Claus Eßers

Of Counsel

Certified Lawyer in Tax Law

claus.essers@hoffmannliebs.de

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Claus Eßers

Of Counsel

Certified Lawyer in Tax Law

claus.essers@hoffmannliebs.de

+49 211-518 82-149

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Print profile

Claus Eßers

Claus Eßers has been advising national and international companies on commercial and corporate law, M&A and tax law for over 30 years. He is the author of numerous articles on these topics. Under his technical direction and authorship, the first German written management course on “Mergers & Acquisition” was published by Euroforum-Verlag, in parallel with the first written management course on “Tax and accounting clauses in M&A contracts”. For more than a decade, he has led the highly regarded Euroforum seminar “The M&A Agreement in Practice”, which will be in its 28th edition in 2018.

Contact
  • Merger & acquisition transactions, preliminary agreements such as Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Understanding, Non-Disclosure Agreement, etc.
  • Advice on corporate law, including shareholder disputes
  • Long-term business law advice for companies
  • Development and negotiation of large dealership agreements in the international field, especially China
  • Drafting of cooperation agreements and joint ventures
  • Advice on the market entry of Chinese companies in Germany in his function as head of the China Desk
  •  Joint ventures between German and Chinese companies
  • M&A transactions also with a particular focus on Chinese buyers
  • Litigation, in particular in the areas of company law and commercial contracts
  • Tax advice on corporate transactions
  • Advising board members, managing directors and private individuals on compliance issues and investigations in the areas of criminal tax law, tax evasion, tax misconduct of parent companies, etc.
  • A leading independent dealer in fields of refractories in Germany with decades of existing business and purchasing relationships with China, Korea, and Vietnam; Contract drafting and providing long-term corporate counseling and support
  • Advising large AIF-Fonds in areas of senior care, including conceptual design, long-term corporate and tax counseling
  • Advising a large Chinese tool manufacturer and solar module manufacturer on the market entry in Germany
  • Advising and long-term counseling for a large Chinese medical product manufacturer on the acquisition of a German company
  • Advising a leading Chinese state-owned company on an auction procedure for aircraft engines
  • Advising and long-term counseling for a leading Chinese automotive company on the purchase of a German specialist company of sensor technology
  • Advising a Chinese investor on the purchase of a car paint care manufacturer in Germany
  • Advising a Chinese investor on the development and marketing of an intellectual battery charging system for electric cars
  • Advising a Chinese fond on the purchase of an entirely newly developed engine technology for multivariable fuels and electrical energy
  • Ongoing counseling for a large press wholesaler in the context of merger agreements
  • Long-term advising the investors of the Nürburg-Ring project in Rheinland Pfalz
  • Advising on criminal tax law for board members and managing directors in large investigation procedure
  • Tax law and corporate law counseling in large inheritance disputes between shareholders
  • Working Group of Certified Lawyer in Tax Law
  • German-Chinese Business Association (DCW)
  • Chinese Industrial and Commercial Association (CIHD)
  • Since 1999 at Hoffmann Liebs
  • 1987 – 1999 Lawyer and partner at Herzog, Meier, Will
  • 1990 Specialist lawyer course of the German Bar Association for tax law and admission as a certified lawyer for tax law by Dusseldorf Bar Association
  • Studied law at the University of Bochum, Cologne and Münster
  • Bedeutung kultureller Unterschiede für das Transaktionsmanagement am Beispiel chinesischer Invetsoren; in Praxishandbuch Unternehmenskauf, Herausgeber Dr. Torsten Bergau, September 2015
  • Vertragsgestaltung und Verhandlungsführung, in: Schriftlicher Management-Lehrgang in 11 Lektionen „Mergers & Acquisitions“, 10. aktualisierte Auflage 2010
  • Unternehmenskaufverträge Teil 1 – Steuerklauseln; in: DATEV Magazin, Heft 2/2009
