Anne Caroline Wegner, LL.M. (European University Institute)
Areas of practice
Anne Wegner specialises in German and European antitrust and distribution law, including disputes in these areas of law. She primarily advises on matters pertaining to vertical agreements, antitrust damages, compliance, cartel proceedings, merger control, joint ventures, and abuse of market dominance. Anne Wegner has many years of experience in representing her clients in these areas vis-à-vis cartel authorities and in court and arbitration proceedings, as well as in drafting and negotiating contracts. She is particularly experienced in issues regarding the automotive industry, logistics, the building materials industry and the distribution of chemicals.
Court-approved antitrust mediator
Anne Wegner is an antitrust mediator approved by the competent German Court of Appeal. As a mediator, he specialises in the out-of-court settlement of claims arising under antitrust law, e.g. for damages, supply and injunctive relief. A procedure before an antitrust mediator offers several advantages. An agreement concluded by the parties in front of a court-approved mediator has the same effect as a state court judgment.
Vita
Anne Wegner joined Luther’s Dusseldorf office as a Partner in 2010 and is head of Luther’s antitrust team. Before moving to Luther, she worked for nine years for the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Cologne and Brussels in the field of antitrust and distribution law. Anne Wegner studied law in Marburg (Germany), Strasbourg (France), Cologne (Germany) and at the European University Institute in Florence (Italy).
Honors and distinctions
- Chambers Global 2025: Ranking in "Competition/European Law", Band 5 (first ranking in 2018, "Anne Wegner is very trustworthy and extremely reliable.","She knows the industry through and through and always finds creative solutions that suit us.")
- Chambers Germany 2025: Rankings in "Commercial Contracts", Band 2 (first ranking in 2015, "Anne is very accurate, always available and very personable.") and "Competition/ European Law", Band 5 (first ranking in 2017, "Anne Wegner is very trustworthy and extremely reliable.")
- JUVE Guide 2024/2025: Award "Leading Name in Trade and Distribution" (first awarded in 2017/2018, "very good, especially in the automotive and vertical EEA sectors, very visible", competitor; especially in distribution antitrust law) and listed under "Frequently Recommended" in "Trade, Distribution and Logistics" (first listed in 2011/2012) and "Antitrust Law" (first listed in 2011/2012, "clever and experienced antitrust lawyer, pleasant and cooperative", competitor)
- JUVE Guide 2021/2022: Listed under "Frequently Recommended" in "Dispute Resolution" (first listed in 2015/2016, "good tactical sense", competitor)
- The Legal 500 Germany 2025: Award "Leading Name"in the category "Commercial and Distribution Law - Distribution/Commerce/Logistics" (first award in 2016, "Anne Wegner: A competent point of contact for competition law.", "Anne Caroline Wegner has very good experience and excellent specialist knowledge.") and recommendation in the category "Antitrust Law" (first recommendation in 2023, first mention in 2014, "Sebastian Felix Janka and Anne Caroline Wegner are outstanding competition lawyers of their generation, who have already achieved international renown at a young age.", "Anne Caroline Wegner: Very good, profound work and always easy to reach directly.") and mention in "City Focus - Düsseldorf"
- The Legal 500 Germany 2023: Recommendation in "City Focus Düsseldorf"
- The Legal 500 Germany 2019: Mention in the category "Dispute Resolution - Commercial Disputes" (first mention in 2016)
- Lexology Index 2025 (former WWL Who’s Who Legal): Award "Thought Leader" in "Thought Leaders – Competition" (first award in 2021) and recommendation "National Leader" in "Germany - Competition" (first recommendation in 2019)
- Lexology Index 2024 (former WWL Who’s Who Legal): Award "Thought Leader" in "Thought Leaders – Germany" (first award in 2022) and recommendation "Global Leader" in "Competition" (first recommendation in 2013)
- kanzleimonitor.de 2021/2022: Recommended in "Antitrust Law" (first recommended in 2018/2019)
- Best Lawyers 2025: Recommended in "Competition/Antitrust Law" (first recommended in 2014), "Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice" and "Litigation" (first recommended in 2024)
