Team
Our team comprises more than twenty highly-skilled professionals, each bringing uniqueexpertise and experience to our practice. With a longstanding history of collaboration, our team seamlessly pulls together to deliver comprehensive legal counsel across all areas relevant to mid-sized businesses and private individuals.
In cases requiring specialized knowledge beyond our in-house expertise, we leverage our trusted network of external experts to deliver swift and effective legal support.
Over 40 dedicated professionals combine their commitment, flexibility, integrity, and deep legal insight to deliver tailored solutions that address our clients’ unique needs. Our approach is both holistic and strategic, enabling us to provide legal counsel, not only throughout Germany, but also internationally.
Dr. Wolfgang P.J. Peters
Corporate Law, M&A
Born in 1963, Dr. Wolfgang P. J. Peters has been practicing law since 1992. Beforefounding PETERS Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB in 2000, he worked for several years at leading commercial law firms in Cologne and Düsseldorf. He specializes in the areas of corporate law with a particular emphasis on corporate transactions (M&A), corporate restructuring, inheritance law, and (commercial) criminal law. He also represents our clients’ interests in major insolvency proceedings, serving on various creditors’ committees.
Wolfgang Peters is a member of the Supervisory Board of Deloitte Deutschland GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft and Deloitte GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft as well as an Advisory Board member at strategy consultancy Moonroc.
German, English and Dutch
- Studied law at the University of Bonn
- Attorney at law since 1992
- Doctorate in corporate law (2006)
- Successful participation in the specialist lawyer course for criminal law (2016)
Jörg Stelzer
Corporate Law, M&A, Commercial
Born in 1974, Jörg Stelzer has been practicing law since 2003 and now specializes in commercial and corporate law.
He primarily focuses on corporate law issues where he provides strategic counsel and representation in shareholder disputes (corporate litigation), director and officer (D&O) liability matters, and corporate governance issues. He also has extensive experience advising clients on corporate transactions (M&A) and company formations.
He has published several articles on corporate law topics in the journal GmbHR.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Münster
- Attorney at law since 2003
- Specialist lawyer for commercial and corporate law since 2007
Dr. Jürgen Einbeck
Real Estate, Construction and Tenancy Law
Born in 1973, Dr. Jürgen Einbeck is a sought-after legal consultant for complex construction and real estate projects as well as M&A transactions throughout Germany. His expertise spans both real estate and corporate law, with a particular focus on contract drafting, legal support during construction, real estate transactions, and commercial tenancy law. Dr. Einbeck also represents clients in litigation throughout Germany, advocating for national and international investors, family offices and building owners, construction companies, real estate developers, project developers, and architects.
German and English
- Studied law at the Universities of Passau and Cologne
- Attorney at law since 2002
- Promotion (2007)
Burkhard Niesert
Business Law, Commercial
Burkhard Niesert began his legal career as a judge at the Regional Court in Aachen (Civil Chamber) before transitioning to international commerce. He spent two years as Managing Director of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai (Bombay), India, with a prior tenure at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. Practicing law since 1995, Burkhard Niesert initially worked at an insolvency administrator’s office with his own subsequent appointments, before moving on to major international law firms and a commercial law firm in Düsseldorf.
Mr. Niesert primarily advises our clients on insolvency and corporate law, mergers &acquisitions (M&A) and the assertion of disputed claims arising from sales contracts and claims for damages.He also has extensive experience in representing wholesalers in litigation against national and international online retailers – including AMAZON S.A.R.L.
A respected legal author, Burkhard Niesert has contributed to numerous legal journals and publications, including RIW, NZI, IHKplus, FAZ, Betriebs-Berater, EWIR and ZInsO.
