Dr. Michael Bernhardt

The 2025 edition of the prestigious Germany’s Best Lawyers rankings, issued jointly by the Handelsblatt and US publisher Best Lawyers, features 37 attorneys from Milbank LLP. The lawyers selected from the firm’s Munich and Frankfurt offices are recognized for their strong market presence, professional excellence and outstanding reputation.~~Two Awards as "Lawyers of the Year 2025" Barbara Mayer-Trautmann (Finance) Norbert Rieger (Corporate/M&A)~~21 Attorneys Recognized in Main Category – "Best Lawyers 2025" In the main category, "Best Lawyers" the following 21 Milbank attorneys are listed: Norbert Rieger, Sebastian Heim, Steffen Oppenländer, Christoph Rothenfusser, Leopold J. Riedl, Markus Muhs, Martin Erhardt, Ulrike Friese-Dormann, Michael Bernhardt, Andrea Eggenstein, Michael Pujol (all Corporate /M&A); Barbara Mayer-Trautmann, Thomas Ingenhoven (both Finance); Marlene Ruf, Mathias Eisen (both Financial Restructuring); Rolf Füger, Matthias Schell, Thomas Kleinheisterkamp (all Tax); Alexander Rinne (Antitrust & Competition) und Philipp Klöckner, Nico Feuerstein (both Corporate Finance and Securities).~~16 Attorneys Named in "Ones to Watch" Category In addition, 16 Milbank attorneys are recognized as "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch". This category highlights emerging legal talents who demonstrate exceptional potential. Notably, seven of the Milbank lawyers are included in the list for the first time this year.~~The following attorneys are named among the "Ones to Watch": Pascal Härdtner, Andreas Rief*, Markus von Lutterotti, Sandra Feil, Sarah-Maria Resch, Sebastian Reiner-Pechtl, Steffen Post*, Steven Buschle*, Svenja Tauchmann* (all Corporate/ M&A); Thomas Möller, Alexander Lang, Gerrit Merkel, Anna Merkl* (all Finance), Moritz Lichtenegger*, Martin Juhasz* (both Antitrust & Competition) and Arne Hammerich (Tax). (*recognized for the first time)~~About the Rankings~~Best Lawyers, one of the most respected international legal directory publishers, compiles the German edition of its rankings exclusively for the Handelsblatt each year. The list is based on an extensive peer-to-peer survey in which business lawyers are invited to recommend colleagues whose work they particularly value. The German edition is published annually in exclusive cooperation with the Handelsblatt.

Jun 12

1 min

Milbank LLP continues its course of growth in Germany and strengthens its corporate practice by announcing Dr. Sarah-Maria Resch as partner effective January 1, 2026. Sarah-Maria Resch advises private equity investors, family offices, and corporates on domestic and cross-border M&A transactions. Her practice covers the full spectrum of M&A, including leveraged buyouts, minority investments, joint ventures and consortia. She has extensive experience in advising German and international clients on complex M&A transactions across a wide range of industries. Sarah-Maria studied law at the University of Heidelberg and at the University of Leeds (United Kingdom). She holds a doctoral degree from the University of Heidelberg. “We are delighted to further strengthen our partnership and our international Corporate and M&A practice with the appointment of another partner from within our own ranks, Dr. Sarah-Maria Resch. Thanks to her outstanding legal expertise and exceptional business acumen, Sarah is a great addition to our Corporate practice and its continued strategic development”, explains Dr. Norbert Rieger, Global Chairman of Milbank’s Corporate/M&A Group. Dr. Michael Bernhardt, partner in the firm’s Corporate Group, adds: “Sarah has earned an excellent reputation, particularly in advising on complex M&A and private equity transactions, and is held in high regard by clients and colleagues alike. Her election to partner reflects our strong focus on talent development and the exceptional quality of our associates. We warmly congratulate Sarah and look forward to continuing our successful collaboration.” With the appointment of Sarah-Maria Resch, the number of partners in Germany increases to 22. Milbank appoints a total of 8 new partners worldwide as of January 1, 2026.

