Dr. Markus Weber

Dr. Markus Weber, an of counsel in Orrick's Düsseldorf office, is a member of the Corporate Group. Dr. Weber's practice focuses on a variety of domestic and international corporate transactions as well as on general corporate counseling, including, in particular, corporate governance and compliance issues, directors' and officers' liability and the negotiated resolutions of corporate disputes. He has extensive experience in advising stock corporations (Aktiengesellschaften), particularly in corporate governance and compliance matters (including cases involving the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)), and gained special knowledge in privatization matters.

Mr. Weber's compliance and FCPA experience has included counseling the supervisory board of a German stock corporation with regard to FCPA-related internal investigations and relating potential claims for damages against management board members and the company's auditors. Furthermore, Dr. Weber co-headed an internal investigation for another German stock corporation with regard to damages resulting from fraudulent activities in connection with business relationships to an external business agent. As a result, Dr. Weber has been called to rework and to develop compliance protocols to prevent future misconducts. Dr. Weber is co-author of a new legal commentary on the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG) which was published in October 2010.

Some of his recent representations include the following.

• Federal Republic of Germany with regard to the privatization of the German railway system (privatization models, regulatory issues, financing, corporate governance issues).
• Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs with regard to the divestment of the properties held by Deutsche Bahn AG to the railway related infrastructure companies (Project volume: €3 billion).
• Wickeder Westfalenstahl GmbH on the acquisition of a strategic shareholding in public listed DNick Holding plc.
• Management of GSW Immobilien AG on its Prime Standard IPO.
• Acquisition of all shares in ABIT GmbH from the listed financial service provider GFKL Financial Service AG by Findos Investor.
• German DAX 30-listed corporation with regard to directors' and officers' liability and compliance issues.
• Undisclosed German bank with regard to corporate governance issues.
• Undisclosed German insurance group with regard to corporate governance issues.
• Defense of undisclosed managers against liability claims.
• Various clients in conducting internal investigations.

In 2009, Dr. Weber worked in Orrick's San Francisco Office. Before joining Orrick Hölters & Elsing, Dr. Weber worked with KPMG in Frankfurt and London.