- WirtschaftsWoche 2022: Recommendation "Top Lawyer" in "Antitrust Law" (first recommendation in 2020)
- Expert Guides 2021: Recommended in "Competition and Antitrust" (first recommended in 2012) and "Women in Business Law" (first recommended in 2012)
- "Corporate INTL Award" 2014 in "Distribution Law"
Clients
- Advising diverse clients in cartel proceedings (partly including leniency applications) before the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission (among others wholesaling of sanitary and healing products, automotive supplier industry, building material sector)
- Representing Erste Bank in an action for annulment of a cartel fine (“Lombardclub”)
- Merger control filings with the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission as well as multijurisdictional filings (among others, Remondis’ acquisition of Xervon, Sodecia’s acquisition of a competitor from the automotive supplier industry)
- Jointventures (merger control, non-compete obligations, FuE-cooperations, specialisation agreements)
- Litigation: representing several importers of motor vehicles against individual and class actions by their authorised distributors (among others concerning standard terms, guarantee remuneration, margin, transport costs, contract termination, defence in refusal to supply actions, access to the distribution system)
- Advising several clients on the adjustment of their distribution systems to the legal framework of the motor vehicle block exemption regulations (Commission Regulation (EC) no. 1400/2002 and 461/2010)
- Advising an importer of automobiles on the set-up of a pan-European distribution system
- Antitrust Due Diligence for an investment bank regarding the acquisition of a construction materials group
- Advising a company in the out-of-home media industry with respect to the sector inquiry of the Federal Cartel Office
- Defending a manufacturer of automobile components in an injunction proceeding concerning delivery of parts (“refusal to supply”)
Publications
- Germany: vigilant cartel enforcement led to dip in cases, in: GCR - Europe, Middle East and Africa, Antitrust Review 2024, Juni 2023, S. 252-268
- Die neue Vertikal-Gruppenfreistellungsverordnung (EU) 2022/720 nebst Vertikal-Leitlinien – Kontinuität und Umbruch in der Vertriebspraxis, in: Zeitschrift für Wettbewerbsrecht (ZWeR), Heft 03/2022, S. 243 (gemeinsam mit Samira Altdorf, LL.M. & Benjamin Schwenker)
- Zeitenwende im Kartellrecht: Einführung einer missbrauchsunabhängigen Entflechtungsbefugnis des Bundeskartellamts durch die 11.GWB-Novelle?
- Cartels, the dynamics of settlements and the (risky) court battle
- Collective class actions und claims Aggregation in Germany, in: GCR Private Litigation Guide - Third Edition 2021
- Germany: Cartels
- Antitrust law / Litigation: No "mass debt collection": Munich Regional Court I rejects 600 million Euro claim for damages regarding the truck cartel!
- Collective or Class Actions and Claims Aggregation in Germany, in: GCR Insight - Private Litigation Guide, 2019
- Prescription of Cartel Damages Claims: Analysis of Higher District Court of Karlsruhe's decision of 9 November 2016 (6 U 204/15) (German Language)
- Recent Competition Law Developments in the Automotive Industry
- Only extraordinary circumstances can render a two years termination notice void - comments on judgment of Higher District Court Frankfurt of 22.12.2015, 11 U 25/14 (Kart)
- Distribution Contracts and Antitrust Law in International Arbitration - the Arbitrators' Challenge
- The joint venture - antitrust challenges from the cradle to the grave
- The Application of Competition Law to the Automotive Industry
- "Vertikal–GVO", in: Kölner Kommentar zum Kartellrecht
- European Merger Control Regulation
- Denying Internet trader access to brick and mortar wholesaler-association does not infringe antitrust laws - commentary to judgment of Higher District Court of Düsseldorf
- Zitat in: German broadcasters drop joint venture - Competition News, Features and Reviews
- GMO expert: EU has revised positions
- Market definition for authorised repairers and spare parts supply
- European Court of Justice (EuGH) confirms Commission's Guidelines on internet trading
- Paradigm shift in motor vehicle sales?
