As a regular advisor to high-net-worth families and entrepreneurs, Flick Gocke Schaumburg has established a strong reputation in the private client and non-profit arenas. The team provides expert guidance on complex succession and estate planning, relocation strategies, charitable structuring, and the formation of family and non-profit foundations across multiple jurisdictions. The practice is led by certified tax lawyer Christian von Oertzen, who specialises in succession, wealth management, and foundation law. Christian Kirchhain assists organisations through tax audits and related court proceedings, while Stephan Schauhoff is famed for his expertise in foundation law and the taxation of non-profits. Andreas Gräf left the firm in May 2025.

With a particularly active private client and succession planning practice, POELLATH regularly advises UHNWIs, entrepreneurial families, and family-owned businesses on high-stakes inheritance and corporate governance matters. The team’s expertise also extends to the structuring and implementation of not-for-profit and charitable giving vehicles. The firm’s dispute resolution services encompass inheritance conflicts, family and marital agreement disputes, tax authority defences, and governance challenges within family offices and philanthropic entities. The practice is jointly led by Andreas Richter, noted for his insight into philanthropic and foundation structuring, and Stephan Viskorf, who has considerable experience in cross-border succession and tax planning. Katharina Gollan is also highly regarded for delivering end-to-end counsel to charitable organisations and providing succession planning support to entrepreneurial families. In January 2025, Erik Muscheites was promoted to partner.

Trusted with sensitive mandates, CMS is frequently sought after for bespoke estate structuring, wealth preservation guidance, and the establishment of family offices and foundations. Leveraging the firm’s multidisciplinary platform, the private client and non-profit team also advises on corporate succession, shareholder disputes, art and sports law, and emerging areas such as crypto-assets and legal tech for HNWIs and entrepreneurial families. The practice is spearheaded by Dirk Schauer, who is involved in national and cross-border estate planning, corporate succession, and the establishment and management of family and charitable foundations. Regine Hagen-Eck and Angelika Thies have recently retired.

Noerr is renowned for advising research institutions, family offices, and HNWIs on funding, corporate governance, estate and asset structuring, and succession planning. The team also handles a broad range of transactional and contentious matters, including large-scale real estate deals, M&A transactions, and shareholder disputes. The practice is co-led by Gerald Reger, who supports large family-owned businesses and their shareholders on succession planning, structural changes, governance, and compliance, and Tobias Bürgers, who specialises in optimising governance for family businesses and foundations, managing succession, and resolving disputes. In March 2025, partner Tobias Hueck departed to join a family business consultancy.

SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft is widely acknowledged for its skill in private client and non-profit matters. The team advises on succession planning, inheritance and gift tax, cross-border asset transfers, estate administration, and family law, while also supporting the structuring and governance of charitable and family foundations. It routinely assists family businesses with corporate and tax matters and represents clients in inheritance-related disputes. The practice is led by a seasoned trio: Martin Feick, who is instructed on succession planning, asset structuring, and foundations governance; Stephan Scherer, an expert in inheritance law, corporate succession, and non-profit structuring; and Stefan Zeyher, who represents clients in inheritance disputes before state courts and arbitration tribunals.

Taylor Wessing provides long-term legal and tax support to entrepreneurial families and UHNWIs, with distinguished proficiency in inheritance, corporate, family, foundation, and tax law. The practice excels in succession planning, wealth structuring, corporate governance, and foundation setup. It is co-led by Axel Godron, who specialises in corporate and private asset succession, with a strong focus on international estates and foundations; and Jens Escher, who provides guidance on tax-efficient succession, asset structuring, and cross-border foundation and trust matters. Luise Hauschild departed the firm in March 2025.

Heussen Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH‘s private client and non-profit practice specialises in succession and estate planning, as well as asset management. The team largely focuses on establishing and structuring family businesses, foundations, and charitable organisations, alongside managing international real estate transactions. Led by Frank-Grischa Feitsch, the department provides expert inheritance, tax, and corporate law advice to HNWIs, noble families and other private clients.

Forvis Mazars offers comprehensive legal and tax advisory services to private clients, with particular expertise in inheritance tax, corporate restructuring, and trust-related matters. The team also supports executors, heirs and family offices in estate administration and dispute resolution. Non-profits benefit from guidance on governance, strategic acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. The practice is led by a trio of seasoned tax specialists – Catarina Herbst, Wolfgang Durach, and Bernd Schult – who are renowned for their capabilities in asset protection and business succession planning.

Gleiss Lutz assists with business transfers and succession planning, aimed at preserving wealth across generations. In the non-profit sphere, the team advises foundations and other non-profit entities on intricate charity law and governance matters. The practice is led by Achim Dannecker, an authority on cross-border succession planning and foundation law; Alexander Werder, a specialist in complex tax compliance; Gabriele Roßkopf, noted for her expertise in corporate succession and foundation structuring; and Patrick Mossler, head of the M&A practice with a strong focus on succession structuring.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH has a strong pedigree in tax-efficient succession planning, foundation establishment, and dispute resolution for individuals and family businesses. The firm also advises hospitals, universities, and public-sector clients on reorganisations, acquisitions, and ensuring compliance with non-profit and public law requirements. Practice director Andreas Blunk focuses on private client matters, including corporate and real estate succession, notarial structuring of share and property transactions, and the restructuring of family-owned enterprises.