SMP

Ben specializes in M&A and venture capital transactions as well as corporate compliance. Ben's clients appreciate his excellent commercial awareness and proven negotiation skills. This enables him to successfully close even the most complex transactions. In the JUVE Handbook of German Commercial Law Firms, Ben is described as being "strong in transactions" and listed as one of the 20 leading venture capital lawyers. Also business daily Handelsblatt in cooperation with US publishing house Best Lawyers commended him as one of Germany's best lawyers for venture capital. Legal500 lists Ben as Next Generation Partner for Venture Capital in Germany.

Qualifications

  • German qualified attorney (Rechtsanwalt)
  • Ph.D. in law (Dr. iur.) (Bonn University)
  • MJur (Christ Church, Oxford)

Languages

  • German
  • English

 

 

Education and Career

Ben studied law in Passau, Bonn and at Christ Church, Oxford. Before co-founding SMP, he was Associated Partner at Flick Gocke Schaumburg and before that Principal Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Ben frequently publishes on matters related to corporate law and corporate compliance. 

Experience

Ben’s recent work highlights include advising:

  • Franz Haniel & Cie. on the acquisition of a 50.1% stake in Emma – The Sleep Company
  • Katjesgreenfods on various international and national investments
  • signals Venture Capital on the merger of Bird and Circ
  • Atomico on various investments, including the Series B financing round of infarm as well as on the Series B financing round of scoutbee
  • Business Angels on the sale of Cash Payment Solutions (barzahlen.de) to Japanese Glory Group
  • IDnow on the investment by Corsair Capital as well as on the acquisition Wirecard Communication Services 
  • Flaschenpost inter alia on its Series C financing round under participation of Tiger Global
  • Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund on its investment in Tacalyx
  • Cluno on its Series B financing round
  • Battery Ventures on the Series D and Series E financing rounds of GetYourGuide
  • Project A Ventures, Lakestar and Acton Capital Partners on numerous transactions
  • Wunder Mobility on its Series B financing round and on the acquisition of Fleetbird
  • Shareholders in Priori Data on the sale to AppScatter (AIM:APPS)
  • Shareholders in Contorion on the sale to Hoffmann
  • Clue on the Series B financing round lead by USV and Mosaic
  • LegalZoom on all its investments in Germany
  • Lightspeed Venture Partners and Viola Ventures on its investment in Candis
  • Ströer on the acquisition of Statista
  • Shareholders in Parstream on the sale to Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO)
  • Multiseller Transactions – Part 1: The liability regime/Part 2: The sellers' agreement
    GmbHR 2019, 625-633 and 1334-1343 (together with Martin Schaper) - (in German)
  • Investment Agreement (Commentary to Guarantees and Remedies Section)
    in: Bank/Möllmann, Venture Capital Agreements in Germany 2017 - (forthcoming)
  • M&A transactions – how much compliance is required, how little is possible?
    CB 2017, 288-293 (together with Petra Schaffner) - (in German)
  • Compliance in M&A transactions
    in: Schulz (Ed.), Corporate Compliance Management – Strategies and effective implementation, 2017, p. 393-431- (in German)
  • Step by step: Compliance due diligence
    CB 2015, 233-238 (together with Moritz von Hesberg) - (in German)
  • Trade-offs in non-profit limited liability companies – structurally lower creditor protection?
    in: Hüttemann/Rawert/K. Schmidt/Weitemeyer (eds.), Non Profit Law Yearbook 2011/2012, p. 115-146 - (in German)
  • Corporate law and tax exemptions for non-profits – Non-profit limited liability companies and other legal entities in-between corporate and tax law
    Treatises on German and European Commercial and Business Law, Cologne 2011, reviewed by Weitemeyer, npoR 2011, 147- (in German)
  • Non-profit limited liability companies following the MoMiG reform – non-profit entrepreneurial companies and interest payable on shareholder loans in lieu of equity?
    GmbHR 2009, 750-759
  • The statutory model articles of association for non-profit organizations in practice
    DStR 2009, 2471-2473
  • Review of Davies, Gower and Davies’ Principles of Modern Company Law, 8th edition
    NZG 2009, 18
  • Registered company names – legitimacy of abbreviations designating non-profit status
    NZG 2007, 656-658
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