Distribution Law

The distribution of goods and services requires not only business decisions, but also numerous decisions to establish a legal roadmap. In the Practice Group "Distribution Law and Distribution Systems", we combine competence and experience of a number of lawyers who have provided legal counsel to worldwide renowned national and international manufacturers in structuring their distribution systems for many years. We assist our clients in developing the appropriate marketing system for their goods and services or to adapt an existing distribution system to new economic and legal conditions.

We provide counsel to our clients in designing contractual structures and implementing them in entrepreneurial practice. These counseling activities are complemented by in-depth experience in out-of-court, court-based and arbitrational dispute resolutions. In our distribution antitrust law practice, we counsel our clients on designing their distribution agreements in compliance with antitrust law and on adapting to legal bases which are subject to continuous change.

In addition, we advise on the winding up of terminated distribution agreements and find solutions to compensation claims and return requests of distribution partners. Finally, we also support our clients when taking first steps into a new distribution territory. Our international network World Services Group allows us to offer our clients the appropriate solution for cross-border matters.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek is Law Firm of the Year for Distribution Systems.

The main focus of the Practice Group includes

  • providing counsel on selecting and designing the appropriate distribution system (distributors, agents, franchising, selective distribution systems, Internet marketing)
  • developing and adapting of the contractual bases
  • providing counsel on issues of distribution antitrust law, such as developing and maintaining of a selective distribution system, scope and limits of exclusivity rights and purchase obligations
  • supporting of contract negotiations
  • advising on issues of commissioning setup
  • matters of employment law and tax law
  • winding up of terminated distribution agreements, in particular compensatory claims pursuant to and similar to Section 89b German Commercial Code and the return of contractual goods
  • supporting in the move into a new contract territory.

Areas of practice

Members of this practice group