Prof. Dr. Norbert Wimmer

Partner, Berlin

Biography

A client praised him as “A leading regulatory lawyer in Germany. Outstanding work, incredible experience.” and another interviewee stated: “Norbert Wimmer has outstanding technical expertise, is maximally responsive and absolutely willing to think along with the entire structure of a business enterprise, even beyond purely legal matters.”
Client Quotes, The Legal 500 Germany, 2023

Overview

Norbert Wimmer concentrates in regulatory and public law and is Head of the German Practice Group.

He focuses on the infrastructure and transport as well as media and telecommunications sectors. His clients include public bodies and undertakings as well as private investors, especially those from abroad.

Norbert Wimmer has been awarded often "recommended lawyer" for Public, Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law continuously in the German directory JUVE-Handbuch and in international directories for many years. In January of 2008, he was given the title of Honorary Professor by the University of Osnabrück (European Legal Studies Institute).
 

Bars and Courts
Administrative Lawyer
Rechtsanwalt
Education
Second State Exam
Higher Regional Court of Berlin
Traineeships at the German Federal Constitutional Court, the German Privatization Agency (Treuhandanstalt/BvS), the German Environmental Protection Agency (UBA) and law firms in Brussels and Paris
Research Assistant
Humboldt University of Berlin
Dr jur
Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg
Research Assistant
Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg
First State Exam
Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg
Languages
German
English
French

Experience

PPF a.s.
Ongoing advice to Czech PPF a.s. in connection with its participation in the bidding process to acquire Toll Collect GmbH as well as the execution of a new operator agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and Toll Collect GmbH.PPF a.s. is one of the largest PE investment firms in the Czech Republic. Toll Collect is a German company and has been operating the world's first satellite-assisted toll system for trucks stably and reliably since 1 January 2005. We represented PPF a.s in the proceedings in front of the German Federal Public Procurement Chamber

BDBOS
Jointly leading the White & Case team which advised the Federal Ministry of the Interior and BDBOS (German Agency for Digital Radio of Security Authorities and Organisations) on the planning and building of a Germany-wide comprehensive digital communications network.

Kabel BW / Unitymedia / Liberty Group
Providing long-term advice to Kabel BW, the Unitymedia companies as part of Liberty Global i.a. regarding cooperation agreements with public and private broadcasters, VoD providers, collecting societies and other rights owners, and related technical services, as well as applicable media and telecommunications regulations.

Berlin Airports
Providing long-term advice on matters including the operation, expansion and closure of Berlin's Schönefeld, Tegel and Tempelhof airports, for example, with regard to new terminal buildings and concessions for third party investments at the new BER airport.

Federal Ministry of Transport – Roads
Leading the White & Case team which, as a part of a consortium, has been advising the German Ministry of Transport on a series of highway PPPs.

Daimler AG
Advising Daimler with regard to the refrigerant dispute, a conflict notably with the EU Commission and the French government regarding the compliance of Mercedes vehicles with the EC MAC directive.

Federal Ministry of Finance
Advising on matters including the liabilities for soil contamination in the course of the TLG privatization process.

Free State of Thuringia
Providing representation before the German Federal Administrative Court in a key dispute regarding planning approval for the "South-West interconnecting line" ("Süd-West Kuppelleitung").

German Federal Ministry for the Environment
Advising on the implementation of the 3rd EU Energy Package, notably regarding required amendments to the German energy legislation, including the Incentive Regulation Ordinance.

Vattenfall Europe AG
Advising Vattenfall Europe AG on the divesture of the transmission grid operator 50 Hertz Transmission GmbH to the Belgian grid operator Elia Systems Operator and Industry Funds Management.

Private Concessionaire
Assisting in obtaining the required building and operating permits for a controversial project, including before the administrative courts, as well as successful representation in a subsequent state liability case before the civil courts.

Speaking Engagements

"Competition Law: The provision of telecom services by municipalities", 2012: Osnabrück University

"Infrastructure Project Finance and Permit Procedures – an international comparison of political risks and bankability", 2011: Bauhaus University Weimar

"Constitutional Law: Legislative Outsourcing", 2011: Humboldt University of Berlin

"Broadcasting law and the fast pace of technical development", 2011: University of Freiburg/Br

"Administrative and Constitutional Law: The degree of control – Observations on decision-making prerogatives in judicial practice", 2009: Osnabrück University

"Internet Services and Competition Law: Media convergence and new information services provided by public sector broadcasters: Is the Public Value Test of any help?", 2009: Bayreuth University

Publications

IT-Security, in: Cyber-Security Legal Handbook (Rechtshandbuch Cyber-Security), Gabel/Heinrich/Kiefner (Eds.), Frankfurt am Main, 2019, pp. 123-161

Co-author, "Tackling 'fake news': the current political debate in Germany", Digital Business Lawyer, Issue 2, Pages 9-11, 2017 (with Tina Liebscher)

"The Uber case – A Lesson for the Sharing Economy? (Der Fall Uber – ein Lehrstück in Sachen Sharing Economy?)", MMR, Issue 11, Pages 713-714, 2014

Co-author, "Data Equality – Net neutrality: a new buzzword for an old conflict? (Gleichberechtigung von Daten – Netzneutralität: neues Schlagwort für einen alten Konflikt?)", Publicus, No. 7, Pages 29-31, 2011 (with Franziska Löw)

"Intensity of control – some observations on the judiciary's approach to decision-making prerogatives (Kontrolldichte – Beobachtungen zum richterlichen Umgang mit Entscheidungsprärogativen)," JZ, Issue 9, Page 433 et seqq., 2010 

Co-author, "Marketing subsidies and airport charges following the Charleroi ruling by the Court of First Instance (Marketingzuschüsse und Flughafen-Entgelte nach dem Charleroi-Urteil des EuG)," Recht und Wirtschaft, Gedächtnisschrift für Malte Schildhelm, Page 651 et seqq., 2009 (with Benjamin Schirmer)

Co-author, "Selected Aspects of German Public Economic Law," Business Laws of Germany, Vol. 2, Chapter 16, Ed. Thomas Wegerich, New York, 2009 (with Christoph Arhold, Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf et al.)

View all publications.

 

Awards and Recognition

Best Lawyer Germany in Energy Law, Environmental Law, Media Law, Public Law, Regulatory Practice, Handelsblatt 2009-2023

Highly Recommended Lawyer: Environment and Planning Law / Media: Contracts and Copyrights / Transportation / Media: Regulatory / Media: Transactions and Financing, JUVE 2020/2021

Highly Recommended Lawyer: Energy Law, Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt, 2020

Highly Recommended Lawyer: Media and Copyright Law, Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt, 2020

Highly Recommended Lawyer: Public Commercial Law, Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt, 2020

Highly Recommended Lawyer: Regulatory, Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt, 2020

Highly Recommended Lawyer: Environmental Law, Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt, 2020

Leading Individual: TMT-Media – Germany, Chambers Europe 2020

Leading Individual: Public Law: General – Germany, Chambers Europe 2019