Commercial Law / International Trade

Making up the
right parcel.

LEBUHN & PUCHTA has very long-standing expertise in international commercial law. We guide national clients through cross-border transactions and advise foreign clients with regard to their activities in Germany.
Our work focuses on distribution law (agreements with commercial agents and authorized distributors, franchise agreements), on banking and financing issues, on the auditing and drafting of standard terms and conditions and on providing advice and conducting litigation with regard to international agreements, especially contracts of sale and contracts for work.
We advise our clients internationally and across all branches of industry, whether in the shipping industry, the finance industry, the food industry or the metals trade.
- We have acted for a Dutch trading house dealing in organic products in a warranty claim under a sales contract for a cocoa production chain.
- We have advised a purchaser of cargo under switch bills of lading on its rights to reject the cargo and the documents in the face of the refusal of the shipowner to discharge due to the insolvency of the intermediate charterer, and the effect on the cargo insurance of the delay caused by owners’ refusal to discharge.
- We have advised a trading house on its rights to reject the documents under the sale contract in circumstances where an insufficient quantity of cargo had been shipped, and on whether a variation of the contractual payment terms had been agreed and its effect on the seller’s right to terminate the contract due to non-payment.
- We have acted for a client in defending a claim for damages following from a withdrawal of the official certification of its product as organic food.
- We have advised a client in setting up a shipping line in Germany, including with regard to choice of flag, administrative certification requirements and port facility agreements.
- We have taken part in due diligence exercises for banks in respect of various trades including the oil trade, coal trade, gas trade, copper trade, non-ferrous metals trade, scrap trade.
- We have advised banks seeking to put in place a legal arrangement whereby goods stored in Germany can be used as security for credit facilities.
- We have advised bunker traders in relation to their general terms and conditions and on the effect of choice of law and jurisdiction provisions on the recognition of foreign maritime liens.