  • MoMiG-Synopse – Reformiertes Recht für GmbHs: Vergleich der Alt- mit den Neuregelungen; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 2/2009
  • GmbH-Reform: Neue Haftungsrisiken für Geschäftsführer und Gesellschafter; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 1/2009
  • GmbH-Geschäftsführer dürfen auch riskant handeln; in: Financial Times Deutschland, 26. Juli 2005
  • GmbH-Reform: Neue Haftungsrisiken für Geschäftsführer und Gesellschafter; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 1/2009
  • Deutsche und angelsächsische Unternehmenskaufverträge; in: GoingPublic Magazin, Heft 4/2005
  • Venture Capital – am Ende ist Hoffnung; in: Börsenzeitung, 10. Juli 2004
  • Tafelgeschäft schafft keinen Verdacht auf Steuerhinterziehung; in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 27. September 2000
  • Steuerhinterziehung: Strafbefreiende Selbstanzeige; in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 1. Juli 2000
  • “Often recommended: Claus Eßers (corporate law, M&A)”
    Juve Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2019/2020
  • Often recommended: Claus Eßers (“highly professional, very well received by our Asian clients.”, Client; corporate law)
    JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2018/2019
  • “Their outbound China practice also experienced a renaissance: In the meantime, they have 4 Chinese lawyers who take care of Chinese SMEs in their activities in Germany.”
    “Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner has built up a flourishing inbound practice for the Chinese middle sized companies.”
    “Often recommended: Claus Eßers (“built up very good China practice”, competitors)”
    JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2017/2018 
  • “In particular Claus Eßers is a ‘specialist in the China business with a great talent for negotiation’ and an ‘absolutely professional lawyer with deep legal expertise and a high level of technical understanding’.”
    Legal 500 Germany 2018
  • With a ‘good sense for the economic necessities of a transaction’ and ‘very short processing time’, Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner Rechtsanwälte mbB is an ‘excellent’ choice for many clients. […] For example, Claus Eßers advised a large Chinese fund on the acquisition of a German development company for innovative engine technology, as well as a large medium-sized company with a Chinese parent company on the acquisition of a German medium-sized company in the medical industry out of insolvency. ”
    Legal 500 Germany 2017
  • Claus Eßers is listed as Best Lawyer of Germany for Corporate Law (since 2018).
    Best Lawyers / Handelsblatt (The Best Lawyers Germany)
  • Merger & acquisition transactions, preliminary agreements such as Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Understanding, Non-Disclosure Agreement, etc.
  • Advice on corporate law, including shareholder disputes
  • Long-term business law advice for companies
  • Development and negotiation of large dealership agreements in the international field, especially China
  • Drafting of cooperation agreements and joint ventures
  • Advice on the market entry of Chinese companies in Germany in his function as head of the China Desk
  •  Joint ventures between German and Chinese companies
  • M&A transactions also with a particular focus on Chinese buyers
  • Litigation, in particular in the areas of company law and commercial contracts
  • Tax advice on corporate transactions
  • Advising board members, managing directors and private individuals on compliance issues and investigations in the areas of criminal tax law, tax evasion, tax misconduct of parent companies, etc.
  • A leading independent dealer in fields of refractories in Germany with decades of existing business and purchasing relationships with China, Korea, and Vietnam; Contract drafting and providing long-term corporate counseling and support
  • Advising large AIF-Fonds in areas of senior care, including conceptual design, long-term corporate and tax counseling
  • Advising a large Chinese tool manufacturer and solar module manufacturer on the market entry in Germany
  • Advising and long-term counseling for a large Chinese medical product manufacturer on the acquisition of a German company
  • Advising a leading Chinese state-owned company on an auction procedure for aircraft engines
