Reinhard Willemsen
Areas of practice
Reinhard Willemsen mainly advises domestic and international companies across a variety of industries in restructuring situations. In this context, he primarily advises on reorganisation proceedings under the German Corporate Stabilisation and Restructuring Act and on debtor-in-possession and protective shield proceedings with a view to protecting his clients from liability and reorganising the company, if possible.
Reinhard Willemsen’s services also include carrying out preparatory work and providing legal assistance before the application to open insolvency proceedings is filed, as well as advising creditors, companies and companies’ executive, supervisory and other bodies prior to insolvency on all matters pertaining to insolvency law, in particular with regard to said bodies’ liability. He further specialises in enforcing and defending insolvency-specific rights and claims, in particular, liability claims against managing directors and rights to contest transactions performed by the debtor before the insolvency proceedings were opened.
In addition to reorganisation and insolvency law, Reinhard Willemsen also advises and assists in matters pertaining to commercial and distribution law, including the implementation of distribution structures, the negotiation of supply and distribution agreements, and dispute resolution, in and out of court, with a special emphasis on warranty and liability issues.
For some years now, he has also been supporting clients in mass actions.
Vita
After studying law and carrying out his legal training in Cologne (Germany), Reinhard Willemsen began his career working in the Auditing Department of Price Waterhouse. In 1998, he transferred to Luther's predecessor law firm, where he soon became interested in recapitalisation and insolvency law due to his profound knowledge and experience in accounting and bookkeeping. He has managed this practice area since 2004. Reinhard Willemsen is a lecturer teaching company law as part of the “RUBlaw-active” course at Ruhr University in Bochum (Germany).
Honors and distinctions
- The Legal 500 Germany 2025: Mention in the category "Restructuring" (first recommendation in 2023, first mention in 2016, "Reinhard Willemsen: Professionally competent, with open communication, determined.")
- Best Lawyers 2025: Recommendation "Restructuring and Insolvency Law" (first recommended in 2021)
Clients
- Legal advice to a wholesaler operating worldwide
- Legal advice to a well-known automotive supplier on the development of sales structures that provide protection from insolvency-related risks and defence against claims arising from insolvency-related rights to rescind
- Legal advice to a leading mechanical engineering company operating worldwide, especially with regard to the setting up and further development of sales structures and purchasing processes, the drafting and negotiation of B2B contracts, and representation in court
- Drafting of numerous General terms and conditions, in particular, in the areas of “retail” and “consumer products”
- Legal advice to various renowned large foreign investors on how to defend against claims arising from insolvency-related rights to rescind and representation in court
- Legal advice to, and representation in court of, a well-known energy group in all matters pertaining to commercial and distribution law
- Transaction advice to numerous creditors, debtors and insolvency administrators
Publications
- Kommentars zu KWG und CRR, Teilbände 1a und 1b
- Sanierungs- und Restrukturierungsmaßnahmen für insolvenzgefährdete Familienunternehmen
- Kommunale Energieversorger - Im Spannungsfeld zwischen Energiekrise, Daseinsvorsorge und organisationalen Herausforderungen
- Kommentar zu Art. 456-461 CRR sowie Art. 462-464 CRR
- Vorsatzanfechtung: Praktische Handhabung und Grenzen bei kongruenten Deckungen, in: BetriebsBerater, Heft 25/2020, S. 1353-1359
- Autor des Handbuchs Corporate Compliance Checklisten - Rechtliche Risiken im Unternehmen erkennen und vermeiden, herausgegeben von Dr. Karsten Umnuß & Dr. Cornelia Godzierz, C. H. Beck, 4. Auflage 2019
- Änderung des Anfechtungsrechts - Vorfahrt für Sanierungen?
- Sanierungserlass gekippt – was bedeutet dies für die Sanierungspraxis?