- New Motor Vehicle Block Exemption (461/2010), part III: The sale of new vehicles from June 2013
- The new freedom of car manufacturers
- EuGH: Vertriebsverbote im Internet untersagt - Entscheidungsbesprechung des Urteils vom 13.10.2011 - C-439/09 (Pierre Fabre)
- New Motor Vehicle Block Exemption (461/2010), part II: Agreements in the Aftermarkets outside the scope of the BER
- New Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (Reg. 461/2010), part I: The Aftermarkets
- Commentary to Art. 3 European Merger Control Regulation
- On the Prerequisites under which an Exclusive Supply Contract for Petroleum Products between a Service-station Operator and an Oil Company is exempted from the Scope of Art. 81 EC – Annotations to the Judgment of the European Court of Justice of 11.09.200
- New notices of the Federal Cartel Office on Co-operation between Businesses: De Minimis Notice 2007 and Notice SMEs 2007
- On the Effectiveness of Terminating a Distribution Agreement relating to Motor Vehicles and the Compatibility of such a Termination with the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (EC 1400/2002) – Annotations to the Judgment of the European Court of Jus
- Commentary to Art. 3 European Merger Control Regulations
- Commercial Agent’s Privilege: Sales via Commercial Agents - a Viable Exemption to the Prohibition under Art. 81 of the EC Treaty / § 1 of the German Act Against Restraints on Competition (GWB?)
Blog posts
- ECJ clarifies conditions for restrictions on active sales in exclusive distribution contracts under the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation
- ECJ facilitates enforcement of claims of app providers against dominant platforms to establish interoperability of app and platform
- Webinar: Luther Antitrust & Competition Law Forecast 2025
- Luther Antitrust & Competition Law Forecast 2025
- European Court of Justice rules: an energy supplier and a food distributor can be ‘potential competitors’
- Expiry of Block Exemption Regulation for Liner Shipping Consortia – Background and outlook
- 11th Amendment of the German Competition Act gives the Federal Cartel Office far-reaching powers of intervention
- ECJ judgement Unilever Italia: Attribution of distributors’ conduct to the manufacturer in an abuse of dominance case
- New draft German antitrust bill: Will the Federal Cartel Office be vested with new powers to order unbundling on any disfunctional market without having to prove a violation of an-titrust laws?
- Changes for online platform business due to new competition law on vertical restrictions
- Luther Competition Law Forecast 2022 – Topics that will be important under antitrust law in 2022
- Antitrust and distribution – current status of the reform of the Block Exemption Regulation for distribution agreements (VBER)?
- Challenges in dealing with cross-border cartel cases – why is this so relevant right now?
- Free-riding allowed? - BGH declares Booking.com's ‘narrow most favored nation clause’ illegal
- "ARC Digitisation Act" came into force today - important changes to the German Competition Act [Update]
- COVID-19 still causes turmoil in competition (law)
- Dawn raids: EU General Court partly annuls the Commission’s decision authorising a dawn raid at French supermarket chains
- Cartel follow-on litigation: Dortmund court quantifies cartel damages without econometric analysis
- Big Bang in automotive distribution contracts? The order of the Higher Regional Court in Vienna dated May 2, 2020 on the invalidity of certain conditions and practices in the automotive industry under antitrust law
- Overcoming the crisis in the automotive sector: The Bundeskartellamt temporarily tolerates certain forms of cooperation during the restart of production and restructuring
- Collective follow-on cartel damages actions: 600 million Euros group claim for follow-on damages (truck cartel) rejected by Regional Court of Munich I