German and English
- Studied law at the Universities of Munich and Cologne
- Attorney at law since 1995
Andreas Hartnigk
Real Estate, Construction and Tenancy Law
Andreas Hartnigk has been providing legal counsel to medium-sized companies and private clients in civil law matters for many years. His expertise lies particularly in real estate and construction law as well as project development. He also advises on commercial tenancy law, company successions and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Mr. Hartnigk has also been a member of Düsseldorf City Council since 2004 and serves on the supervisory boards of several well-known companies in Düsseldorf and the surrounding region. He is also actively involved in various non-profit organizations.
German and English
- Banking apprenticeship
- Studied law in Cologne
- Attorney at law since 1995
Ralph Geiger
M&A, Commercial
Born in 1975, Ralph Geiger has practiced law since 2004. He advises our clients in the areas of corporate law and restructuring, with a particular focus on national and cross-border M&A transactions.
German, English, French and Italian
- Studied law at Saarland University in Saarbrücken and at the Università del SacroCuore in Milan, Italy
- Attorney at law since 2004
Gerhard Stelzer
Labor Law, Commercial
Born in 1968, Gerhard Stelzer began his professional legal career at renowned commercial law firms in Essen and Düsseldorf. Specializing in labor law, he provides legal counsel to medium-sized companies, managing directors, board members, and executives in all aspects of individual and collective labor law. Beyond advisory services, he focuses on enforcing labor law claims and protecting his clients’ interests. He represents his clients nationwide before all labor courts, including the Federal Labor Court.
As a frequent lecturer, Gerhard Stelzer regularly delivers presentations on current developments in labor law.
German and English
- Studied law at the Universities of Bielefeld and Würzburg
- Attorney at law since 1999
- Specialist in labor law since 2006
Irvin Stahl
Traffic Law, Labor Law
Born in 1974, Irvin Stahl specializes in labor law. He advises both employers and employees on individual labor law matters and on issues regarding works constitution law. Irvin Stahl also heads our traffic law department as a specialist in traffic law.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
- Attorney at law since 2004
- Specialist in labor law since 2008
- Specialist in traffic law since 2011
Richard Masamitsu Scheiffele
Japan / Asia Desk, Commercial
Born in 1974 and raised in Japan, Richard Masamitsu Scheiffele has a German-Japanese background. His training and consultancy work as a German lawyer has given him an extensive international legal focus. He specializes in providing legal counsel to German subsidiaries of Japanese corporations and medium-sized companies, offering guidancein fluent Japanese, particularly in the areas of labor law, corporate law and immigrationlaw.
Richard Masamitsu Scheiffele has headed the Japan/Asia Desk at PETERS Legal since 2015.
He is a member (and board member) of the Japanischer Club Stuttgart e.V. and a member (and ambassador) of the Deutsch-Japanischer Wirtschaftskreis e.V. (DJW).
German and Japanese (native languages), English and Dutch
- Studied law at the University of Munich
- Attorney at law since 2004
Dettloff Schwerdtfeger
Labor Law, Commercial
Dettloff Schwerdtfeger is a nationally recognized expert in labor law, advising medium-sized and large corporate clients on all aspects of both national and international laborlaw. With extensive professional experience, including serving as in-house counsel at Hoesch Werke AG in Dortmund and as a board representative for the VICTORIA insurance group, he brings a wealth of expertise to his practice. His years of experience as a lawyer further enhance his reputation as a highly sought-after and skilled labor law specialist.
Dettloff Schwerdtfeger specializes in collective labor law, providing counsel on all associated legal matters. His many years of professional experience enable him to effectively support works agreements, corporate collective bargaining agreements, and the labor law aspects of restructurings, including reconciliation of interests and social compensation plans. He also represents clients in labor court proceedings and settlementnegotiations.
German, English, French
Klaus Brembach
Private Client, Insurance Law
Klaus Brembach possesses extensive expertise in civil and insurance law, with a particular focus on property and liability insurance. He provides comprehensive legal representation to insurance companies and industry stakeholders across Germany, as well as to large and medium-sized companies in asserting and enforcing insurance claims, including D&O insurance matters. He also offers strategic legal counsel in inheritance and family law matters.