- Gesetz zur Verbesserung der Rechtssicherheit bei Anfechtungen – Ende gut alles gut?, in: Betriebs-Berater, Heft 12/2017
- Regierungsentwurf zur Anfechtung – ein versteckter Segen für den Fiskus, in: Betriebs-Berater (BB) 2015
- Anfechtung wird erschwert, in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung vom 04. November 2015
- Referentenentwurf zur Verbesserung der Rechtssicherheit bei Anfechtungen - Baumängel statt Baufortschritt, in: Betriebs-Berater (BB) 2015
- Weder Fisch noch Fleisch, in: Börsen-Zeitung vom 16. Mai 2015
- Bearbeitung des Kapitels "Praxistipps Unternehmenskrise", in: Compliance in der Unternehmerpraxis: Grundlagen, Organisation und Umsetzung, herausgeben von Gregor Wecker & Bastian Ohl, Springer Gabler Verlag, 3. Auflage, 2013
- Hochwasserhilfe taugt nicht viel - Änderung der Insolvenzordnung war Wahlkampfmanöver
- Erst auf den zweiten Blick attraktiv - Insolvenzrecht für Berufseinsteiger, in: Karriere im Recht, Heft 2/2012
- Business Law in Germany, Chapter 27, Restructuring and Insolvency Law
- Insolvenzrecht im Umbruch – ein Überblick über den RegE-ESUG
- Die Reform des Insolvenzplanverfahrens - Ein Zwischenstandsbericht: Anmerkungen zu den vorgeschlagenen Änderungen
- Zuschlagen oder Abwarten? - Timing bei M&A in der Krise
- Erweiterte Geschäftsführerhaftung beim Cash-Pooling Ausweitung der Insolvenzprävantionspflichten in § 64 GmbHG
- Wie sollten sich Lieferanten auf die Insolvenz eines Kunden vorbereiten?
- Cash-Pooling und die insolvenzrechtliche Anfechtbarkeit absteigender Darlehen – Unterschätzte Risiken für Gesellschafter
- Vorsicht im Fall eines Falles - Schutz von Eigenkapital in der Insolvenz
- Rechtliche Aspekte von Kooperationen und Übernahmen auf dem russischen Markt
Blog posts
- Former managing director’s extended liability for failure to file for insolvency – Federal Court of Justice judgment of 23 July 2024, case no. II ZR 206/22
- Federal Court of Justice: Extension of lawyers’ liability in the event of failure to provide insolvency advice
- Five questions – five answers: The moratorium on Greensill Bank AG and its consequences for depositors
- The planned changes to insolvency law for companies affected by the coronavirus crisis
- The temporary suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency for those affected by the coronavirus crisis
- COVID-19 – will the coronavirus accelerate crises and insolvencies?
- Jahrestagung des Verbandes der Insolvenzverwalter (VID)
Lectures
- 16.03.2023: DKTR I Regelungswut oder kohärentes Vorgehen – Richtlinienvorschlag der EU-Kommission zur weiteren Harmonisierung des Insolvenzrechts
- 17.03.2022: Russland. Ukraine. Europa. Rechtliche Auswirkungen für Ihr Unternehmen – Update
- 26.04.2018: Aktuelles zum Sanierungserlass, 14. Handelsblatt Jahrestagung Restrukturierung 2018
- 18.12.2011: Sanierung, Sanierungsprüfung und Sanierungsberatung, EUROFORUM-Webcast:
- 20.05.2011: Das Krisenmandat - Besonderheiten in der Mandatsbeziehung, STP Fachtagung Kanzleimanagement
- 18.03.2010: Ablauf des Insolvenzverfahrens / Strategien für Gläubiger und Verhalten bei Insolvenz des Vertragspartners, IHK Informationsveranstaltung "Sicher durch schwere See"
- 17.07.2008: Chancen und Risiken bei Investitionen in Russland, BRSI Roundtable
- 17.05.2008: Rechnungslegung in der Insolvenz, Fachanwaltslehrgang Insolvenzrecht Finanz Colloquium Heidelberg
- 09.10.2007: Die Insolvenz des Vertragspartners, IHK Stade
- 08.10.2007: Die Insolvenz des Vertragspartners, IHK Lüneburg
- 28.09.2007: Restrukturierung und Sanierung - Praxisbeispiele, HSC Academy
- 15.01.2007: "Alternative Finanzierungsinstrumente" und "Neues zur Ltd.", Intensive Treatment V
Memberships
- Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater (Vorstandsmitglied im Fachverband Sanierung)
Dr Thomas Schwieters
Associate
Hanover
Timo Reckert
Associate
Hanover
Kim Larissa Kähler, LL.B.
