Based largely on questions repeatedly raised by German, Austrian and Swiss clients, I began writing memos and articles to address these. Most are intended for that audience, but some reflect many hours of research resulting in recognition that “standard” contract provisions – damages, warranty survival, rights of first refusal, for instance – do not work. Often a party trades away something valuable to get a “right” that cannot be enforced.
Doing a Deal with the Germans – 13 pages cover German society in general, technology, the legal system and contract style, German management structure, labor laws, negotiation styles, German directness and the importance of family-owned companies. Some aspects are dated but most are still relevant. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r06oqqivNNroyNjDlWR-keAjK4dT3YnO/view?usp=sharing
Selling Your Company – 16 pages in outline form for both Americans and foreigners. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LD7sbWQMgcxsE38U_Yjb8l0NADMG_hj3/view?usp=sharing
Buying a House in the USA – 4 pages on the basics of buying a house, intended for Europeans but helpful for Americans. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CanNiPeOb6c7XqIDbOPMRGYf266taEIX/view?usp=sharing
Achtung beim US-Immobilienkauf – A German language version the English article, describing buying a house in an auction by the holder of a defaulted mortgage, including title insurance and other differences from the German system. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19mAInhxNUbhnbIeDJYayxSGXm3UxiKvP/view?usp=sharing
Acquisition Process Speech – 10 pages in outline form, describing the process. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g1EF0WgHZVgvalWj96GY08tHL8Apgt7U/view?usp=sharing
Legal Framework for Sales in Germany – 5 pages on how a company can distribute goods in Germany, intended for US and other non-Germans setting up a sales operation in Germany. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vaXoe43JoYLufa4q8CJObLQyrbRd-yTZ/view?usp=sharing
The Wally Decision – a 4-page summary of the New York decision regarding the ownership of the Egon Schele painting, without comment. https://drive.google.com/file/d/196gVBwinU1iXjOvmjxom16csVFllLSkp/view?usp=sharing
How Do German Contracts Do As Much With Fewer Words? – 5 pages summarizing a law review article on this subject. https://drive.google.com/file/d/10KRC4_11HuS7ivPXKUasndPpdC1KXyy_/view?usp=sharing
Formation of a US Subsidiary – 8 pages describing the US incorporation process, pointing out the many differences between US and German corporations. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ROlPvuuMzrr-QyaA5kc-kzIFNQvoMHWN/view?usp=sharing
Enforcement of US Judgments in Germany – 4 pages on the German process, written by Tim Montag when he was a Referendar / German trainee. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RAFGpNZbVao827cin2Uvo0PAeg77EwHl/view?usp=sharing
Unerwartete Risiken und deren Minimierung in M&A Transaktionen – 19 pages, essentially a German version of the English article. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pj2u8UfEygjinbkih3MpPUBlbFQG7R7z/view?usp=sharing
Minimierung des Halftungskisikos in den Vereinigten Staaten – 17 pages on a favorite German question – how to minimize liability – for which there is no simple answer. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RAFGpNZbVao827cin2Uvo0PAeg77EwHl/view?usp=sharing
Limitations of Product Liability – 6 pages intended for lawyers advising manufacturing clients which sell to other businesses, not to consumers – how to limit or exclude liability due to “defective” products. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_f8GQkxcqL52Aijj1HNEGC_r-fZWJED7/view?usp=sharing
Battle of Printed Sales Forms – 13 pages on the risks of accepting the other side’s printed terms and conditions and how to avoid them, including a chart showing various scenarios. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A9lW-meFzE451ipsleQ5sDkY6BLiz9t8/view?usp=sharing
Closing May be Only Halfway Through the Transaction – 21 pages describing the factors that go into formulating M&A contract representations and post-closing claims and recovery, measure of damages. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TC0G28LKywAD1goKkwxA_zT-uCxGXC0B/view?usp=sharing
US Law Basics for Visiting German – 3 pages with 26 points about US law, the result of learning one of our many German legal trainees had somehow not learned the basics during his stay. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yIz_k-mXllZMsgfYvSbnAZqstZrGgzLi/view?usp=sharing
Amerikanische M&A Praxis -Was Deutsche Anwaelte im Hinterkopf Behalten Sollten – 14 pages covering the biggest differences between German and US acquisition agreements, such a letters of intent, due diligence, choice of law, authority of the signer, capital requirements and sandbagging. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17513TR1ZIMPwgAc9WcWVQxQOu15pY0dm/view?usp=sharing
Common Values – But Not When It Comes to Data Collection – 26 pages published in the Festschrift for Dolf Weber, on German vs. American attitudes about privacy. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1po-6gAUJP3eF4W_oVrYZ8vffninChgvd/view?ths=true
Restrictive Covenants in Venture Capital Contracts – 5 page summary of a 50 page article by a finance professor. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f-kypmGjEeL9eV5-JLiW422YI-YFvR6E/view?usp=sharing
Wirtschaftliche Risiken beim Schuldrechtlichen Vorkaufsrecht – 10 pages on the unappreciated problems and costs represented by a simple right of first refusal, a right often granted as if it were harmless. This article was not finished, but shows some of the difficulties. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iUgVLYAD2lJ1s8gsDK7tgQeSbFxTWVMB/view?usp=sharing
