Volker Beissenhirtz

Volker Advises

• With a focus on medium-sized companies,
• in and for the prevention of corporate crises
• in the investigation of criminal offences against companies and the recovery of assets
• in the planning and implementation of governance, risk and compliance structures
• Foreign companies in their activities in Germany

Experience Highlights

• Board Member of a cooperative, stabilisation after separation of two board members as a result of extensive criminal investigations, creation of transparency for supervisory board and successor board members, processing of past-related facts.
• Managing director of a limited liability company, avoiding insolvency, preparing and implementing a reorganisation plan, raising further financing, developing sales, marketing, business organisation and controlling
• Advisory board member of a medium-sized group of companies in Berlin, designing and implementing early risk detection systems, designing and implementing an “emergency kit” and restructuring the management organisation to increase the company’s resilience
• Compliance officer of a professional association, development of a compliance management system in collaboration with management
• Advising the shareholder of a large textile retail chain on planning and implementing the reorganisation, including structuring the reorganisation, drafting the insolvency plan, initiating insolvency proceedings with self-administration, then supporting the CRO in the successful implementation of the plan
• Drafting an insolvency plan for a company in the telecommunications sector for the shareholder in cooperation with the insolvency administrator
• Advising and representing a group of companies in the successful reorganisation following a crisis caused by criminal acts of the management, including the implementation of complex reorganisation mechanisms outside of insolvency
• Advising and representing the insolvency administrator of a large German solar energy company in the stabilisation and realisation of the US subsidiaries up to the initiation of controlled Chapter 11 proceedings and the recognition of the German insolvency proceedings in the USA under Chapter 15
• Investigation of the facts following suspicion of the commission of various criminal offences in a major sports club, including advising the “whistleblowers”, preparation of criminal charges, coordination between the board of directors, advisors and the State Criminal Police Office
• Investigations following suspicion of bribery within the Group, coordination between private investigators and criminal prosecution authorities, legal assessment and filing of criminal charges, examination of initiation of criminal proceedings in Poland, enforcement of civil liability claims
• Conceptualisation, planning and implementation of a receivables management system for a medium-sized housing association
• Advising an association of the social economy on the conception of a supervisory structure in the context of compliance efforts
• Advising a state supreme authority on setting up a department for handling insolvency cases in the authority’s area of responsibility

Career History

Previous Law firms

• Beissenhirtz – Business Law
• Schultze & Braun GmbH Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft (2005 – 2013)
• Coudert Brothers LLP (2003 – 2005)
• PwC Veltins Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH (2000 – 2003)

Memberships

• Bundesverband Mittelständische Wirtschaft (BVMW), Legal Commission, Dep. Chairman
• Deutscher Restrukturierungs- und Insolvenzgerichtstag (DRIT), Treasurer
• European Association of Turnaround Professionals (EACTP, Board-Member (2016 – 2021
• Turnaround Management Association (D & UK)

Education

• Certified Compliance Officer (School GRC)
• Certified Turnaround Professional (EACTP)
• Legal clerkship in Ulm, Speyer & Paris
• Universities of Constance & Lausanne, London School of Economics & Political Science (LL.M.) University of Halle (doctorate)

Other

• “Internationale Alternativen” (“International Alternatives”), in Paulus/Knecht, “Gerichtliche Sanierung”, 2018, p. 428 ss.
• “Der Blick hinter die Glaskugel – Gedanken zur Risiko- und Krisenfrüherkennung in mittelständischen Unternehmen“ (“Looking behind the crystal ball – thoughts on early risk and crisis detection in SMEs”), ZInsO 2020, 1673
• “Bei Rückenwind können auch Truthähne fliegen“, (“Even Turkeys can fly with a tailwind“) Key-Note, Atreus Roundtable Restructuring, 13. October 2023

Volker is a partner in gunnercooke GmbH, whose registered office is Kurfuerstendamm 15, 10719 Berlin, AG Charlottenburg, HRB 224488 B. All lawyers of gunnercooke GmbH are admitted either in Germany or Austria to practise as Rechtsanwalt or Rechtsanwaeltin and are members of and regulated by the relevant local Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer).