Stephanie Dufner and Volker Mauch among "Germany's Best Lawyers 2023" awarded by German Newspaper Handelsblatt
Stephanie Dufner and Volker Mauch among "Germany's Best Lawyers 2023" awarded by German Newspaper Handelsblatt
In this year’s selection of “Germany’s Best Lawyers 2023” by the German newspaper “Handelsblatt”, Stephanie Dufner for Immigration Law and Volker Mauch for Labour Law were awarded. We are delighted about this recognition.
The whistleblower law is coming (effective 07/2/2023):
The whistleblower law is coming (effective 07/2/2023):
Among other things, the Whistleblower Act protects employees who wish to report legal violations within their company internally without having to fear disadvantages as a result. The key point of the law is that employers with more than 50 employees must provide their employees with contact persons also for anonymous reports. At the same time, reporting employees – if the report is not or remains anonymous – are protected from disadvantages.
The law, if implemented correctly, can protect the company from later lawsuits for damages and be an essential part of the company’s own compliance tools. However, if applied incorrectly or not taken into account, it offers significant risks for companies.
The German government is thus implementing EU Directive 2019/1937, the transposition deadline for which has already expired.
If you need help with regard to the so-called whistleblower law, please feel free to contact us.
Minimum salary limits in German labor migration law 2023
Minimum salary limits in German labor migration law 2023
. . The following minimum salary limits apply for 2023:
Regular EU Blue Card (§ 18b para. 2 p. 1 Residence Act): 58.400 euros/ year or 4.867.00 Euros/ month.
EU Blue Card in shortage occupations (i.e. natural scientists, mathematicians, engineers, IT specialists and doctors, section 18b para. 2 p. 2 Residence Act): 45.552 euros/ year or 3.796.00 euros/ month.
Residence permit for skilled workers in the IT sector with pronounced practical professional knowledge (§ 19c para. 2 AufenthG in conjunction with § 6 BeschV): 52,560 euros/ year or 4.380 euros/ month.
Residence permit for older skilled workers according to §§ 18a, 18b para. 1 AufenthG who take up employment for the first time after reaching the age of 45 (§ 18 para. 2 no. 5 AufenthG): 48.180 euros/ year or 4.015.00 €/ month.
Residence permit for older and first-time employees under the Western Balkans regulation or for professional drivers after reaching the age of 45 (section 1 para. 2 BeschV): 48.180 euros/ year or 4015.00 €/ month.
Real estate transfer tax increase as of 01.01.2023 in Saxony and Hamburg
Real estate transfer tax increase as of 01.01.2023 in Saxony and Hamburg
In Saxony, the real estate transfer tax will rise from 3.5% to 5.5% as of Jan. 1, 2023 – a full 2% of the purchase price.
In Hamburg, too, the real estate transfer tax will rise to 5.5% on this date, albeit from the previous 4.5%. For young families, on the other hand, a reduction to 3.5% is planned for owner-occupied residential properties.
In both cases – it is worth keeping this date in mind when entering into real estate purchase agreements. As a rule, the date of the conclusion of the purchase agreement in the notary’s office is decisive.
CHRISTOPH VON PLANTAATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Christoph von Planta
Lawyer | PartnerSpecialist lawyer for migration law
- Migration law
- EU Blue Card
- Business start-up and investment in Germany
- Foreign skilled workers for companies
- Nationality law
BIOGRAPHIC
- Raised in Switzerland, dual citizenship
- Study abroad in London and Aix-en-Provence
- Studies at the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg i.Br.
- Legal clerkship in Brandenburg and Berlin
- Foundation and establishment of the law firm vpmk Attorneys at Law in April 1998
- Specialist lawyer for migration law since the introduction of the specialist lawyer title in 2016
- Lecturer in the field of employment migration and educational migration in all specialist courses for migration law (German Lawyers Academy/ Republican Lawyers Association (RAV)). Regular
- Lectures for ARGE Migrationsrecht im Deutschen Anwaltverein and other providers
- Co-founder and co-operator of the jurisdiction portal for lawyers specializing in migration law “anwaltsdatenbank.net” since 2005
- Member of the Executive Committee of the Migration Law Working Group of the German Bar Association (DAV) since 2012
Publications
- Christoph von Planta, editing of the chapters “Erwerbsmigration” and “Bildungsmigration” in: Thomas Oberhäuser (editor) “Migrationsrecht in der Beratungspraxis”, 1st edition 2019 Nomos-Verlag. See also the book review by lawyer Sibel Simsek in: Asylmagazin 8-9/2019, p. 267 or as PDF.
