WELLENSIEK

What WELLENSIEK does

WELLENSIEK is a German law firm (Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mit beschränkter Berufshaftung) headquartered in Heidelberg, founded in 1899, operating 10 offices across Germany. The firm specializes in insolvency administration, corporate restructuring, distressed M&A, trust services (Treuhandschaften), litigation, labor law, corporate law, and inheritance law. Its primary revenue stream is professional services delivered through court-appointed insolvency administration mandates (Insolvenzverwaltung, Sachwaltung, Eigenverwaltung, Schutzschirmverfahren) and restructuring advisory engagements billed on statutory, hourly, or fixed-fee bases under the German RVG framework. The firm is privately held by its partner bench and has no external funding; it generates revenue through episodic, mandate-based engagements on distressed and restructuring matters.

The firm serves enterprise clients in financial distress — large corporates, mid-market companies, and public entities — across a wide range of industries including steel, automotive, aviation, shipbuilding, retail, and consumer electronics. Notable mandates include Maximilianshütte (1987), Interflug (1991), Klöckner-Werke (1993), Bremer Vulkan (1996), Opel (2008), Praktiker/Max Bahr (2013), and the distressed M&A of the World Conference Center Bonn. Distribution is direct via partner-led engagements, with new mandates sourced through court appointments, professional referrals, and the firm's reputation in the German restructuring market. The firm also operates a proprietary online creditor information system (Gläubigerinformationssystem, GIS) and runs trust services through the long-standing Cornelius Treuhand Holding (CTHG) partnership.

WELLENSIEK differentiates through 125 years of brand history, a deep interdisciplinary team (lawyers, tax advisors, business economists, CFAs), a nationwide office network, and embedded academic and professional relationships (HgGUR with Roland Berger; LL.M. Corporate Restructuring program at University of Heidelberg; memberships in Gravenbrucher Kreis and VID). Recent strategic activity centers on partner expansion (four new partners in 2022-2025), formal integration of CTHG's trust and ShaaS capabilities, and continued build-out of distressed M&A and D&O defense practices. The firm does not pursue a technology platform strategy and reports no AI/ML capability development.

Name

WELLENSIEK

Legal name

WELLENSIEK Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mit beschränkter Berufshaftung (PartG mbB)

Website

https://wellensiek.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

WELLENSIEK is a German law firm (founded 1899, Heidelberg) specializing in court-appointed insolvency administration, corporate restructuring, distressed M&A, and trust services, serving distressed enterprise and mid-market clients across 10 German offices through a partner-led professional services model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insolvency and restructuring legal services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Insolvency, Restructuring & Bankruptcy Administration (BPAHABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Restructuring & Turnaround Advisory (BPAHAOAC), Distressed M&A & Special Situations Advisory (BPAHAOAH), Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency Law (BPAHAAAH), Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAC)

Keywords

• Insolvency administration
• Corporate restructuring
• Trustee services
• Distressed M&A
• German insolvency law

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal and Restructuring Advisory Services: WELLENSIEK generates revenue through professional legal services including insolvency administration (appointed by courts), restructuring consulting, corporate advisory, and related legal counsel. Fees are billed on a hourly rate, fixed fee, or statutory remuneration basis typical for German legal services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WELLENSIEK is a German law firm that delivers court-appointed insolvency administration, corporate restructuring advisory, and trusteeship (Treuhandschaften) services for distressed and crisis-affected companies. Core offerings include traditional insolvency administration (Insolvenzverwaltung), self-administration and custodian mandates (Eigenverwaltung, Sachwaltung, Schutzschirmverfahren under ESUG), restructuring advisory across all crisis phases, distressed M&A, trust and fiduciary services (delivered via partner Cornelius Treuhand Holding, including Shareholding-as-a-Service), and complementary practices in labor law, corporate law, litigation, insolvency-related criminal law, will execution, and inheritance/estate law.