Associate
Hanover
Isabel Dorothee Ruhnke, LL.M.
Senior Associate
Berlin
Nina Klünker, LL.M. (KCL)
Associate
Berlin
Robert Schindler
Counsel
Essen
Dr Christopher Borho
Associate
Stuttgart
Dr David von Saucken, MJur (Oxon)
Partner
Berlin, London
Dr Astrid Seehafer, M.Sc.
Partner
Berlin
Dr Anika Wendelstein
Partner
Stuttgart
Patrick Vinson
Associate
Hanover
Mathieu Laurent
Partner
Luxembourg
Alexander F. Liebing, LL.M.
Counsel
Leipzig
Severin Uhsler
Associate
Munich
Dr Maximilian Bahnsen
Associate
Hamburg
Julian Wantzen, LL.M. (Wellington)
Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Daniel Hilmer
Associate
Hamburg
Oliver Köhler
Counsel
Frankfurt a.M.
Lida Karra
Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Leon Breiden
Associate
Cologne
Elisabeth Kohoutek
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Hannah-Laura Schütte
Senior Associate
Stuttgart, Dusseldorf
Sabrina Aurnhammer
Associate
Munich
Leif Dustin Schneider
Counsel
Ho Chi Minh City
Dr Delia Jusciak
Associate
Leipzig
Maike Böttcher
Associate
Hanover
Mike Hillers
Associate
Hanover
Dr Elisabeth Sechtem
Senior Associate
Munich
Felix Imelmann
Associate
Leipzig
Denis Miller
Associate
Berlin
Dr Thorsten Becker
Counsel
Frankfurt a.M.
Julie Schwarz, LL.M. (Georgetown)
Associate
Kuala Lumpur
Alexandra Gebauer
Associate
Munich
Artur Winkler
Counsel
Hamburg
Dr Andreas Vath
Partner
Munich
Rebecca Romig
Counsel
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Johannes Teichmann
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Luisa Kramer
Associate
Hamburg
Fabien Benjamin Wehner, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Associate
Stuttgart
David Bündgens
Senior Associate
Cologne
Michael Pfeiffer
Associate
Hamburg
Roberto Pirschel
Senior Associate
Leipzig
Dr Boris Ober
Partner
Cologne
Jette Gustafsson, LL.M. (Boston)
Partner
Hamburg
Lutz Keller
Senior Associate
Cologne
Felix Hielscher
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Benedikt Stücker
Senior Associate
Hanover
Katharina Müller-Ehrlichmann, LL.M. oec.
Partner
Cologne
Jan Zimmer
Senior Associate
Singapore
Caroline Risse
Senior Associate
Berlin
Anna-Sophia Riebeling
Senior Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Johannes Becker
Counsel
Cologne
Jan-Christian Schmid
Senior Associate
Leipzig, Hamburg
Jens Kaiser
Senior Associate
Leipzig
Gunnar Müller-Henneberg
Partner
Stuttgart
Mathis Lorenzen, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Dr Björn Simon
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Christina Göbel
Senior Associate
Hamburg
Philipp Kropatscheck Nguyen, LL.M.
Of Counsel
Singapore
Paul Herter
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Dr Paul Gooren, LL.M. (Chicago)
Partner
Berlin
Dr Rut Herten-Koch, M.A.