- Educational migration in transition, Asylmagazin, issue 3/2019, p. 48 ff. PDF
- “New regulations brought about by the 2017 Directive Implementation Act – Part 3: Researchers and Scientists,” ANA-ZAR 04/2018 PDF.
- “New regulations brought about by the Directive Implementation Act 2017 – Part 2: Education Migration and Labor Migration (ICT),” ANA-ZAR 02/2018 PDF.
- “New regulations through the Directive Implementation Act 2017 – Part 1: Study migration,” ANA-ZAR 04/2017 PDF.
- Lars Kroidl and Christoph von Planta, editing of the chapter “Germany” in: Dennis Campbell (General Editor) “International Immigration and Nationality Law”, 2nd edition 2016 Bookstore.
- “Simplifying the labor market integration of refugees”, essay NJW, issue 1-2/2016, p.18-22 PDF.
- “Make it in Germany – The EU Blue Card in Paxis,” Asylmagazin 12/2014 PDF
- “Those who need a good lawyer should get one”, Anwaltsblatt 05/2014 PDF
- “New Work Permit Law – Overview and Criticism,” ANA-ZAR 01/2014 PDF.
KATJA PONERTATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Katja Ponert
Lawyer | PartnerSpecialist lawyer for social law
- Migration law
- EU Blue Card
- Business start-up and investment in Germany
- Foreign skilled workers for companies
- Freelance activity
- Right of free movement/ EU
- Nationality law
- Social law
Biographic
- Studies at the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg i. Br. and as a scholarship holder in
Barcelona; Focus: European & International Law. - Legal clerkship Freiburg, Offenburg, Frankfurt and Berlin;
Collaboration with Pro Asyl/Frankfurt,
UNHCR/ Berlin - Involvement in the Federal Working Group of Critical Law Groups, editor of the journal
“Forum Recht”; research associate at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign
and International Criminal Law in Freiburg i. Br. - From August 2003 to July 2004, advisor for migration and refugee policy at the
Bundestag faction Bündnis 90/Die Grünen; focus: legal support of the
Negotiations on the Immigration Act; handling of aspects of aliens law in Hartz III and IV and the Act to Combat Clandestine Employment, work permit law - Admitted to the bar in June 2004
- Partner of vpmk Attorneys at Law since January 2006
- Successful participation in the specialist course for migration law and social law
Memberships
- ARGE Migration Law in the German Bar Association
- Working group on aliens law of the RAV in Berlin
Recent publications and lectures
- Author of the chapter “Erwerbsmigration” in “Immigration Law – The Law of Labor and Education Migration”, v. Harbou / Weizsäcker (eds.), C.H. Beck Verlag, 1st edition 2018.
- Lecture at the Friedrich-Eberts-Stiftung “Erwerbstätigenzuwanderung im Klartext: Faire
Design creates perspectives”, October 2018 - Guest lecturer at the Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HsH Hannover) as part of the block course “Fundamentals of residence law, as well as delinquency and its impact on residence status”, November 2022
Volunteer
- Volunteer consultant in migration law for various initiatives and organizations
- Free legal advice for refugees and displaced persons in the action alliance “We’re doing it
STEPHANIE DUFNER ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Stephanie Dufner
ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Main Areas of activity
- Migration law
- EU Blue Card
- Setting up a business and investing in Germany
- Foreign skilled workers for companies
- Citizenship law
Biographic
- Born in Freiburg i. Br.