Mr. Brembach advises clients nationwide and is an active member of the Insurance Law and Traffic Law Working Groups of the German Bar Association.
German and English
- Studied law in Gießen and Münster
- Attorney at law since 1978
Christopher Gensior
Real Estate, Construction and Tenancy Law
Born in 1982, Christopher Gensior specializes in construction and architectural law, providing comprehensive legal counsel on all civil law matters related to real estate. He advises and represents clients both in and out of court, with a focus on private construction law, architectural law, real estate and land law, as well as commercial and residential tenancy law.
He also provides guidance on land acquisitions.
German and English
- Studied law in Münster
- Attorney at law since 2013
- Specialist in construction and architectural law since 2015
Thomas Pauken
Labor Law, Commercial
Born in 1980, Thomas Pauken specializes in labor law. He advises medium-sized companies, managing directors, board members, and employees on all matters of individual and collective labor law. His work focuses in particular on ecclesiastical labor law, advising freelance professionals, and on staff representation law.
A frequent speaker and lecturer on labor law, Thomas Pauken regularly delivers presentations on current legal developments. He lectures at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, is a speaker at the Haufe Akademie, and is also an active member of the BVMW’s SME consultant network.
He is moreover a published author, contributing articles, commentaries, and online publications on labor law topics. He is a co-author of the handbook Betrieb+Personal and the keyword guide “Minijobs.”
German and English
- Attorney at law since 2009
- Specialist in labor law since 2013
Dr. Stefan Blume
Tenancy Law, Labor Law
Born in 1973, Dr. Stefan Blume was admitted to the bar in 2001. He is a specialist intenancy and residential property law as well as labor law. Dr. Blume provides nationwide legal advice and representation on all matters related to residential and commercial tenancy law. His services include, in particular, the drafting of tenancy agreements, guidance on tenancy terminations, and the enforcement of rent arrears. His clients primarily include large real estate portfolios and private individuals.
Dr. Blume also specializes in individual and collective labor law. This includes the drafting and reviewing employment contracts, warnings and dismissals. He also conducts dismissal protection proceedings before labor courts and courts of first instance.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Regensburg
- Doctorate on a topic of European law (2003)
- Specialist in tenancy and residential property law (since 2012)
- Specialist in labor law (since 2014)
Michael Klipp
Commercial, Labor Law
Born in 1982, Michael Klipp has extensive experience as a lawyer and former partner at leading national commercial law firms. In 2023, he joined PETERS Legal, bringing his expertise in national and international contract, commercial, and distribution law. His practice includes representing clients in high-stakes contract negotiations, as well as asserting and defending claims in litigation and arbitration tribunals.
Moreover, Michael Klipp specializes in labor law, advising companies and executives on complex restructuring and reorganization initiatives, as well as matters concerning director and officer (D&O) liability.
German, English and Spanish
- Studied law at the University of Marburg
- Attorney at law since 2013
- Specialist in labor law since 2017
Thomas Weinreich
Private Client, German Condominium Act
Born in 1974, Thomas Weinreich specializes in tenancy issues and the German Condominium Act (Wohnungseigentumsgesetz, WEG) as well as labor law. Part of our Private Client team, he provides legal counsel on general civil law matters, with a primary focus on residential property law.
His expertise lies in the strategic evaluation of legal and factual circumstances, offeringgoal-oriented solutions, and representing clients both in and out of court. With extensivelitigation experience, Thomas Weinreich effectively leverages his deep legal insight not only in court proceedings but also in negotiations, particularly when exploring settlement options.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Münster
- Attorney at law since 2004
- Specialist in labor law since 2012
- Specialist lawyer for tenancy and condominium law since 2020
Dr. Malte Schulz
Real Estate, Construction and Tenancy Law
Born in 1983, Dr. Malte Schulz was admitted to the bar in 2010.