Lectures
- 18.02.2025: Webinar: Luther Antitrust & Competition Law Forecast 2025
- 29.06.2023: Kartellrechts-Webinar – das neue Vertriebskartellrecht
- 20.09.2022: Luther Kartellrechtsfrühstück 2022 I Hamburg „Das neue Vertriebskartellrecht"
- 14.09.2022: Luther Kartellrechtsfrühstück 2022 I München „Das neue Vertriebskartellrecht"
- 08.09.2022: Luther Kartellrechtsfrühstück 2022 I Düsseldorf „Das neue Vertriebskartellrecht"
- 06.07.2022: Jahrestagung Recht in der Automobilzulieferindustrie
- 21.06.2022: M&A-Forum 2022 I Köln
- 29.04.2022: Deutschen Gesellschaft für Vertriebsrecht, Leipzig: Die neue Vertikal-GVO
- 10.12.2021: Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht: Der Entwurf der neuen Vertikal-GVO
- 29.11.2021: Hot topics in merger control in the antitrust sector
- 03.03.2019: Access to Repair and Maintenance Information and Authorized Repairer Networks, Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector (Brussels)
- 02.02.2018: Access to network claims – Jaguar Landrover case(s), Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector (Brussels)
- 01.01.2017: Access to Technical Information (RMI), Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector (Brussels)
- 30.06.2015: Internet retailing, Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector 2015 - IBC Legal
- 09.10.2014: Recent developments in Germany, Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector Conference (Brussels)
- 14.11.2013: Internetvertrieb – Kartellrechtliche Fallstricke, 13. PraxisFORUM Vertriebsrecht
- 04.11.2013: Access to (selective) distribution networks, Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector Conference (Brussels)
- 06.03.2013: Internetvertrieb Aktuelle Rechtsprechung, Entwicklungen und Problemfelder, Praxisseminar Forum Institut
- 22.11.2012: Rechtsprechung – Vertragsgestaltung - Praxis, 12. PraxisFORUM Vertriebsrecht 2012
- 25.09.2012: Quantitative Selektion – Neues aus Luxemburg, 13. PraxisFORUM Kfz-Vertrieb 2012 - Erfahrungen mit der geänderten Kfz-GVO.
- 04.07.2012: Aktuelle Fragen des Kfz-Vertriebs – Strukturierung von Kfz-Vertriebssystemen, Forum Institut
- 28.06.2012: Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector 2012, IBC Legal Conferences
- 09.10.2011: Single Branding under Block Exemption Regulations 461/2010 and 330/2010, Competition Law Challenges in the Motor Vehicle Sector Conference (Brussels)
- 01.09.2011: Aktuelle Rechtsprechung zum Kfz-Vertrieb und deren Auswirkung auf die Praxis, Kfz-Vertriebsforum
- 01.09.2011: Aktuelle Rechtsprechung zum KFZ- Vertrieb und deren Auswirkung auf die Praxis, KFZ- Vertriebsforum (Forum Institut)
- 01.01.2011: Multi-Branding and Non-Competes , Vortrag in englischer Sprache auf der IBC Legal Konferenz zur Auswirkung der neuen GVO auf den Automobilvertrieb
- 01.11.2009: Specific Antitrust Problems in the Aftermarkets, Vortrag in englischer Sprache auf der IBC Legal Konferenz zu den Entwicklungen im Automobilvertrieb
- 01.08.2009: Elektromobilität: Kooperationen zwischen Stakeholdern, Mandantenseminar zum Thema "Elektromobilität - Neue Infrastruktur und der Zugang zum Kunden"
- 01.07.2008: Access to Technical Information under the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption and after its Expiry, Vortrag in englischer Sprache auf der IBC Legal Konferenz zur Zukunft des Automobilvertriebs
Partner
Hans-Christian Ackermann
Partner
Dusseldorf
Samira Altdorf, LL.M. (Brussels School of Competition)
Senior Associate
Dusseldorf
Sabrina Aurnhammer
Associate
Munich
Dr Marcus Backes
Partner
Hamburg
Eva Bader
Associate
Munich
Dr Maximilian Bahnsen
Associate
Hamburg
Dr Sandra Bausch
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Dr Johannes Becker
Counsel
Cologne
Kerstin Belovitzer-Franz
Counsel
Stuttgart
Dr Sebastian Berndt
Associate
Munich
Tarik Bilici, LL.M.