- Studies at the Westphalian-Wilhelms University of Münster and at the Universidad de Barcelona
- Specialised foreign language training in English at the Westfälische-Wilhelms-Universität Münster
- E.MA Master in Human Rights and Democratisation at the EIUC in Venice and at the University of Lisbon (topic of the Master’s thesis: “Women in the European asylum law system”)
- Legal clerkship in Berlin with stations at the Federal Foreign Office, the German Institute for Human Rights and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
- International Law Officer at the General Secretariat of Amnesty International Germany
- Admitted to the bar since 2012
- Parental leave representation at vpmk Attorneys at Law
- Lawyer and Manager at Fragomen Global LLP, Frankfurt
- Partner at vpmk since 2016
- Opening of the Stuttgart office of vpmk in 2017
- Successful completion of the specialist lawyer course in migration law in 2019
- Voluntary advisor on migration law to various initiatives and organisations
MEMBERSHIPS
- Migration Law Network
- ARGE Migration Law in the German Bar Association
- German Women Lawyers Association
- Amnesty International, Pro Asyl
REBECCA MÜLLER ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Rebecca Müller
ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Specialist lawyer for family law
Main Areas of activity
- Family law
- Divorce
- Property division
- parental custody and contact with joint children, prenuptial agreements and agreements on the consequences of
divorce - migration law
- Family reunification
- Right of residence for artists and freelancers from abroad in Germany
- Blue card
- Nationality law
- Right to freedom of movement for EU citizens and their family members
biographic
- Two years working as a freelance journalist after graduating from high school.
- Studied law at the University of Trier
- Legal clerkship in Brandenburg and Berlin
- distinction examination
- Foundation and establishment of the law firm vpmk Rechtsanwälte in April 1998
- Since then specialised in the field of migration law
- Specialist in family law since 2007
- Worked as an expert in migration law at the High Court London, Family Division
- Various communication trainings and many years of further education and training in creative writing, meditation/energy work and martial art T’ai Chi
VOLKER MAUCH ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Volker Mauch
ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNERSPECIALIST IN LABOUR LAW
biographical
- Born 1971
- 1990 – 1995: Law studies at the University of Hamburg (focus: private international law)
- 1995 – 1997: Legal clerkship in the State of Brandenburg
- April 1998: Admitted to the Berlin Bar
- May 1998: Founding partner of vpmk Rechtsanwälte
- 2005: Further training as specialist lawyer for tax law
- 2006: Further training as specialist solicitor for labour law
- 2007: Admission as specialist lawyer for labour law
- 2007: Entry into the real estate department of vpmk and focus on international investors
LECTURES
- Lectures in China/Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Moscow, on civil and tax law issues in connection with investments in German real estate;
- Berliner Immobilienrunde 27.02.2012 “Advising foreign real estate investors in Berlin”.
- 6 July 2022 – 4th Berlin Real Estate Talk – Tax Law for Foreign Real Estate Owners
- 24 May 2022 – IVD Profit Meeting – Lecture on the acquisition of real estate by non-residents
- 13 September 2022 – 36th Berlin Real Estate Talks
- Since 27 October 2022 BGI – Balms Group International – Member of the Board
LARS KROIDL ATTORNEY AT LAW | PARTNER
Lars Kroidl
ATTORNEY AT LAW, L.L.M | PARTNERLawyer | Specialist in Administrative Law
MAIN AREAS OF ACTIVITY
- Business start-up and investment in Germany
- Real Estate Law
- Tenancy law
- Corporate Law
- Administrative Law
BIOGRAPHIC
- Born in Wisconsin/USA
- Studies in Göttingen and Leiden/Netherlands
- Master of Laws at the University of San Diego/USA
- Scholarships: Erasmus scholarship from Leiden University/Netherlands, Merit scholarship from the
University of San Diego/USA - Traineeship: Bremen Regional Court | Department of International Law of the German Foreign Office (assistance at the hearing on forced labour compensation) | international: Heskia-Hacmun, Law Firm in Tel-Aviv/Israel
- Partner at vpmk since May 2003
- Specialist in administrative law since 2008
MEMBERSHIPS
German Bar Association, pro asyl e.V., Zeuthener Segler-Verein e.V. Berlin-Wannsee, CFB Hasenheide e. V.
Publications
Lars Kroidl and Christoph von Planta,
editing of the chapter “Germany” in: Dennis Campbell (General Editor) “International Immigration and Nationality Law”, 2nd edition 2016