In 2014, he was conferred the title of Specialist Lawyer for Construction and Architectural Law. Since 2012, he has practiced at a leading commercial law firm renowned for its expertise in construction law.
He specializes in construction contract law, architectural and engineering law as well as real estate law. He advises both clients and contractors on all issues relating to drafting and executing construction contracts as well as determining and rectifying constructiondefects, including the judicial and extrajudicial enforcement of claims and dispute resolution.
Dr. Schulz is also a regular lecturer on construction and real estate law at the Technical Academy in Wuppertal. He is also a member of the German Construction Law Conference, the Construction Law Working Group of the German Bar Association and the Institute for Construction Law in Freiburg i.B. (ifBF). He also holds seminars and in-house training courses on private construction law for our clients.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Münster
- Legal clerkship at the Higher Regional Court of Hamm
- Doctorate in tenancy law (2012)
- Specialist in construction and architectural law (2014)
Prof. Dr. Christoph Fiedler
Media Law
Professor Christoph Fiedler earned his law doctorate focusing on fundamental rights of expression and the prohibition of censorship. He has since published a monograph on freedom of expression in a networked world and regularly writes on media law issues related to digitalization and Europeanization. Professor Fiedler has participated in hearings at both the German Bundestag and the European Parliament, addressing topics such as source protection in data retention, data protection law, and net neutrality.
He spoke as an expert on the so-called “right to be forgotten” at the meeting of Google’s Expert Advisory Board on the Right to Be Forgotten in Berlin. His areas of expertise include the regulation of both traditional and digital media, with a particular focus on copyright law, data protection, and freedom of expression. Christoph Fiedler is a senior representative of the VDZ Association of German Magazine Publishers and serves asChairman of the Legal Committee of EMMA, the European Magazine Media Association.
German, English and French
Frank Lötters
Corporate Law, Commercial
Frank Lötters is a specialist in tax law. He has practiced law since 1999 and the primaryfocus of his work is commercial and corporate law. Throughout his career he has provided comprehensive legal counsel, contract drafting, and representation for clients in administrative and judicial proceedings. His expertise extends to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and corporate restructuring.
Having previously worked for insolvency administrators for several years, his range of activities also includes advising and representing clients in insolvency law matters.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Bonn
- Attorney at law since 1999
- Specialist in tax law since 2005
Caren Baumbach
Criminal Law, Private Client
Born in 1971, Caren Baumbach specializes in criminal law and general civil law for our clients. As a victims’ lawyer, she collaborates with the “Weißer Ring,” a leading German organization supporting crime victims.
Caren Baumbach is a member of the German Bar Association and the Working Group of Social Democratic Lawyers.
German, English
- Studied law at the University of Frankfurt/Main
- Attorney at law since 2006
Niklas Brummer
Labor Law
Born in 1991, Niklas Brummer specializes in labor law and advises companies, works councils and individuals in all areas of labor law. He also represents clients in court proceedings before labor courts of all instances throughout Germany.
His particular expertise lies in legal representation in dismissal protection procedures, negotiating termination agreements, and advising on operational restructuring measures.
German and English
- Studied law at the University of Münster
- Legal clerkship in the Higher Regional Court district of Düsseldorf
- Attorney at law since 2018
- Specialist in labor law since 2022
Katsumi Ogawa
Japan / Asia Desk, Commercial
Born in Japan in 1985, Katsumi Ogawa completed his legal studies in Japan before pursuing further specialization in corporate and competition law at Bochum University. During his legal clerkship, he was mainly involved in cross-border legal matters at the Customs Senate of the Düsseldorf Fiscal Court.
He mainly advises German subsidiaries and branches of Japanese groups and medium-sized companies, primarily in the areas of commercial law, distribution law, competition law, customs law, transportation law, and national and EU commercial administrative law.He also provides legal counsel to private individuals in inheritance law matters and represents our clients in both judicial and extrajudicial proceedings.
