Clifford Chance
Burkhard Schneider specialises in the Commerical Litigation and Arbitration sector which comprises more than 40 experts dedicated to complex commercial disputes, which are often connected with high end intellectual property matters and white collar/regulatory & compliance issues.
Burkhard has extensive experience in banking and finance litigation, securities litigation, domestic and international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. Burkhard has long standing experience with mass actions, cross border litigation and arbitration and investigations. D&O liability and tax-evasion recovery litigation have become a more recent focus of Burkhard's practice. He has acted in numerous headline cases. Burkhard also authored a significant number of major law review and newspaper articles as well as client newsletters.
He frequently speaks on current legal topics and is a lecturer for international arbitration at the University of Frankfurt.
- Aircraft manufacturer in damages lawsuits/investigations and complex mediation concerning ad hoc disclosure resulting in 24% loss of stock price
- Animal health care company in takeover dispute against joint venture partner (EUR€500 million)
- German special construction company in dispute with foreign consortium partner about aborted bid for a joint project in middle east (EUR€200 million)
- Car manufacturer in EUR€1.8 billion lawsuit concerning failed takeover and related capital markets disclosures
- Various defendants against EUR€750 million claim concerning alleged causation of bankruptcy
- An Italian industrial manufacturer in connection with discontinuance of plant construction project and claims concerning breach of contract against major steel manufacturer
- An international manufacturer of steel mills in various warranty and shareholder disputes
- A major steel producer on contentious cross border takeover (EUR€3.5 billion)
- A software company in complex disputes with shareholders, officers and directors
- A Norwegian solar company in connection with insolvency of joint venture and following arbitration proceedings
- A major international chemical industry company concerning dispute on technology of sold activity
- A major chemical industry/health care company concerning contentious change of control clause
- Various post-M&A liability suits and arbitration proceedings
- Various investigations and related liability disputes, including D&O/insurer's liability (over EUR€200 million)
- International rating agency concerning damages lawsuits in connection with Lehman mini bonds
- Various major open ended real estate funds concerning damages lawsuits following closure/liquidation
- Various major asset management companies concerning injunctions against the use of standard fee terms (EUR€350 million euro)
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Frankfurt
- +496971991442
- Email me
- Speaks German, English and French
- Practice area Regulatory enforcement & white collar, Litigation, dispute resolution & risk management
- Sector Banks, Industrials, Real estate, Funds & investment management, Private equity
Career and qualifications
- University of Frankfurt am Main (First State Examination) 1992
- Junior research fellow at Max Planck Institute for European Legal History 1993
- University of Virginia in Charlottesville (LL.M.) 1996
- Wiesbaden (Second State Examination) 1996
- Admitted as a Rechtsanwalt in Germany 1996
- Joined Clifford Chance 1996
- Partner 2000 - 2020
Professional bodies
- DAV
- DAJV
- DIS
- LCIA
- IBA
Awards and citations
- National Leader
Who's Who Legal Germany 2025 - Commercial Litigation
- “He is very knowledgeable in banking litigation.”
Chambers Europe 2023 - Dispute Resolution: Litigation - "advises clients on tax-related arbitrations and financial disputes, and offers additional experience in damages claims"
Chambers Europe Germany 2020 - Dispute Resolution - "Special expertise is provided in cases of cum-ex and cum-cum transactions, where the close cooperation between process experts Burkhard Schneider and criminal lawyer Heiner Hugger is beneficial."
Legal500 Germany 2020 - Litigation in Financial Services - Burkhard Schneider is particularly highly recommended for financial litigation.
Chambers Global 2014 and Chambers Europe 2014: Germany – Dispute Resolution - Burkhard Schneider is recommended as a strong and convincing litigation strategist’ and able to ‘objectify emotional discussions’.
Legal 500 Germany 2017 - Arbitration - Burkhard Schneider gives ‘practical advice and recommendations’.
Legal 500 Germany 2017 - Commercial Litigation - Burkhard Schneider is well versed in D&O disputes
JUVE 2017/18 - Dispute Resolution