Rights of First Refusal – 10 pages published in Practical Lawyer, describing the risks of this common clause and how to protect against the unforeseen risks. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vqD_HpVEC9dOJAnNbJv0cO0Cibv0pyor/view?usp=sharing
Funktion & Durchsetzbarkeit eines Letter of Intent – 6 pages published in M&A Review, with advice on the risks that letters of intent can present, especially if signed without legal advice. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VCzVZq0kxrML8mB3jX00a7Mp1JobI8pc/view?usp=sharing
How to Make Your M&A Fees Predictable – 6 pages published in Executive Counsel, the article looks at acquisitions from the standpoint of legal complexity and allocation of risk. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K7UP6jBXyvqd08G96JUGTxJRhB7tnIsS/view?usp=sharing
Cautionary Tales – 8 pages published in German American Trade, listing assumptions many foreign business people bring with them. https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:0100ff1e-0bc2-4d37-9455-f51c7d371031
Shoe is on the Other Foot when Management Buys – 4 pages published in Executive Counsel, what representations should Buyer and Seller give when the Management Buyer knows more about the company than the Investor Seller. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OmWuQ7IJ7p0YVQ0amP72K9gUjq7sWhfk/view?usp=sharing
Go-West: Die Gründung einer US-Corporation vor dem Spiegel des deutschen Kapitalgesellschaftsrechts. Ein Überblick für Investoren und Berater – 13 pages covering the basics of forming a US corporation and the differences from the German system. https://drive.google.com/file/d/12SeqqGb9pE3vCdS3dEHVdh-x8dwyLW0M/view?usp=sharing
Bewuesstseinstraining gegen Diskriminierung – 6 pages warning German managers not to say things they could say in Germany and why not. https://drive.google.com/file/d/10bISg-kWfaiUXVCVprjjb36h3FKBGX8p/view?usp=sharing
Cat and Mouse at the Deal Table – 5 pages published in Executive Counsel, risks that arise when businessmen sign letters of intent without legal counsel. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1axq2c4IoqpZdknCy2RcxNLcDXBf3Op9J/view?usp=sharing
List of Pro-Buyer Points in International Purchase Agreement – 3 pages with 31 points to consider when buying a product internationally. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oDbAMcZgC7BgWIzo2zfrqJl9_87n60h2/view?usp=sharing
Common Errors by Foreign Businessmen – 4 pages published in German American Trade, listing mistakes made because “that’s how we do it at headquarters back home in Europe,” mistakes that can lead to unlimited liability. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KxOfKP_z4NjoYjKmvd4Lm3VBFIa6LS7staeIstRINzY/edit?usp=sharing
Punitive Damages – How Juries Decide – 7 pages published in German American Trade, there is no silver bullet, but the article gives practical advice on how businesses can take defensive actions before the claims arise. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dCFQ4sUeAI_J8aBAzTCbB4PiJ48WZeFC/view?usp=sharing
Cat and Mouse at the Deal Table – Letters of Intent in Small and Mid-Sized Transactions – 5 pages published in Executive Counsel, deals with the risks of letters of intent, especially if business people have executed one without legal counsel. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1axq2c4IoqpZdknCy2RcxNLcDXBf3Op9J/view?usp=sharing
Interpretation of English Contracts Under German Law– 4 pages translated and summarized from an NJW article dealing with contracts written in the second language of both parties. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aTIYFT8fcmHB3mGd6bhb6ymXreOZxMAW/view?usp=sharing
Vertragsanlagen – Die Stiefkinder der Vertragsentwuerfe – 7 pages published in M&A [German magazine], on how exhibits can make the text of the contract irrelevant; a translation of an article on the role of exhibits in M&A contracts. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mUzS0agDJ3xYS6NMK6kJ0V9h5v5iJZoF/view?usp=sharing
Die Risiken des amerikanischen Delektrechts bei M&A Transaktionen – 6 pages published in M&A Review covering how to make claims outside the terms of the written acquisition agreement. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ltVlvpXc5vL9EcBV3gmr0eittYN3gNS2/view?usp=sharing
Die unterschiedliche Auslegung einzelnen Schadensersatzpositionen im Amerikanischen Vertrags und Delektrecht im Ramen von M&A Transaktionen – 5 pages published in Recht und Steuern, a discussion of different kinds of damages buyer may claim in the M&A context and how contract provisions affect them. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fAgqcImberhz1B7-gXKDppAosWV-vlBo/view?usp=sharing
Die Fesstellung der organschaftlichen Vertreungsverhaeltnisse in den USA – 4 pages published in M&A Review contrasting German and American procedures for proving that a signatory to a contract has the power to bind that company. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yw67fZzg7nJaJLEyc5ELAsGNDsgSjZsc/view?usp=sharing
Effect of Mergers and Acquisitions on Requirements Contracts – 7 pages in law memo form, with case citations. How is the obligation to purchase or supply another’s “requirements” affected by an acquisiton? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vqZpnf-fNiFbx_clVcs87OF27aAhztJp/view?usp=sharing
A Foreign Manager’s Introduction to Discrimination – 5 pages published in German American Trade outlining things European managers might say in Europe but have consequences in the USA. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pj2u8UfEygjinbkih3MpPUBlbFQG7R7z/view?usp=sharing