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Biography

Kai is a corporate and commercial lawyer and a member of our Manufacturing and Automotive industry teams. He chairs the firm’s International Services Group and heads our German Desk.

Kai’s practice is concentrated on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and a broad range of commercial transactions. He frequently advises German Mittelstand companies in the US.

Kai started practicing as a Rechtsanwalt in Dusseldorf, Germany in 2004 and maintained his German license until 2020. Kai has been admitted to the Ohio bar since 2009. Prior to joining the firm, he practiced in the corporate departments of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Baker & McKenzie in Germany. He graduated from his law school in Muenster/Germany in 2000 and holds a post-graduate degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Kai's Relevant Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Advised well-known German Mittelstand company on its equity investment in its US-based distributor.

Advised US-based publicly traded company regarding its equity investment in Canadian startup.

Advised German Mittelstand company regarding exit from US-based joint venture and dispute with US OEM.

Advised US-based manufacturer on an overhaul of its distribution model throughout North and South America.

Advised German-owned tier 1 on large greenfield investment in the US.

Advised European intralogistics company on a strategic alliance with US based integrator.

U.S. counsel to many European-owned companies from various industries, including automotive, coating equipment, machine tooling, machining centers, industrial sensors, waste separators, metering technology, gear drives, vacuum pumps, injection molding, thermoplastic goods, spirits label printer, intralogistics, logistics, cleaning equipment, medical devices, and others. Recent highlights include:

Advised European market leader on strategic alliance covering 60+ countries.

Advised German automotive components manufacturer on large greenfield investment in the U.S.

Advised German-headquartered industrial control and automation company on expansion of U.S. facility.

Advised German automotive components manufacturer on exclusive distribution arrangement with U.S./Canadian parts supplier for the European market.

Advised German intralogistics company on strategic alliance with material handling company for the U.S. market.

Advised TecDAX company regarding its acquisition of PE owned manufacturer with operations in California, Vietnam, United Kingdom and Singapore.

Advised TecDAX company regarding its acquisition of Indiana based manufacturer.

Advised German owned manufacturer of environmental technologies on various strategic alliances for the U.S. and Asian markets.

Advised publicly traded U.S. mid-cap regarding the reorganization of its foreign subsidiaries.

Advised German high-end packaging manufacturer regarding its acquisition of manufacturing operations in California and Tennessee.

Advised publicly traded U.S. mid-cap in connection with its acquisition of German based call center operator.

Advised leading industrial education provider headquartered in Germany in connection with establishing U.S. apprenticeship program and its cooperation with technical colleges, companies and apprentices.

Advised German supplier of systems for surface finishing technology and environmental technology on large-scale OEM projects and formation of U.S. based joint venture.

Advised German market leader on possible joint venture with European competitor for U.S. market.

Advised German supplier of systems for surface finishing technology and environmental technology on large-scale OEM projects.

Advised German and Italian owned companies on entry into and expansion within U.S. market, through acquisitions and Greenfield investments.

Trained sales staff and legal department of German owned companies on key concerns in U.S. commercial contracts.

Advised on successful acquisition of Ohio based engineering firm.

Advised U.S. based material handling automation and software engineering company on License and Know-how Transfer Agreement with German equipment maker.

Advised German owned companies on entry into and expansion within U.S. market, through acquisitions and Greenfield investments.

Assisted publicly listed client with post-acquisition integration of subsidiaries in 24 countries.

Other Info About Kai

Education

Law School

Case Western Reserve University, LL.M., 2001, with honors

Undergraduate School

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster/Germany, First State Exam, 2000, with honors

State Court of Darmstadt (Landgericht), Darmstadt/Germany, Second State Exam, 2004, with honors

Bar Memberships

Kai is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Ohio, 2009

Germany

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Listed by Chambers Global as “excellent in international matters; he’s engaging and supporting.” Chambers Global, March 2015

Listed by Chambers Global as “excellent go-to choice for advising German clients in the USA.” Chambers Global, March 2014

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Member of the Law Clerk State Assembly in the State of Hessen/Germany, 2002

Major Publications

Kai is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Joint Ventures 2021, Lexology Getting the Deal Through, October 2020

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