Partner
Berlin
Dr Sandra Bausch
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Julian Monden
Senior Associate
Hanover
Lukas Kirchhof, LL.M. (Hong Kong)
Senior Associate
Kuala Lumpur
Dr Sebastian Felix Janka, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Partner
Munich
Linda Kirchhoff
Senior Associate
Munich
Dr Michael Ebert
Counsel
Stuttgart
Dr Robert Burkert
Senior Associate
Hamburg
Christian Brauns
Counsel
Stuttgart
Elena Recklin
Counsel
Frankfurt a.M.
Ann-Marie Jüttner
Senior Associate
Stuttgart
Maxim Oertel
Senior Associate
Berlin
Stephanie Quaß
Senior Associate
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Christian Horn, LL.M. (Tulane)
Partner
Berlin
Katharina Klenk-Wernitzki, Dipl. Reg.-Wiss
Partner
Berlin, Cologne
Wolfgang Liebau
Counsel
Dusseldorf
Dr Eckart Petzold
Partner
Dusseldorf
Dr Axel Mühl
Partner
Stuttgart
Ole-Jochen Melchior
Partner
Essen
Dr Ulrich Philippi
Partner
Stuttgart
Dr Thomas Kuhnle
Partner
Stuttgart, London
Christiane Kühn, LL.M. (Hong Kong)
Partner
Munich
Dr Martin Kolmhuber
Counsel
Cologne
Dr Klaus Schaffner
Partner
Leipzig
Christoph Schauenburg, LL.M. (London)
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Wulff-Axel Schmidt
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Volker Schneider
Partner
Hamburg
Dr Andreas Kloyer
Partner
Frankfurt a.M., London
Paul Schreiner
Partner
Cologne, Essen
Dr Helmut Janssen, LL.M. (King's College London)
Partner
Brussels, Dusseldorf
Dr Hans-Peter Hufschlag
Senior Associate
Hamburg
Dr Thomas Hufnagel
Partner
Singapore
Dr Benjamin Hub
Partner
Hamburg
Dr Maresa Hormes
Counsel
Essen
Jens-Uwe Heuer-James
Partner
Hanover
Dr Thomas Halberkamp
Partner
Hanover
Frank Gutsche
Partner
Stuttgart
Prof Dr Florian Schulz M.B.A. (Nimbas)
Partner
Hamburg
Dr Geert Johann Seelig
Partner
Hamburg
Dr Steffen Gaber, LL.M. (Sydney)
Partner
Stuttgart
Carsten Andreas Senze
Partner
Stuttgart
Nicole Fröhlich
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Volker Steimle
Partner
Cologne
Ingo Erberich
Partner
Cologne
Dr Gernot-Rüdiger Engel
Partner
Hamburg
Guido Dornieden
Counsel
Cologne
Dr Maximilian Dorndorf
Partner
Essen
Klaus Thönißen, LL.M. (San Francisco)
Partner
Essen
Denis Ullrich
Partner
Leipzig
Dr Kuuya Josef Chibanguza, LL.B.
Partner
Hanover
Dr Christoph von Burgsdorff, LL.M. (Essex)
Partner
Hamburg
Birgitta von Dresky
Partner
Singapore
Prof. Dr Robert von Steinau-Steinrück
Partner
Berlin
Dr Jürgen Bremer
Partner
Dusseldorf
Axel Braun
Partner
Cologne
Achim Braner
Partner
Frankfurt a.M.
Dr Andreas Blunk, MLE
Partner
Hanover
Anne Caroline Wegner, LL.M. (European University Institute)
Partner
Dusseldorf
Thomas Weidlich, LL.M. (Hull)
Partner
Cologne
Reinhard Willemsen
Partner
Munich, Cologne
Kerstin Belovitzer-Franz
Counsel
Stuttgart
Daniel Zintl
Partner
Leipzig
Dr Marcus Backes
Partner
Hamburg
Prof. Dr Hans-Georg Hahn
Of Counsel
Hanover