  • Advising and long-term counseling for a leading Chinese automotive company on the purchase of a German specialist company of sensor technology
  • Advising a Chinese investor on the purchase of a car paint care manufacturer in Germany
  • Advising a Chinese investor on the development and marketing of an intellectual battery charging system for electric cars
  • Advising a Chinese fond on the purchase of an entirely newly developed engine technology for multivariable fuels and electrical energy
  • Ongoing counseling for a large press wholesaler in the context of merger agreements
  • Long-term advising the investors of the Nürburg-Ring project in Rheinland Pfalz
  • Advising on criminal tax law for board members and managing directors in large investigation procedure
  • Tax law and corporate law counseling in large inheritance disputes between shareholders
  • Working Group of Certified Lawyer in Tax Law
  • German-Chinese Business Association (DCW)
  • Chinese Industrial and Commercial Association (CIHD)
  • Since 1999 at Hoffmann Liebs
  • 1987 – 1999 Lawyer and partner at Herzog, Meier, Will
  • 1990 Specialist lawyer course of the German Bar Association for tax law and admission as a certified lawyer for tax law by Dusseldorf Bar Association
  • Studied law at the University of Bochum, Cologne and Münster
  • Bedeutung kultureller Unterschiede für das Transaktionsmanagement am Beispiel chinesischer Invetsoren; in Praxishandbuch Unternehmenskauf, Herausgeber Dr. Torsten Bergau, September 2015
  • Vertragsgestaltung und Verhandlungsführung, in: Schriftlicher Management-Lehrgang in 11 Lektionen „Mergers & Acquisitions“, 10. aktualisierte Auflage 2010
  • Unternehmenskaufverträge Teil 1 – Steuerklauseln; in: DATEV Magazin, Heft 2/2009
  • MoMiG-Synopse – Reformiertes Recht für GmbHs: Vergleich der Alt- mit den Neuregelungen; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 2/2009
  • GmbH-Reform: Neue Haftungsrisiken für Geschäftsführer und Gesellschafter; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 1/2009
  • GmbH-Geschäftsführer dürfen auch riskant handeln; in: Financial Times Deutschland, 26. Juli 2005
  • GmbH-Reform: Neue Haftungsrisiken für Geschäftsführer und Gesellschafter; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 1/2009
  • Deutsche und angelsächsische Unternehmenskaufverträge; in: GoingPublic Magazin, Heft 4/2005
  • Venture Capital – am Ende ist Hoffnung; in: Börsenzeitung, 10. Juli 2004
  • Tafelgeschäft schafft keinen Verdacht auf Steuerhinterziehung; in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 27. September 2000
  • Steuerhinterziehung: Strafbefreiende Selbstanzeige; in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 1. Juli 2000
  • “Often recommended: Claus Eßers (corporate law, M&A)”
    Juve Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2019/2020
  • Often recommended: Claus Eßers (“highly professional, very well received by our Asian clients.”, Client; corporate law)
    JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2018/2019
  • “Their outbound China practice also experienced a renaissance: In the meantime, they have 4 Chinese lawyers who take care of Chinese SMEs in their activities in Germany.”
    “Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner has built up a flourishing inbound practice for the Chinese middle sized companies.”
    “Often recommended: Claus Eßers (“built up very good China practice”, competitors)”
    JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2017/2018 
  • “In particular Claus Eßers is a ‘specialist in the China business with a great talent for negotiation’ and an ‘absolutely professional lawyer with deep legal expertise and a high level of technical understanding’.”
    Legal 500 Germany 2018
  • With a ‘good sense for the economic necessities of a transaction’ and ‘very short processing time’, Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner Rechtsanwälte mbB is an ‘excellent’ choice for many clients. […] For example, Claus Eßers advised a large Chinese fund on the acquisition of a German development company for innovative engine technology, as well as a large medium-sized company with a Chinese parent company on the acquisition of a German medium-sized company in the medical industry out of insolvency. ”
    Legal 500 Germany 2017
  • Claus Eßers is listed as Best Lawyer of Germany for Corporate Law (since 2018).
    Best Lawyers / Handelsblatt (The Best Lawyers Germany)

