People

Dr. Karsten Faulhaber Partner

Düsseldorf

Karsten represents clients in international arbitrations under all the main arbitral institutions, including the ICC and DIS, frequently acts as sole and party-appointed arbitrator and also represents clients before national courts in Germany with experience in setting aside and enforcement actions.

As a former M&A transactional lawyer Karsten has solid grounding in pre-contractual and contractual negotiations and advises among others, energy producers and distributors, both traditional (oil and gas) and renewables (solar, wind) construction conglomerates, financial institutions, JVs and biotech companies.

Karsten is praised for his "proactive and skillful" approach (Chambers Global) and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Germany 2020 and Legal 500.

Franziska Gräfin Grote, LL.M. Partner

Düsseldorf

Franziska acts as counsel and arbitrator in arbitration proceedings under various rules, including the ICC, DIS, ICSID, UNCITRAL and in ad hoc proceedings. She also deals with issues relating to the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. Franziska also advices on all stages of dispute resolution and acts as counsel for global enterprises in disputes before the national German courts. Her cases span a variety of industries including infrastructure projects, renewables, oil and gas, automotive, construction, technology and life science.

Franziska is a dual trained lawyer in Germany and France. She gained further experience by working in international arbitration hubs such as Paris and London and is active in various arbitration associations and was the regional co-chair of the DIS40, the young practitioners group of the German Arbitration Institution (DIS), until 2021. She teaches a seminar at the Beck Academy on Post M&A Disputes and regularly speaks at conferences on international arbitration topics.

Dr. Sven Greulich, LL.M. (Cantuar), EMBA Partner

Düsseldorf

Sven advises technology companies on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital as well as growth investments, and provides general corporate counseling.

His clients include technology companies of all stages and their investors. Supported by a global and cross-practice team, he also counsels major corporations and scale-ups on international expansion and growth projects and has a special focus on in- and outbound German/US investments and joint ventures.

Sven is passionate about building a bridge for his clients from Germany to the US and other international technology hubs and to help them succeed in the international market. With a dual background in business and law, an entrepreneurial spirit, and experience in over 300 M&A transactions and financing rounds across many industries, Sven has a unique perspective, which inspires him to find the best strategic and commercially viable solution for his clients.

Sven volunteers with entrepreneur groups at the WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management and the RWTH Aachen and regularly lectures at the WHU and the RWTH incubation and innovation centers on venture capital financings, start-up growth and corporate venture capital.

Sven's work has been repeatedly awarded, inter alia

• Chambers ranks him as one of the top 3 venture capital lawyers in Germany (2025);
• the leading German market publication JUVE lists him as "frequently recommended" for M&A, private equity, as well as corporate advice and - since 2019 - ranks Sven as one of Germany's top 15 attorneys for venture capital, the highest recognition for this category awarded by JUVE (2024/2025);
• Legal500 Deutschland includes Sven as "frequently recommended" for M&A (mid-sized deals) as well as private equity (mid-sized deals) and ranks him as a "leading individual" for venture capital (2025); and
• in the 2017 edition of its Innovative Lawyers Report Europe, the Financial Times named Sven's work to connect start-ups with Germany's Mittelstand (mid-sized companies) a standout “for making bridges between Silicon Valley and Germany”.

David Hamala Associate

Düsseldorf

He advises technology companies from their incorporation through their first financing rounds into the growth phase, as well as on internationalization projects. David also has special experience in university spin-offs, restructurings, and employee ownership programs (ESOPs, VSOPs, hurdle shares and profit participation right programs).

In addition, he advises companies on venture capital transactions and international (corporate) venture capital investors on their investments in German start-ups and scale-ups.

Prior to joining Orrick, David worked as a trainee lawyer in the Cologne and Berlin offices of a law firm that is one of the leading firms for venture capital in Germany and as a research assistant in the Düsseldorf office of a Magic Circle law firm.

Dr. Odey Hardan Associate

Düsseldorf

Prior to joining Orrick, Odey served as a research assistant to a distinguished chair focusing on European law, where he authored several academic papers. Throughout his doctoral studies, he delved deeply into the intricate realms of European, international, and data protection law.

Additionally, Odey contributed to significant legal opinions and gained practical experience by supporting the representation of the German Federal Government in pivotal cases before the Federal Constitutional Court, including the proceedings on the European Patent Convention, CETA and the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

Before starting his legal practice, he also worked as a research assistant for an international UK-headquartered law firm.

