FRANKFURT – Twenty-two lawyers based in global law firm Reed Smith’s Frankfurt and Munich offices have earned recognition in the Best Lawyers in Germany™ guide, published today.

Among them, partner Dr. René Lochmann LL.M. received a Lawyer of the Year award from the publication for his focus on investment funds.

Seven Reed Smith lawyers were included as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany™.

The practice areas covered by the Reed Smith lawyers include advertising, arbitration and mediation, banking and finance, competition, corporate, data security and privacy, employment, investment funds, IT and technology, media, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, real estate and tax.

The following lawyers were recognised in the 2026 edition, including Dr. Thomas Fischl, Dr. René Lochmann LL.M., Dr. Andreas Splittgerber and Dr. Nikolaus von Jacobs who were recognised in more than one category:

FRANKFURT

Banking and finance

  • Dirk-Peter Flor
  • Dr. Oliver K. Hahnelt LL.M.

Data security and privacy

  • Christian Leuthner

Real estate

  • Harald Heller

Tax

  • Nina Siewert

MUNICH

Advertising

  • Dr. Andreas Splittgerber

Banking and finance

  • Dr. René Lochmann LL.M.

Competition / antitrust

  • Dr. Michaela Westrup LL.M.

Corporate

  • Constantin Conrads
  • Dr. Nikolaus von Jacobs

Data security and privacy

  • Dr. Thomas Fischl
  • Dr. Andreas Splittgerber

Information technology

  • Dr. Thomas Fischl
  • Dr. Andreas Splittgerber
  • Dr. Philipp Süss LL.M.

Investment funds

  • Dr. René Lochmann LL.M.

Labor and employment

  • Jan Weißgerber

Mergers and acquisitions

  • Dr. Nikolaus von Jacobs

Media

  • Dr. Thomas Fischl

Private equity

  • Dr. Germar Enders
  • Dr. Nikolaus von Jacobs

Real estate

  • Dr. Etienne Richthammer

Technology

  • Dr. Thomas Fischl
  • Dr. Andreas Splittgerber

Frankfurt-based Markus Cejka (banking and finance), Carina Klessing (tax) and Dr. Nikolas T. Koutsós (banking and finance) were included as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany™.

In Munich, Dr. Alexander Hardinghaus LL.M. (corporate) was also included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany™, alongside three more lawyers who were recognised in more than one category: Dr. Maria Ottermann (arbitration and mediation, and litigation), Matthias Weingut (corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity) and Friederike Wilde-Detmering (data security and privacy, and information technology).

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany™ is a designation that recognises outstanding professional excellence in lawyers who are earlier in their careers.

Selection to the Best Lawyers® list of outstanding lawyers is based on an annual peer-review survey.