Recommendations

  • “Often recommended: Claus Eßers (corporate law, M&A)”
    Juve Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2019/2020
  • Often recommended: Claus Eßers (“highly professional, very well received by our Asian clients.”, Client; corporate law)
    JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2018/2019
  • “Their outbound China practice also experienced a renaissance: In the meantime, they have 4 Chinese lawyers who take care of Chinese SMEs in their activities in Germany.”
    “Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner has built up a flourishing inbound practice for the Chinese middle sized companies.”
    “Often recommended: Claus Eßers (“built up very good China practice”, competitors)”
    JUVE Handbook Commercial Law Firms 2017/2018 
  • “In particular Claus Eßers is a ‘specialist in the China business with a great talent for negotiation’ and an ‘absolutely professional lawyer with deep legal expertise and a high level of technical understanding’.”
    Legal 500 Germany 2018
  • With a ‘good sense for the economic necessities of a transaction’ and ‘very short processing time’, Hoffmann Liebs Fritsch & Partner Rechtsanwälte mbB is an ‘excellent’ choice for many clients. […] For example, Claus Eßers advised a large Chinese fund on the acquisition of a German development company for innovative engine technology, as well as a large medium-sized company with a Chinese parent company on the acquisition of a German medium-sized company in the medical industry out of insolvency. ”
    Legal 500 Germany 2017
  • Claus Eßers is listed as Best Lawyer of Germany for Corporate Law (since 2018).
    Best Lawyers / Handelsblatt (The Best Lawyers Germany)

Short Biography

  • Since 1999 at Hoffmann Liebs
  • 1987 – 1999 Lawyer and partner at Herzog, Meier, Will
  • 1990 Specialist lawyer course of the German Bar Association for tax law and admission as a certified lawyer for tax law by Dusseldorf Bar Association
  • Studied law at the University of Bochum, Cologne and Münster

Client Services - Practice Areas

  • Merger & acquisition transactions, preliminary agreements such as Letter of Intent, Memorandum of Understanding, Non-Disclosure Agreement, etc.
  • Advice on corporate law, including shareholder disputes
  • Long-term business law advice for companies
  • Development and negotiation of large dealership agreements in the international field, especially China
  • Drafting of cooperation agreements and joint ventures
  • Advice on the market entry of Chinese companies in Germany in his function as head of the China Desk
  •  Joint ventures between German and Chinese companies
  • M&A transactions also with a particular focus on Chinese buyers
  • Litigation, in particular in the areas of company law and commercial contracts
  • Tax advice on corporate transactions
  • Advising board members, managing directors and private individuals on compliance issues and investigations in the areas of criminal tax law, tax evasion, tax misconduct of parent companies, etc.

Current Publications

  • Bedeutung kultureller Unterschiede für das Transaktionsmanagement am Beispiel chinesischer Invetsoren; in Praxishandbuch Unternehmenskauf, Herausgeber Dr. Torsten Bergau, September 2015
  • Vertragsgestaltung und Verhandlungsführung, in: Schriftlicher Management-Lehrgang in 11 Lektionen „Mergers & Acquisitions“, 10. aktualisierte Auflage 2010
  • Unternehmenskaufverträge Teil 1 – Steuerklauseln; in: DATEV Magazin, Heft 2/2009
  • MoMiG-Synopse – Reformiertes Recht für GmbHs: Vergleich der Alt- mit den Neuregelungen; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 2/2009
  • GmbH-Reform: Neue Haftungsrisiken für Geschäftsführer und Gesellschafter; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 1/2009
  • GmbH-Geschäftsführer dürfen auch riskant handeln; in: Financial Times Deutschland, 26. Juli 2005
  • GmbH-Reform: Neue Haftungsrisiken für Geschäftsführer und Gesellschafter; in: GmbH-Steuerpraxis, Heft 1/2009
  • Deutsche und angelsächsische Unternehmenskaufverträge; in: GoingPublic Magazin, Heft 4/2005
  • Venture Capital – am Ende ist Hoffnung; in: Börsenzeitung, 10. Juli 2004
  • Tafelgeschäft schafft keinen Verdacht auf Steuerhinterziehung; in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 27. September 2000
  • Steuerhinterziehung: Strafbefreiende Selbstanzeige; in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 1. Juli 2000
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