Christoph Zuschlag
Christoph is a senior associate in our Disputes Practice in Frankfurt.
He acts for national and international companies in high-stakes commercial disputes, regularly involving complex multijurisdictional elements. Christoph advises and represents clients throughout all phases of the dispute resolution process – from early strategic case assessment and out-of-court representation, including settlement negotiations, to litigation, arbitration, and enforcement proceedings.
Christoph has acted as counsel in numerous proceedings before German civil courts and represents both claimants and respondents in complex commercial, corporate, finance, and real estate matters. He has particular expertise in ESG-related litigation and technology disputes. His practice also includes designing and executing litigation strategies for mass claims and collective redress.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- a European bus manufacturer in legal proceedings against a German public transport group due to alleged defects in approximately 1,000 coaches and buses (volume exceeding a hundred million euros)
- a US investment bank in the enforcement of multi-million-euro remuneration claim arising from a consulting agreement related to the acquisition of a European healthcare group
- a US investment bank in the enforcement of multi-million-euro remuneration claim arising from a consulting agreement related to the acquisition of a German engineering and technology group
- a US investment bank in pursuing claims for damages arising from the delisting of a German stock corporation
- a European financial services provider in connection with claims arising from allegedly unjustified payment withholdings asserted by institutional claimants
- a German commercial bank in the enforcement of damages claims following the exposure of a large-scale embezzlement scheme involving the bank’s fleet management operations
- a German manufacturer of medical devices in exequatur proceedings before a German court initiated by a Brazilian competitor seeking EUR 30 million in damages for alleged trade secret misappropriation following an ICC arbitral award
- a global logistics company in the enforcement of remuneration claims under an open-book cost model (value: several hundred million euros)
- a global mining company as regards tort liability risks in relation to hypothetical failures of tailings dams
- a European energy company regarding civil liability risks related to the emission of CO₂ and its connection to climate change*
- a German commercial bank in an ICC arbitration proceeding against UAE-based borrower and guarantor concerning multi-million-euro loan repayment claims governed by German law
- a global entertainment and events company headquartered in Australia in a DIS arbitration concerning the buyer’s refusal to close an M&A transaction, citing financing issues and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cinema industry
- two US technology companies regarding claims relating to internet platforms, associated products, and data protection*
- a British insurance company in mass litigation concerning alleged contractual and statutory breaches in the context of life insurance products*
- two German car manufacturers in two mass legal proceedings relating to NOx emissions*
- a British investment and asset management company in a contractual dispute with the seller and tenant following a sale and leaseback transaction
- a British investment and asset management company in commercial lease disputes following the renovation of a large shopping center in Germany
- a German investment and asset management company in pursuing multi-million euro claims for defects in connection with the acquisition of an office building*
- a German investment and asset management company in the enforcement of multi-million-euro damages claims arising from a flawed technical due diligence in connection with the acquisition of an office building*
- a German real estate company in the enforcement of damages claims arising from defects related to the acquisition of a contaminated project site (value: several million euros)*
- a German mining company in defending against contractual claims related to alleged material defects of a former coal mine in Eastern Germany (amount in dispute: several million euros)*
- an Asian government regarding liability issues under the German Supply Chain Act*
*prior to joining the firm
Sectors
Background
Christoph has taught civil and European law at the University of Hamburg and Nanjing University of Finance and Economics (China). He is fluent in English and German. He regularly publishes on civil law procedural and liability law topics.
Christoph is recognized as "Ones to Watch in Germany" in "Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt" for his Litigation and Arbitration work.
Recent publications
- Author: "Ist das Leitentscheidungsverfahren beim Bundesgerichtshof tatsächlich ein effizienter Baustein für die schnelle Erledigung von Massenverfahren?" Herbert Smith Freehills Krarmer- Litigation Notes Blog, July 2023
- Co-Author: "Bolstering class actions in Germany – The current state of play" Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer - Litigation Notes Blog, February 2023
- Co-Author: "The Regional Court of Stuttgart dismisses claim in a series of climate change lawsuits against automakers and oil and gas company " Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer - Climate Change Notes Blog, September 2022
- Co-Author: "German Climate Activists File Climate Change Lawsuits Against Major German Car Manufacturers To Prohibit Selling Combustion Engine Cars"- Lexology, September 2021
- Co-Author: "The New corporate Due Diligence Act: Potential liability under Civil law and Administrative law" - Lexology, July 2021
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