Dr. Sebastian Felix Janka, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)

Dr Sebastian Janka advises national and international clients on European and German antitrust law. His advisory services cover inter alia M&A/transactions (merger control by the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office and coordination of multijurisdictional filings), antitrust investigations and fine proceedings conducted by the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office, damages proceedings, and other judicial and extra-judicial disputes (before German courts, the European General Court, and the European Court of Justice), and compliance advice. Another focus of his work is digital business models. Sebastian Janka has been appointed Ambassador of the Artificial Intelligence Center Hamburg (ARIC) e.V. and elected member of the Legal (Antitrust) Working Group of “Plattform Industrie 4.0”, a digitisation project initiated and directed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), leading industry associations, and top-ranking representatives of the business and scientific communities and trade unions.

Antitrust Law
Compliance & Internal Investigations
Corporate/M&A
Digital Infrastructure

Dr Sebastian Janka studied law at the Universities of Hamburg (Germany), Bordeaux (France), and Stellenbosch (South Africa) and did both his doctorate and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) on an antitrust law topic. As part of his legal training, he worked for the German Federal Cartel Office in Bonn (Germany) and the law firm M&M Bomchil in Buenos Aires (Argentina), amongst others.

Sebastian Janka was admitted to the German Bar in 2008 and worked for the international law firm Noerr LLP as an associated partner in the area of antitrust law until mid-2019. In 2014, he did a secondment in the Antitrust Division of the US law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York (USA). Sebastian Janka joined Luther as a partner in 2019. He has authored numerous publications on matters relating to antitrust and sports law. Furthermore, he is a frequent lecturer and moderates discussions on the topic of antitrust law at national and international conferences. He is a member of, inter alia, Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht, an association of German-speaking lawyers specialising in antitrust law, the American Bar Association (ABA), and the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA).

• The Legal 500 Germany (2020): Mentioned for “Antitrust Law”
• Best Lawyers Germany (2018, 2019, 2020): Listed in "Competition/Antitrust Law"
• Who's Who Legal (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021): Listed in “Germany – Competition”, “Global Leader – Competition” and “Thought Leaders – Competition”
• Who's Who Legal (2017): Recommended in "Competition - Future Leaders": “Sebastian Janka is commended for his proficiency in cartel investigations and follow-on damages claims work. According to sources, he “possesses impressive in-depth knowledge” and “offers a really practical approach” to solving complex problems.”
• Who’s Who Legal (2019): "Sebastian Janka is highlighted by respondents as “an up-and-comer” in the domestic market whose practice covers all aspects of competition law in Germany and the EU."; moreover: “Sebastian Janka is a “goal-oriented and efficient” practitioner who stands out among peers for his “pragmatism, quick understanding and focus on the relevant aspects” of a case.”
• Who’s Who Legal (2020): “Luther’s Sebastian Janka comes highly recommended by respondents, who praise his “quick understanding” and “pragmatism”, particularly with regard to merger control clearance.”

• Advice to and representation of a former sales manager of a German confectionery manufacturer before the Federal Cartel Office, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf and the Federal Court of Justice in Germany in connection with an alleged unlawful exchange of information in the so-called "confectionery proceedings"
• Advice to a US-American metal producer and trader in connection with antitrust offence proceedings and in connection with antitrust claims for damages
• Antitrust law advice to a large German automotive manufacturer in connection with joint ventures and cooperation agreements in Central and Eastern Europe, primarily in Russia; merger control advice, for example in connection with the acquisition of a controlling interest in an engineering and consulting services provider by the French AKKA Technologies SE
• Merger control advice to a gambling and online gambling operator in connection with the EUR 1.5 billion takeover of an online gambling company
• Advice and representation of a specialty chemicals company in connection with the “calcium carbide proceedings” before the European General Court, the European Court of Justice, and in civil proceedings (including before the German Federal Court of Justice)
• Advice to a conglomerate active in the steel industry on how to deal with antitrust compliance issues, including the introduction and implementation of an amnesty programme and assistance with antitrust audits
• Advice to a medium-sized provider of local public transport services before the Federal Cartel Office in connection with alleged bid-rigging
• Constant merger control advice to various Private Equity companies and investors in connection with several strategic acquisitions

• 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"