Dr. Julia Sophia Habbe
Biography
Overview
Dr. Julia Sophia Habbe serves as the Head of Investigations Germany at White & Case. She specializes in advising on investigations, compliance, and corporate governance matters. In addition to her expertise in handling complex corporate and civil litigation, regulatory disputes, class actions, and mass claims, Dr. Julia Sophia Habbe is skilled in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes, including mediation.
Dr. Julia Sophia Habbe represents global companies and their boards in complex cross-border cases, focusing on compliance, accountability and liability, and manages legal disputes before supervisory authorities and courts. With extensive experience in regulatory, criminal, and internal investigations, she also provides counsel on crisis management, including follow-on litigations, in the aftermath of such investigations.
Prior to joining White & Case, Dr. Julia Sophia Habbe served as Co-Head of Compliance & Investigations at a leading European law firm and worked in dispute resolution and core corporate at a Magic Circle law firm. She is a member of the Commercial Law Committee of the German Bar Association (Deutscher Anwaltverein, DAV) and has authored over 45 articles on corporate, capital markets, and civil procedure law. Additionally, she lectures on Compliance and Negotiations at the University of Siegen.
Experience
Investigations & board room advice
Financial institution
Advising the management board in relation to possible cross-border manipulation and misconduct in the foreign exchange market*
Global insurance company
Advising the management board in relation to possible fraudulent financial reporting practices in different European countries*
Commerzbank AG
Advising the supervisory board and investigating the responsibility of the management board members for penalty payments in the US*
Deutsche Börse AG
Advising the supervisory board on suspicion of insider trading by the former chairman of the management board*
DAX 40-Company
Advising the management board on possible claims for breaches of duty by employees in connection with years of global corruption practices in the group, which had already been the subject of settlements with US authorities*
Deutsche Bahn AG
Advising the management board in regard of investigations of consultancy agreements with former members of governing bodies of group companies*
Corporate Governance and Compliance
Companies from various sectors, including financial institutions
Business Judgement Opinions that include comprehensive forensic analysis before or after key management decisions*
Company from the transportation sector
Analysis of corporate and compliance aspects of the group's restructuring*
Various PE Funds
Compliance Due Diligence in preparation of the acquisition of a target or sale of a portfolio company
Dispute Resolution
Israel-based renewable energy company
ADR-advice in the context of a cross-border M&A transaction / restructuring of the group*
Financial institution
ADR-advice in the context of a cross-border M&A transaction, preparation for ICC arbitration*
Initiators of closed funds
Representation in more than 120 proceedings (all instances, including the Federal Court of Justice) as well as in contentious shareholder meetings*
Several financial institutions
Representation in proceedings related to structured products*
Companies from the financial sector, including financial institutions
Regulatory disputes related to alleged violations of capital market law and / or financial reporting standards
Financial Market Stabilization Fund
Representation in proceedings, i.e. appraisal proceeding, related to the stabilization of Hypo Real Estate Bank*
*Experience prior to joining White & Case
Click here for a full list of publications.
The Practitioner's Guide to Global Investigations - Volume II: Global Investigations around the World, in Global Investigations Review, 8th Edition, pp. 226 etseq.
Digitalisierung und Compliance – Rechtliche Herausforderung für die Geschäftsleitung, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 2022, pp. 809 etseq.
Die Rolle des Aufsichtsrats in der Matrixorganisation, Neue Zeitschrift für Gesellschaftsrecht 2022, pp. 445 etseq.
Der subjektive Tatbestand im Kapitalmarktordnungswidrigkeitenrecht, in Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 2022, pp. 3186 etseq.
Frauen und Verhandlungserfolg - Eine Einführung in Female Negotiation Strategies, Springer Gabler 2019
Beweiserleichterungen bei (angeblich) fehlerhaften Ad-hoc-Mitteilungen?, in Neue Zeitschrift für Gesellschaftsrecht 2016, pp. 454 etseq.
Interne Untersuchungen als Ausübung der Überwachungspflicht des Aufsichtsrats, Die Aktiengesellschaft 2018, pp. 257 etseq.
"Sophia Habbe provides very prudent and balanced advice. She discusses issues at both a strategic and tactical level and thinks "from the end". Together with her team, she offers comprehensive professional solutions." Legal 500 Germany (2024)
"I am very happy and satisfied" client voice JUVE (2021)
"Sophia Habbe's team advises very conscientiously and precisely. The exchange is also personally very pleasant.", Legal 500 Germany (2021)
„The local practice was significantly boosted in March 2024 when Sophia Habbe was recruited from Noerr and installed as head of investigations for Germany.”, GIR (2024)
"often recommended" lawyer for Compliance investigations, JUVE (2023, 2022, 2021)
Best Lawyer’s Arbitration and Mediation (2024)