Japanese, German and English
- Studied Agricultural Sciences at the University of Chiba, Japan
- Studied law at the Ruhr University Bochum
- Attorney at law since 2022
Dr. Anja Danger
Commercial
Born in 1978, Dr. Danger grew up in Germany, studied in Düsseldorf and spent her legal clerkship there. She possesses extensive international experience, including an extended period in the USA, mainly in New York. Our clients appreciate her multilingualism (German and English) and her sound understanding of international business relations.
From 2007 to 2018, she practiced at law firm Hartnigk, Stelzer, Erwin, focusing on contract law, before joining our firm in September 2018.
Dr. Danger now mainly advises clients on drafting contracts and other tasks relating to commercial and distribution law. She moreover provides forensic support in complex legal proceedings.
German and English
- Studied law at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, legal clerkship and second state examination in Düsseldorf
- Dr. Danger received her doctorate in private international law under Prof. Dr. Dirk Looschelders
- She has been a licensed attorney since 2007
Prof. Jutta Lommatzsch
Of Counsel
Prof. Prof. Jutta Lommatzsch began her academic career as a research assistant at the Chair of Civil Law, Commercial and Business Law under Prof. Dr. Ulrich Noack as well as the Center for Intellectual Property Law at the University of Düsseldorf. She earned her doctorate with a dissertation on a topic of international transportation law.
She later served for several years as Chancellor and lecturer at the SRH University of Applied Sciences for Logistics and Business in Hamm. Since 2012, she has held her own professorship for General and Special Business Law at the Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences in Mülheim/Bottrop, where she also served as Dean of the Faculty of Business since 2017.
Prof. Lommatzsch has been affiliated with PETERS Legal in her Of Counsel capacity for many years. She focuses on transport and corporate law, with particular concentration on stock corporation law.
A prolific author, she has written extensively for numerous specialist publications. Her academic works include essays, case law reviews, and books with a focus on corporate, transport and energy law.
German, English and French
- Studied law at the University of Münster
- Doctorate (2006)
- (Inactive) admission to the bar 2006
- Professorship in General and Special Business Law (2012)
Larissa Suganuma-Jansen
Japan / Asia Desk (Paralegal)
Larissa Suganuma-Jansen, born in Germany, has a German-Japanese background and strong intercultural expertise.
In 2018, she successfully completed her degree in Japanese Studies at the Free University of Berlin. She has worked at PETERS Legal since May 2019 – initially serving as an assistant and translator and later expanding her role to include paralegal responsibilities within the firm’s Japan / Asia Desk.
German and Japanese (native languages), English and Korean
Mumu Takami
Japan / Asia Desk (Paralegal)
Mumu Takami grew up in Japan and graduated from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. She gained extensive international professional experience, particularly in the Japanese-German business and legal sectors. She has been a key member of the PETERS Legal Japan / Asia Desk since 2015 – initially serving as an assistant and translator before expanding her role to include paralegal responsibilities.
German, Japanese (mother tongue), English
Sayuri Tronsberg
Japan / Asia Desk
Sayuri Tronsberg was born and raised in Japan and has a Japanese-German background.
In 2003, she completed her theater, English and Japanese studies at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Since then, she has gained extensive experience as a German-Japanese interpreter and translator. She has been part of the PETERS Legal Japan / Asia Desk since January 2025 where she works as an assistant and translator, supporting cross-border legal matters.
German and Japanese (native speakers), English
Labor Law ⸻ Real Estate, Construction and Tenancy Law ⸻ Corporate Law / M&A ⸻ Business Law / Commercial ⸻ Private Client ⸻ Japan / Asia Desk ⸻ International Network ⸻
Peters Legal
PETERS Rechtsanwälte
Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB
info@peters-legal.com
Location
Burggrafenstraße 5
40545 Düsseldorf / Germany
+ 49 211 6696950