Jan 7

1 min

Milbank LLP advised the shareholders of hkp group AG (“hkp///group”), a human resources (HR) and corporate governance consultancy firm, on its sale to Mercer. Through the integration into Mercer, hkp///group expands its service offering and global reach, while Mercer further enhances its expertise in compensation management. hkp///group is an international management consultancy firm specializing in strategic HR management and corporate governance. The partner-managed company has more than 100 employees working in its offices in Frankfurt and Amsterdam. While the HR Management Advisory Team supports companies in defining and implementing an HR agenda, the Corporate Governance Advisory Team of hkp///group advises supervisory boards on the implementation of governance systems with the aim of creating sustainable value for shareholders, customers and employees. The hkp///group client portfolio includes leading national and European listed companies, medium-sized market leaders and start-ups. Mercer is a leading global consultancy firm that helps clients achieve their investment objectives, shape the future of work, and enhance health and retirement outcomes for their employees. Mercer is a subsidiary of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), a global leader in risk, strategy and HR professional services, with annual revenue of $23 billion and more than 85,000 employees. The Milbank team was led by partner Michael Bernhardt (Corporate/M&A) and partner Matthias Schell (Tax) and included associates Markus von Lutterotti, Steven Buschle, Josephine Schuster (all Corporate/M&A) and Jana-Sophie Enders (Antitrust).

Oct 9

1 min

Milbank LLP continues its strategic growth path in Germany and is strengthening its Corporate and M&A practice with the addition of Dr. Jan Häller.~~Dr. Jan Häller advises corporations, financial investors, and family-owned businesses on national and cross-border M&A transactions, joint ventures, as well as on all aspects of corporate law. He is joining from Hengeler Mueller where he advised on numerous complex transactions – including the sale of Viessmann’s heat pump business to Carrier, Deutsche Bahn’s sale of DB Schenker to Danish logistics group DSV, and KKR’s investment in aerospace company OHB via a public takeover offer.~~“Jan is not only an excellent lawyer; with his strong business acumen and solution-oriented approach, he’s also a perfect fit for our firm’s philosophy,” says Dr. Norbert Rieger, Chairman of Milbank’s Global Corporate Practice. “He will play a key role in further developing our advisory practice and strengthening our market leading position.”~~“With Jan, we are gaining an outstanding corporate/M&A lawyer who will advise our clients with clear strategic insight and strong personal commitment,” says Dr. Michael Bernhardt, partner and head of the Corporate Practice in Milbank’s Frankfurt office. “We are very pleased to welcome him to Milbank.”~~Dr. Jan Häller studied law at the University of Heidelberg and earned an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge. He is also the author of numerous publications on corporate law matters.~~With the appointments of Dr. Leopold Riedl (2022), Dr. Pascal Härdtner (2024) and the addition of Dr. Jan Häller, Milbank continues the consistent expansion of its German corporate/M&A practice. At the same time, over the past few years, the firm has also significantly strengthened its global practice in the areas of Corporate, M&A, and Private Equity, particularly through the addition of several partners in New York, London, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Sep 1

1 min

Milbank LLP has advised a consortium of German entrepreneurs on the acquisition of the German premium upholstered furniture manufacturer Rolf Benz. The consortium is represented by entrepreneur Frank Niehage, who is also expected to assume the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rolf Benz. The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Founded in 1964, Rolf Benz is a leading premium manufacturer of upholstered furniture with a strong commitment to “Made in Germany”. Rolf Benz manufactures exclusively in Germany and distributes its products internationally through a selective retailer network as well as its own brand formats. In addition to the core Rolf Benz brand, the portfolio includes the freistil and creation brands, along with a growing contract business. The Milbank team advising the consortium on the acquisition of Rolf Benz was co-led by partners Michael Bernhardt and Sarah-Maria Resch (both Corporate/M&A) and included partner Matthias Schell (Tax), special counsel Daniel Illhardt, as well as associates Steffen Post, Hendrik Gäbler (all Corporate/M&A), and Nikolas Wolf (Tax).

Feb 13

1 min