Bernd U. Graf

Of Counsel

London

P: +44 (0)20 7826 0800

F: +44 (0)20 7588 0555

Of Counsel in Dorsey’s International Practice Group. Mr. Graf’s practice is focused on the main legal aspects encountered by international clients doing business in Germany and/or Europe, involving in particular commercial and corporate law (distribution, M&A), employment law, data protection law as well as competition law, trade law, and other regulatory matters.

Mr. Graf’s experience includes numerous transactions for multinational and small and medium sized companies in a variety of industries, including, among others, technology, life sciences, media and services companies. He also has significant experience in the formation of companies and regulatory matters before EU and German authorities.

Representative Work

Multinational European due diligence, closing implementation, and post-closing integration work concerning a U.S. company's acquisition of a multinational group owning the pre-eminent consumer brand for optical and magnetic data storage media products
Acquisition of a German transport services business by a Fortune 500 logistics company
German implementation of the multinational acquisition of a U.K. based publishing software business by a U.S. based software company
Post-acquisition corporate and/or labor integration activities in various industry sectors, such as transport services, digital images and footage, software and electronics businesses
Divestitures of German parts of U.S. based multinational telecommunications business, with emphasis on employee and asset deal issues
German merger control clearance for international acquisition of a multinational aviation supplies business
Corporate and labor law implementation of new German establishments of U.S. based storage area networks and software businesses
Design and implementation of EU/German data protection compliance solutions for human resources operations of U.S. based multinational electronics company
Agreement for international sale of, and software license for, high tech machinery equipment for PCB production processes
Consulting agreement for European Regulatory Representative of U.S. based medical device business
Consulting agreement concerning R&D services of German researcher for Israel based high tech business
Materials transfer agreement between U.S. life science company and German university research institute
Patent assignment and license option agreements between German and U.K. life science / medical device companies
Distribution agreement between U.S. distributor and German supplier in the ceramics sector
Agency agreement between German agent and Belgian supplier of high tech equipment
Management agreements for German country managers and/or European managers of multinational media, software and medical device businesses
Implementation of employee incentive plans of U.S. based multinational company for employees in Germany
Settlement of German/European management and employee termination disputes
Settlement of German agency termination dispute in high tech machinery sector

Presentations

Teaching Assistant in Constitutional, International and EC Law, University of Augsburg, 1988-1990

Professional Activities

Member, Fulbright Alumni Association
Member, German-American Lawyers Association

Attorney Articles

December 10, 2010	Jurisdiction Over B2C e-Commerce Contracts
June, 2010	ECJ Case C 40/08 Asturcom – EU Unfair Terms Law Confirmed as a Matter of Public Policy
June 2009	"New German Investment Controls," Private Equity Focus
October 28, 2008	EU Incentives for Risk Investments in SMEs
June 26, 2008	German Corporate Tax Changes: New Limitation of Interest Deductions, Exclusion of Loss Carry Forwards, Tax on Relocation of Functions
2007	Co-author, "Freedom of Speech and Assembly Versus Trade and Transit Rights: Roadblocks to EU and MERCOSUR Integration" Kluwer Law International Legal Issues of Economic Integration, Issue 3
2007	Co-author, "Elisa María Mostaza Claro v Centro Móvil Milenium: EU Consumer Law as a Defence against Arbitral Awards, ECJ Case C-168/05," Kluwer Law International ASA Bulletin, Issue 1
2001	Co-author, "Due Diligence - Ein Handbuch für die Praxis," Vienna
March 1993	Co-author, "The New EC Environmental Framework For Packaging," Export Today