Transport law comprises the law of domestic and cross-border transports by all means of transportation, i.e. carriage by road, rail, air, sea and on inland waterways as well as multi-modal transports. Freight forwarding, transhipment, logistics and warehousing are also part of this field of law.
After the enactment of the Reform Act on the Law on Transportation on 1.7.1998, the legal framework for domestic transport is generally contained in the German Commercial Code. The provisions of a contract of affreightment are normally modified by general business terms which need to be closely scrutinized in case of dispute.
Cross-border transports are subject to a number of international conventions such as the CMR for road transports, the Warsaw Convention and the Montreal Convention for air transports, the COTIF/CIM for carriage by rail and the Hague, the Hague-Visby and the Hamburg Rules for carriage by sea.
In this complex field of law, in which matters of international private and procedural law are frequently of additional relevance, we offer all necessary legal services, particularly advice on the drawing up of contracts of affreightment and general business terms, the handling of claims for loss of or damage to goods or late delivery as well as representation in court and arbitration proceedings.
International trade law comprises especially the international sale and distribution of goods as well as e-commerce, documentary credits, credit insurance and product liability. In addition to domestic German law, international conventions such as the CISG as well as directives and practice codes and trade customs like the ERA or the Incoterms are of relevance.
We offer legal assistance to the import and export trade in drawing up contracts and general business terms, particularly conditions of sale and purchase, in the handling of claims and in court and arbitration proceedings.
Maritime law is the law of the carriage of goods by sea and all matters related to the marine industry.
In addition to the handling of cargo claims, we offer legal assistance in matters of charterparty disputes, bills of lading or general average.
Transport insurance law is closely connected to transport law. Transport insurance comprises especially carrier's and forwarder's liability insurance and cargo insurance but also partly special classes like insurance of valuables or fine arts.
We represent our clients in disputes between insurer and insured and in disputes between co-insureres or between original and re-insurer.
For liability insurers we defend their insured's interests whilst contemporaneously safeguarding their recourse claims against German and foreign sub-carriers. In the area of cargo insurance we pursue recourse actions for cargo interests.
We also assist our clients in the different areas of marine insurance like P&I-insurance, LoH-, FD&D and yacht-insurance.