: advice to insurers and recommended for insurance: advice to insurers and insurance litigation as well as compliance; "Proven expert in the field of international insurance programmes"; 2022: "excellent in insurance supervisory law"; "Gunne Bähr in fact knows everything in insurance law"
  • Chambers Europe Germany 2023: Recommended for insurance and insurance: transactional; 2022: "He's very proactive." 2020: "Excellent reputation as one of the most prolific supervisory specialists in the German insurance sphere."
  • Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers 2023/2024: Recommended for insurance law

Insight Overview

Gunne Baehr is the author of numerous insurance law publications in legal journals. He is the editor of the Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz commentary, published in a 6th edition (2019) and is the editor/co-author of the Handbook of German Insurance Regulatory Law (Handbuch des Versicherungsaufsichtsrechts), (2nd edition) expected in June 2023.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining the Cologne office of DLA Piper in 2005, Gunne Baehr worked for a major German law firm (2001-2005) and as a research assistant at the Institute of Insurance Law in Hamburg (1996-1999).

Lecturer

Gunne lectures on international insurance programmes and insurance supervisory law at the Universities of Hamburg and Münster.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • German Lawyers' Association
  • German Association of Insurance Law, Berlin
  • Association of Insurance Law, Hamburg
  • Chair of the working group 'State Supervision' of the Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances (AIDA)
  • ARIAS e.V.

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