Stephan is one of the leading tax structuring lawyers in Germany and a member of Freshfields’ international tax group. For many years he was also managing partner of the firm.
Stephan provides practical solutions to his clients (especially in the private equity sector) and ensures that these solutions are accepted by tax authorities - in tax audits, for example.
He specialises in all tax issues of M&A transactions, initial public offerings and similar capital markets transactions, and also advises on double taxation treaty issues, with an emphasis on the UK, US and China.
Stephan speaks German, English and French.
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- Advising Air Berlin on proceedings before the German Federal Fiscal Court regarding the submission of the Civil Aviation Tax Act to the Federal Constitutional Court.
- Providing continuous tax instructions for Warburg Pincus, Advent, Permira and Goldman Sachs PIA in private equity transactions.
- Advising Airbus Defence and Space on various tax matters.
- Advising DAX 30 companies in tax litigation regarding the treatment of pension reserves.
- Advising the Meyer shipyard in its acquisition of Meyer Turku.
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Education
- Universities of Bonn in Germany (Dr iur), Geneva in Switzerland and New York in the US (LLM, tax)
Professional memberships
- Fachinstitut der Steuerberater (Institute of Tax Advisors), Germany
- Tax commission of the Wirtschaftsrat, Germany
- Scientific committee of the Berliner Steuergespräche, Germany
Additional responsibilities
- Professor of tax law at the University of Cologne (2009)
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