Junior Consultant
Dusseldorf
Dr Andreas Blunk, MLE
Partner
Hanover
Lilith Boos
Associate
Dusseldorf
Dr Christopher Borho
Associate
Stuttgart
Maike Böttcher
Associate
Hanover
Achim Braner
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Axel Braun
Partner
Cologne
Christian Brauns
Counsel
Stuttgart
Leon Breiden
Associate
Cologne
David Bündgens
Senior Associate
Cologne
Dr Christoph von Burgsdorff, LL.M. (Essex)
Partner
Hamburg
Prof. Dr Christian Burholt, LL.M.
Partner
Berlin
Dr Robert Burkert
Senior Associate
Hamburg
Dr Kuuya Josef Chibanguza, LL.B.
Partner
Hanover
Marx Dauth, LL.M.
Partner
Cologne
Verena Dimarch
Counsel
Munich
Dr Maximilian Dorndorf
Partner
Essen
Guido Dornieden
Counsel
Cologne
Birgitta von Dresky
Partner
Singapore
Dr Michael Ebert
Counsel
Stuttgart
Dr Benjamin Effler
Associate
Berlin
Dr Gernot-Rüdiger Engel
Partner
Hamburg
Ingo Erberich
Partner
Cologne
Cosima Flock
Counsel
Dusseldorf
Ann-Kristin Freiheit
Senior Associate
Dusseldorf
Nicole Fröhlich
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Steffen Gaber, LL.M. (Sydney)
Partner
Stuttgart
Alexandra Gebauer
Associate
Munich
Christina Göbel
Senior Associate
Hamburg
Dr Paul Gooren, LL.M. (Chicago)
Partner
Berlin
Franz-Rudolf Groß, LL.M. (London)
Counsel
Dusseldorf
Dr André Große Vorholt
Partner
Munich
Jette Gustafsson, LL.M. (Boston)
Partner
Hamburg
Frank Gutsche
Partner
Stuttgart
Prof. Dr Hans-Georg Hahn
Of Counsel
Hanover
Dr Thomas Halberkamp
Partner
Hanover
Dr Jan-Lukas Henkst
Associate
Dusseldorf
Dr Rut Herten-Koch, M.A.
Partner
Berlin
Paul Herter
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Jens-Uwe Heuer-James
Partner
Hanover
Felix Hielscher
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Mike Hillers
Associate
Hanover
Daniel Hilmer
Associate
Hamburg
Dr Maresa Hormes
Counsel
Essen
Dr Christian Horn, LL.M. (Tulane)
Partner
Berlin
Dr Benjamin Hub
Partner
Hamburg
Dr Thomas Hufnagel
Partner
Singapore
Dr Hans-Peter Hufschlag
Senior Associate
Hamburg
Felix Imelmann
Associate
Leipzig
Dr Sebastian Felix Janka, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Partner
Munich
Dr Guido Jansen
Partner
Dusseldorf
Dr Helmut Janssen, LL.M. (King's College London)
Partner
Brussels, Dusseldorf
Dr Delia Jusciak
Associate
Leipzig
Kim Larissa Kähler, LL.B.
Associate
Hanover
Jens Kaiser
Senior Associate
Leipzig
Lida Karra
Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Lutz Keller
Senior Associate
Cologne
Philipp Kersting
Partner
Jakarta
Lukas Kirchhof, LL.M. (Hong Kong)
Senior Associate
Kuala Lumpur
Linda Kirchhoff
Senior Associate
Munich
Katharina Klenk-Wernitzki, Dipl. Reg.-Wiss
Partner
Berlin, Cologne
Dr Andreas Kloyer
Partner
Frankfurt a.M., London
Nina Klünker, LL.M. (KCL)
Associate
Berlin
Elisabeth Kohoutek
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Martin Kolmhuber
Counsel
Cologne
Luisa Kramer
Associate
Hamburg
Christiane Kühn, LL.M. (Hong Kong)
Partner
Munich
Dr Thomas Kuhnle
Partner
Stuttgart, London
Pauline Kummer
Associate
Munich
Lasse Langfeldt, LL.M. (Uppsala), LL.M. (Brussels School of Competition)
Senior Associate
Brussels
Martin Lawall, LL.M. (University of Glasgow)
Senior Associate
Brussels
Simone Lersch
Counsel
Cologne
Wolfgang Liebau
Counsel
Dusseldorf
Alexander F. Liebing, LL.M.
