Dr. Klaus von der Linden

Klaus is a proven expert in stock corporation law and corporate group law. He specializes in advising executive board members and supervisory board members, public general meetings, board member liability, corporate litigation, corporate governance, public takeovers as well as capital, structural and transformation measures.

Work highlights 

• advising Daimler on the implementation of a holding structure with the three pillars Cars & Vans, Trucks & Buses and Financial Services and on the spin-off of a majority interest in Daimler Truck with subsequent listing
• advising Deutsche Bank on stock corporation law and capital markets, in particular on a comprehensive internal investigation, on general meetings and on contestation actions, information enforcement proceedings and special audit proceedings
• advising E.ON on the takeover offer to the shareholders of innogy and on the subsequent upstream merger of innogy in combination with the squeeze out of the minority shareholders
• advising Fresenius on stock corporation law and capital markets, in particular on the acquisition of several hospitals from Rhön Klinikum AG, on general meetings and on lawsuits filed by minority shareholders
• advising Deutsche Börse on stock corporation law and capital markets, in particular on general meetings and on corporate litigation
• advising SAP on stock corporation law and capital markets, in particular on general meetings

• advising IKB Deutsche Industriebank on several aspects of the financial crisis, on general meetings, on several lawsuits filed by minority shareholders, on a comprehensive special audit and on a squeeze out/delisting

Klaus is a regular speaker on conferences and seminars on corporate law and capital markets. Furthermore, he has published numerous books, articles, and annotations on this subject. His publications include:

• Cologne Commentary on the Transformation Act (Kölner Kommentar zum Umwandlungsgesetz), edited by Dauner-Lieb, Simon and Wilsing, 2nd ed. 2023, Explanation of §§ 60–77 UmwG: Merger involving Stock Corporations; § 78 UmwG: Merger involving Partnerships Limited by Shares; §§ 141–146 UmwG: Demerger involving Stock Corporations and Partnerships Limited by Shares
• Handbook Listed Stock Corporation, Stock Corporation Law and Capital Markets Law (Handbuch börsennotierte AG, Aktien- und Kapitalmarktrecht), edited by Marsch-Barner and Schäfer, 5th ed. 2022, § 32. Meaning and Competence of the General Meeting; § 33. Preparation of the General Meeting; § 34. Conduction of the General Meeting; § 35. Shareholders’ Rights in the General Meeting; § 36. Documentation of the General Meeting
• Nomos Commentary on Stock Corporation Law and Capital Markets Law (Nomos Kommentar zum Aktienrecht und Kapitalmarktrecht), edited by Heidel, 5th ed. 2020, Explanation of §§ 142–146 AktG: Special Audit; §§ 258–261a AktG: Special Audit concerning Unlawful Undervaluation
• Beck Handbook on Stock Corporations (Beck’sches Handbuch der AG), edited by Drinhausen and Eckstein, 3rd ed. 2018, § 25. Corporate Governance Code
• Handbook on Takeover Law according to the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (Handbuch des Übernahmerechts nach dem WpÜG), edited by Paschos and Fleischer, 2017, § 28. Legal Protection in Administrative Procedures

He is a member of the Scientific Association for Business and Corporate Law (Wissenschaftliche Vereinigung für Unternehmens- und Gesellschaftsrecht, VGR).

Klaus studied law and obtained a doctorate from the University of Cologne.