Luther recruits Dr Alexander Ehrle as Partner for International and Foreign Trade Law

Ehrle advises companies worldwide on foreign trade law compliance, particularly in export control and sanctions law – where he has overseen numerous investigations, court proceedings, and internal inquiries relating to EU export control law as well as international sanctions against Russia and Iran. Ehrle also represents clients in foreign trade law application procedures before the European Commission and German authorities. Furthermore, Ehrle provides counsel on investment screening law (Foreign Direct Investment – FDI and Foreign Subsidies Regulation – FSR), having managed all major clearance procedures at Baker McKenzie, such as the proposed acquisition of CECONOMY AG by JD.com or the planned purchase of critical infrastructure belonging to the TanQuid Group by a US investor. In addition, Ehrle oversaw the investment screening aspects of the acquisition of Merck’s Surface Solutions Business by a Chinese investor and the purchase of G2K by ServiceNow, and coordinated global investment screening clearance requirements for Sika AG’s multi-billion acquisition of BASF’s former construction chemicals division, MBCC.

For his expertise in investment control, he was recognised by Global Competition Review as one of the “40 under 40”. Moreover, Ehrle advises on supply chain-related sustainability law. As Co-Chair of the International Human Rights Committee of the American Bar Association, he advocates both for transatlantic dialogue and for a purposeful and pragmatic approach to implementing ESG regulations within companies. He is a lecturer in international trade, foreign trade, and sustainability law at Humboldt University in Berlin.

Dr Alexander Ehrle: “I am very much looking forward to complementing Luther’s international and foreign trade law team with my expertise and further developing this area together with my esteemed colleagues at Luther. Luther offers excellent conditions and the ideal platform to advise my clients across borders optimally in globally challenging times.”

Anne Caroline Wegner, Head of the Antitrust, Competition & Regulatory Practice Group: “Regulatory density is increasing, sanction risks are rising—companies now need strong partners at their side. With Dr Alexander Ehrle we gain an outstanding international expert from whom our clients can immediately benefit in complex, globally interconnected cases.”

About Dr Alexander Ehrle

Dr Alexander Ehrle studied law at the universities of Heidelberg, Montpellier (France), Mainz, Munich and New York (NYU), specialising in European and international law. He obtained his doctorate in public international law from LMU Munich. Before being admitted as a lawyer in Germany, he worked as an adviser and member of delegation of a developing country at the United Nations and gained experience at the Federal Foreign Office, the German Embassy in Tokyo as well as in international law firms.

He is Co-Chair of the International Human Rights Committee of the American Bar Association and is a member of the European Society of International Law, the American Society of International Law and the German Council on Foreign Relations (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik). In 2017 he was admitted to practise law in Germany; he initially worked for Freshfields and most recently for Baker McKenzie in Berlin and Brussels (Foreign Trade Law and Sustainability Law Practice Group).