Dr. Timo Holzborn Partner

Munich

Timo heads our Capital Markets and Banking & Finance (incl. Regulatory) practice in Germany and has been advising clients on respective law matters for more than 20 years.

He inter alia advises in the fields of regulatory & asset management (incl. AIFs) and restructuring, corporate law and derivative/carbon trading and is member in creditors committees.

Timo helps his clients, among them banks, corporates, listed companies, and asset managers in capital markets and finance transactions, M&A, squeeze outs, IPOs/ICOs as well as with regard to compliance. He also has special market experience regarding (renewable) energy, banking (stock exchange), insurance, and fund structuring as well as technology.

Dr. Benedikt Kamann Associate

Düsseldorf

He advises companies on German and European antitrust and competition law, in particular on merger control, compliance, internal investigations, cartels and abuse of dominance.

Furthermore, Benedikt advises on foreign trade law issues, in particular on investment review proceedings before the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Prior to joining Orrick, he worked as a research assistant at a leading German law firm and as a trainee lawyer in the antitrust team of a leading international law firm, at a U.S. law firm in its Los Angeles office, and at the German Federal Parliament in the department for EU policy issues.

Dr. Nicholas Kessler, LL.M., EMBA Partner

Düsseldorf

Nicholas has extensive experience with arbitral proceedings under the auspices of all of the major arbitral institutions and rules (e.g., ICC, DIS, SCC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ICSID, ad hoc).

Nicholas graduated from law school in 2003 (University of Munster), earned a PhD in law and an Executive Master of Business Administration (M&A) in 2005 and was allowed to the German bar in 2007. In 2008 he received a Master of Laws diploma from the University of Cambridge (UK) and was entered on the roll as Solicitor of England & Wales in 2010.

Dr. Kessler is a visiting lecturer at the University of Münster and teaches the international arbitration and mediation in the university's post graduate program on mergers and acquisitions. He frequently publishes and holds speeches on arbitration and litigation-related topics.

Dr. Lars Mesenbrink Partner

Düsseldorf

His background in economics, Chinese language skills and extensive international experience add to his excellent legal knowledge and allow him to advise his clients on a comprehensive basis.

Lars has represented clients before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office in all areas of competition law, inter alia including mergers, compliance, cartels, litigation and abuse of dominance.

In these areas, he provides companies with innovative solutions on high-profile complex matters including private damages actions and cartel investigations, often involving multiple jurisdictions.

Lars also pursues international trade and compliance matters, including matters involving foreign investment filings in Germany.

Sebastian Meul Partner

Munich

His professional focus is on providing legal advice in complex post-M&A and shareholders' disputes, in which he can particularly make use of his many years of experience as an M&A lawyer.

In addition, Sebastian advises his clients in disputes relating to major construction projects, manager liability cases and in other commercial disputes.

He also has extensive experience in advising clients on M&A transactions and corporate law matters.

Besides the above, Sebastian particularly deals with Legal Tech and Blockchain technology developments and frequently shares his knowledge by publishing articles in legal and social media.

Before joining Orrick, Sebastian worked in the Munich office of a renowned German law firm and in the Toronto office of a major Canadian law firm.

Benedikt Migdal Partner

Düsseldorf

Benedikt advises on structuring and negotiating the IP aspects of corporate transactions, including M&A, divestments and venture investments as well as of commercial transactions where intellectual property rights and know-how are key assets. His work encompasses, for example, IP licensing and technology transfer agreements, engineering services agreements, transition services agreements, R&D collaborations, and IP aspects of contracts throughout the life sciences sector.

Benedikt is also an experienced patent and trade secret litigator and has represented German and international clients from a range of industries in complex disputes, especially concerning patents and know-how in the fields of mobile telecommunication/connectivity and the life sciences.

Based on his extensive experience in both IP transactions and litigation, he deeply understands the full range of legal and economical issues that technology-driven companies are challenged with in context with IP. This also includes IP-related competition law issues, such as FRAND-requirements for licensing and enforcing standard essential patents as well as issues arising in connection with EU regulations concerning technology transfers.

Nico Neukam Partner

Düsseldorf

His experience spans various industries, with a particular focus on advising companies in the growth and financial services sectors, often with an international scope.

Nico is listed by Legal 500 as a "Rising Star" and a "Recommended Lawyer" in tax law. His clients appreciate his forward-thinking solutions, which he develops proactively and in consensus with the tax authorities to ensure the best outcome for his clients.  

Nico Neukam joined Orrick in April 2024 after working for another international law firm for many years.