Counsel
Leipzig
Mathis Lorenzen, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Ole-Jochen Melchior
Partner
Essen
Sophia Meyer, Maître en Droit
Associate
Berlin
Dr Andreas Meyer-Landrut
Of Counsel
Dusseldorf
Denis Miller
Associate
Berlin
Mee Foo Moh
Of Counsel
Singapore
Julian Monden
Senior Associate
Hanover
Dr Axel Mühl
Partner
Stuttgart
Katharina Müller-Ehrlichmann, LL.M. oec.
Partner
Cologne
Gunnar Müller-Henneberg
Partner
Stuttgart
Paulina Noppeney
Associate
Berlin
David Nückel
Associate
Dusseldorf
Dr Boris Ober
Partner
Cologne
Maxim Oertel
Senior Associate
Berlin
Dr Eckart Petzold
Partner
Dusseldorf
Michael Pfeiffer
Associate
Hamburg
Dr Ulrich Philippi
Partner
Stuttgart
Roberto Pirschel
Senior Associate
Leipzig
Stephanie Quaß
Senior Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Timo Reckert
Associate
Hanover
Elena Recklin
Counsel
Frankfurt a.M.
Anna-Sophia Riebeling
Senior Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Caroline Risse
Senior Associate
Berlin
Prof. Dr Jörg Rodewald
Partner
Berlin
Rebecca Romig
Counsel
Frankfurt a.M.
Isabel Dorothee Ruhnke, LL.M.
Senior Associate
Berlin
Dr Daniela Salm
Counsel
Brussels
Dr Klaus Schaffner
Partner
Leipzig
Christoph Schauenburg, LL.M. (London)
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Robert Schindler
Counsel
Essen
Jan-Christian Schmid
Senior Associate
Leipzig, Hamburg
Dr Wulff-Axel Schmidt
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Leif Dustin Schneider
Counsel
Ho Chi Minh City
Paul Schreiner
Partner
Cologne, Essen
Prof Dr Florian Schulz M.B.A. (Nimbas)
Partner
Hamburg
Hannah-Laura Schütte
Senior Associate
Stuttgart, Dusseldorf
Julie Schwarz, LL.M. (Georgetown)
Associate
Kuala Lumpur
Benjamin Schwenker
Counsel
Dusseldorf
Dr Thomas Schwieters
Associate
Hanover
Dr Astrid Seehafer, M.Sc.
Partner
Berlin
Dr Geert Johann Seelig
Partner
Hamburg
Carsten Andreas Senze
Partner
Stuttgart
Dr Björn Simon
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Holger Stappert
Partner
Dusseldorf
Volker Steimle
Partner
Cologne
Prof. Dr Robert von Steinau-Steinrück
Partner
Berlin
Benedikt Stücker
Senior Associate
Hanover
Gerd Stuhlmacher
Partner
Munich
Dr Johannes Teichmann
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Klaus Thönißen, LL.M. (San Francisco)
Partner
Essen
Severin Uhsler
Associate
Munich
Dr Angelo Vallone
Partner
Dusseldorf
Dr Andreas Vath
Partner
Munich
Patrick Vinson
Associate
Hanover
Dr David von Saucken, MJur (Oxon)
Partner
Berlin, London
Julian Wantzen, LL.M. (Wellington)
Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Anne Caroline Wegner, LL.M. (European University Institute)
Partner
Dusseldorf
Fabien Benjamin Wehner, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Associate
Stuttgart
Thomas Weidlich, LL.M. (Hull)
Partner
Cologne
Dr Mirjam Weiße
Of Counsel
Frankfurt a.M., Munich
Dr Anika Wendelstein
Partner
Stuttgart
Reinhard Willemsen
Partner
Munich, Cologne
Artur Winkler
Counsel
Hamburg
David Wölting
Senior Associate
Dusseldorf
Jan Zimmer
Senior Associate
Singapore
Daniel Zintl
Partner
Leipzig
Lara Zölck
Associate
Berlin