Transport Law

Transport Law

Transport law governs the carriage of goods of all kinds by various means of transport.

For many years ADVOS has been one of the leading law firms in the transport law sector. We have transport law specialists at all ADVOS offices. Five lawyers specialise in transport law. ADVOS represents substantial German and international insurance companies and domestic and foreign transport businesses.

ADVOS has specialists in carriage of goods, rail traffic, airfreight, sea and inland waterway transport law, covering civil law issues and also public law aspects such as hazardous materials and regulatory offences.

ADVOS represents transport liability insurers, freight forwarders and haulage contractors in defending damages claims and, where these are substantiated, in the associated recovery claims. Similarly ADVOS also represents transport liability insurers in direct recovery actions.
Freight Forwarding Law

Freight Forwarding Law

Forwarding agents are the architects of transportation.

Thus the freight forwarder’s lawyer must not only have a complete command of transport law, but also an understanding of transportation management including services relating to carriage of goods. ADVOS has decades of experience in advising on freight forwarding issues.

Advising in all areas of freight forwarding business such as insurance of goods or customs clearance to the obligation to protect interests in the course of ongoing or completed contracts is implicit in what we do. ADVOS can advise on the establishment of nationwide forwarding alliances or the development of standard terms and conditions. In addition ADVOS can also assist in securing forwarders’ accounts receivable through the exercise of liens.

In addition ADVOS represents forwarders and their insurers in the defence of damages claims and the pursuit of recovery claims.
Logistics Law

Logistics Law

There are many ways of defining logistics. Logistics also has different meanings for many people.

Logistics is not only forwarding, transportation and warehousing. In addition to these it includes work involving the goods such as for example treatment and processing or the provision of a service. The logistics contract is therefore a mixture and can contain elements of law relating to freight, forwarding, warehousing, works or services contracts. Purchase, leasing or employment law issues may also be involved. Therefore the handling and assessment of logistics law problems requires specialist experience.

ADVOS has on many occasions provided support for extensive logistics projects from the beginning of their development until their implementation. ADVOS has provided advice on the development and formation of logistics terms and conditions.
Insurance Law

Insurance Law

Transport law issues interconnect with insurance law questions on a regular basis. With this background ADVOS has many years of outstanding specialist knowledge in the field of transport and road traffic insurance.

As a consequence ADVOS has developed this insurance law competence further in other insurance sectors. These include all forms of liability insurance (such as public liability insurance, product liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance or personal liability insurance), accident and occupational disability insurance, property insurance, operational insurance and commercial credit insurance. Three lawyers are specialists in insurance law.

A key area is the review, appraisal and also development of insurance terms.

Among the clients represented by ADVOS privately and in court proceedings are both domestic and foreign insurers and also policyholders. ADVOS reviews all aspects of insurance cover and the effects of cover on the outcome of the insured event. In the field of liability this encompasses review of the material legal position at the liability layer. Also of importance are issues of concrete claims settlement between different insurers and third party insurance.

Company Law

Company Law

Business and shareholding acquisitions, reconstructions and company succession

ADVOS lawyers advise on the formation and disposal of companies and on the restructuring and reconstruction of undertakings.

In giving such advice it is important to recognise the commercial and tax law issues alongside the legal issues and to find integrated solutions to these. In this process ADVOS lawyers refer to reliable local accountants and tax advisers.
Labour Law

Labour Law

ADVOS’ specialist labour lawyers represent employers, employees and employee organisations throughout Germany in all areas of individual and collective employment law. Our work in particular includes the conduct of actions against unlawful dismissal at all jurisdictional levels, the defence of actions against unlawful dismissal and drafting employment and termination agreements and also works agreements. Jointly with our clients we also work out solutions to enable them to further their operational interests effectively with the least possible disruptional loss.
Construction Law

Construction Law

The main elements of construction and architectural law are construction contract law, the law relating to architects and engineers, the law concerning the award of public works contracts and public building law. It is also essential for the specialist lawyer to have an understanding of the particular technical aspects of building construction. In this field advice for the client is paramount.

There is hardly an area of law where the timely advice of the experienced specialist lawyer is more crucial for the client: the correct legal drafting of the construction or architect’s contract and close cooperation with the regulatory authorities are often decisive factors in the success of a project. Along with these, continuous legal advice to the client during the progress of the project is essential since lack of or incorrect clarification to the contractual partner may lead to loss of rights.

However if there is a dispute, for instance because of defective construction, experts in the particular features of legal proceedings relevant to construction and architect’s law are required to achieve a successful legal outcome.
Banking Law

Banking Law

Not only undertakings and businesspeople, but also all those involved in commerce need finance. Financial issues must therefore be considered in all advice and representation. ADVOS lawyers do not lose sight of their clients’ liquidity issues.

Whether concerning the financing of building projects, the formation or expansion of businesses or debt rescheduling, warehousing or transportation of goods, advice is available on all legal issues in connection with financing, based on many years of experience and activity in credit institutions.
Inheritance Law

Inheritance Law

ADVOS lawyers advise their clients on testamentary contracts and wills. Private clients need assistance in formulating legally safe testamentary dispositions and in the administration of estates (including legal provisional administration). Family businesses need to resolve the legal and tax aspects of succession, and for these purposes there may be cooperation with accountants and tax advisers.
Familiy Law

Familiy Law

ADVOS lawyers advise clients both on pre-nuptial agreements and divorce settlements. Clients receive assistance in relation to divorce and its consequences and also in relation to issues concerning children.
Competition Law

Competition Law

Competition law has many different aspects. In spite of codification it is in many areas a question of case law shaped by court decisions. Along with the use of cease and desist letters in the event of infringements of the competition regulations, competition law includes copyright, trade mark and patent law, cartel law and also consumer protection. It also involves professional conduct and employment law.

ADVOS does not only advise clients on typical competition law issues, but can also bring to bear experience in handling consumer protection issues privately and through the court process. In particular ADVOS is able to stand by its clients in advising them on the drafting of terms and conditions of business. In addition ADVOS has advised on and continues to deal with professional employment law issues.
Commercial Law

Commercial Law

Commercial law governs the legal transactions of the businessperson. It is not only the law of trade in the strict sense, but also all transactions that a businessperson enters into. Since commercial transactions these days are almost all concluded cross-border, international sales law, in particular the UN Convention on the Sale of Goods, must be considered.

ADVOS advises clients on the drafting of contracts or general terms and conditions of business for all kinds of commercial transactions. If legal representation abroad is necessary, we rely on our network of experienced colleagues abroad.
Mediation

Mediation

Mediation is a tool for avoiding or resolving disputes by involving a neutral moderator (“mediator“).

In contrast to the usual role of lawyers, where the representation of the parties’ interests is at the forefront, as a mediator the lawyer is neutral. The aim is, with the help of the mediator considering the factual and legal position and the interests of the parties in dispute, to find a compromise acceptable to both sides. For the parties in dispute mediation by a lawyer has the advantage of a cost effective and speedy settlement. This is because, unlike a court action, the parties in dispute jointly bear the costs of one lawyer only and the length of the process is clearly shorter than court action. A sensible case for mediation is where the lawyer has a conflict of interest but the clients do not want to forego the specialist expertise of their trusted legal adviser. In the role of mediator the lawyer can be involved for both parties. Furthermore mediation places less of a strain on a business relationship than a long drawn-out court action.

ADVOS is a member of the Centrale für Mediation and has many years of experience in conflict prevention.