Laurenz Schmitt
Partner
Languages
German, EnglishLaurenz Schmitt is a founding partner of SRP. He represents clients in disputes before courts and arbitration tribunals. He also acts as an arbitrator and board member of a private foundation.
Education and career
Laurenz Schmitt was a partner at the Munich office of a major international law firm in the field of dispute resolution for 20 years before setting up his own firm in 2015. In 2019, he founded SRP with Max Reichert. He lives in Munich with his wife.
Experience
Cum-Ex disputes
Market participant in defending claims for alleged involvement in cum-ex trades, amount in dispute > 500 million €.
SRP represents a market participant accused of being involved in cum-ex trades. SRP defends the market participant against claims of other parties involved and secures possible recourse claims against others and former advisors.
Corporate disputes
US telecommunications company in corporate disputes (contentious shareholders' meetings, interim injunction proceedings, arbitration proceedings, cancellation proceedings), amount in dispute > 200 million €
SRP represents a US telecommunications company in (cross-border) disputes from of a joint venture to build a satellite network. In particular
- contentious shareholders’ meetings,
- numerous preliminary injunction proceedings,
- more than a dozen DIS and ICC arbitrations, and
- setting-aside proceedings against arbitral awards.
Issues in these proceedings are inter alia
- Dismissal of managing directors for cause,
- Redemption of shares for cause,
- Determination of the shareholder compensation payment,
- Claims for damages against managing directors and shareholders,
- Dissolution of the company; and
- Frequency usage rights.
German truck manufacturer in mediation proceedings under the stock corporation act, amount in dispute > 200 million €
IT company in shareholder dispute between shareholder-managing directors, amount in dispute > 10 million €
SRP represented a medium-sized company in a hard-fought dispute between the two shareholder-managing directors. The dispute involved numerous preliminary injunctions, attachment proceedings and main proceedings. The proceedings focused on the dismissal of managing directors for cause, the redemption shares in the company for cause and the determination of the compensation payment.
Commercial disputes
Electronics retailer in all commercial disputes
SRP is the exclusive advisor and representative of an electronics retailer for all commercial disputes.
Management participation
Managing director in his claims against a corporation under a management participation agreement, amount in dispute > 10 million €
Compliance disputes
Investment banker in claiming damages based in tort against major German bank, amount in dispute > 50 million €.
SRP advises a former investment banker on claiming damages in excess of 50 million € against a major German bank for making false compliance allegations.
Real estate foundation in the defense against claims for damages, amount in dispute > 100 million €
German foundation in defense against claims for damages after failed spin-off, amount in dispute > 100 million €
SRP represented a German foundation in its defense against claims for damages of its former management team after a failed spin-off in violation of non-profit law. The representation included claiming damages from the foundation’s former legal advisors.
Post-M&A disputes
NASDAQ-listed company in internal investigation and post-M&A-arbitration, amount in dispute > 20 million €
Laurenz Schmitt and Max Reichert conducted an internal investigation in coordination with the district attorney’s office in connection with violations against the EU Chemicals Regulation at the target company and represented the buyer (a US aerospace company listed on NASDAQ) in claiming damages and breaches of warranties against the German seller, inter alia, for fraudulent misrepresentation, in an arbitration.
Seller against the accusation of fraudulent misrepresentation in a transaction, amount in dispute > 80 million €
SRP defended the seller in a transaction against allegations of fraudulent misrepresentations. SRP defeated the claim to rescind the transaction, negotiated a settlement and coordinated the seller’s criminal defense with the seller’s trial lawyers.
Buyer in breach of warranty claims against the seller and the W&I insurance for misrepresentations during the transaction
SRP represents the buyer in a post-M&A dispute in breach of warranty claims against the seller of the target company.
Consultants’ and directors’ liability
Holding company in claiming damages against its tax consultant due to consulting errors, amount in dispute > 5 million €
Law firm in defending damages claims based in tort of an insolvency administrator, amount in dispute > 5 million €
SRP represents a German law firm in defending claims for damages based in tort brought by an insolvency administrator over the assets of one of the firm’s clients for an alleged involvement in bankruptcy offences.
Indian solar company in claiming damages arising from attorneys’ liability in arbitration proceedings, amount in dispute > 10 million €
SRP represents an Indian solar company in claiming damages from a German attorney specialised in arbitration due to errors in advice in a DIS arbitration against a buyer of solar cells for payment of the purchase price after refusal to accept solar cells in breach of contract.