Product overview

WELLENSIEK is a German law firm offering a comprehensive suite of insolvency administration and restructuring services. The core offering centers on insolvency administration where the firm is appointed by courts nationwide, complemented by self-administration (Eigenverwaltung) and custodian (Sachwaltung) mandates. The restructuring division provides advisory services across all crisis phases from earnings crisis through insolvency, including distressed M&A. Supporting services include labor law, corporate law, litigation, criminal/corporate crime law, will execution, inheritance law, and inheritance tax law. The firm operates through its proprietary Gläubigerinformationssystem (GIS) for creditor communications. Trust services are delivered through Cornelius Treuhand Holding (CTHG), including double-benefit trusts, bridge solutions, and Shareholding-as-a-Service (ShaaS). Notable collaborations include the Heidelberger Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für Unternehmensrestrukturierung (HgGUR) and the LL.M. Corporate Restructuring program at Heidelberg University. The firm has offices across Germany including Berlin, Bielefeld, Detmold, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Hennef, Mönchengladbach, Munich, and Stuttgart.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Insolvenzverwaltung (Insolvency Administration) Court-appointed administration of insolvency proceedings under the German Insolvency Code, including business continuation, asset stabilization, and the development and execution of restructuring solutions (including transfer restructurings and insolvency plans) to maximize creditor satisfaction for distressed German enterprises.
• Eigenverwaltung (Self-Administration) Self-administration procedure under ESUG, allowing companies in crisis to remain under current management during insolvency proceedings, with WELLENSIEK providing advisory support and interim organ functions to creditors and the court.
• Sachwaltung (Custodianship / Supervision) Court-appointed supervisory mandate in self-administration proceedings, where WELLENSIEK as sachwalter monitors the debtor's management for compliance with insolvency law and acts as an interim organ in favor of creditors.
• Restrukturierung (Corporate Restructuring) Consulting practice covering all crisis phases from earnings crisis through liquidity crisis to insolvency, developing and coordinating legally and economically viable restructuring solutions for German and international companies (including distressed M&A, refinancing, debtor-in-possession concepts and rehabilitation collective agreements).
• Treuhandschaften (Trust Services) Trust and fiduciary mandates delivered jointly with Cornelius Treuhand Holding (CTHG), including double-benefit trusts (doppelnützige Treuhandschaften) for consensual restructuring, bridge solutions for crisis-affected companies, and Shareholding-as-a-Service (ShaaS) models — providing independent management and oversight of company shares during restructuring.
• Prozessführung (Litigation and Dispute Resolution) Representation in complex disputes before German courts and arbitral tribunals, including defense of management board members against liability claims, enforcement of creditor claims, and defense against insolvency avoidance actions (Anfechtungsansprüche), shareholder disputes and organ liability claims.
• Arbeitsrecht (Labor Law) Collective and individual employment-law advisory for mid-sized companies, with a focus on restructuring measures: contract design, works agreements, negotiation of rehabilitation collective agreements (Sanierungs-Tarifverträge), and labor-related aspects of insolvencies.
• Gesellschaftsrecht (Corporate Law / M&A) Corporate law advisory covering shareholder meetings, corporate and shareholder disputes, board-member advice, M&A transactions (including distressed M&A), and commercial legal protection of intellectual property, for German companies inside and outside crisis situations.
• Insolvenz- & Wirtschaftsstrafrecht (Insolvency and Economic Criminal Law) Defense against criminal prosecution in insolvency-related and white-collar matters, creditor representation in criminal proceedings, tax criminal-law defense, and the development of compliance programs for corporations.
• Testamentsvollstreckung (Will Execution) Will execution services across three perspectives: advising future testators on testament design, advising executors on their rights and duties, and advising heirs on their claims against executors. Also covers international estates and family business successions.
• Erbrecht (Inheritance Law) Comprehensive inheritance-law advisory including testament and inheritance-contract design, estate administration, resolution of disputes among heirs, estate management, and international inheritance matters (including family business succession).
• Erbschaftsteuerrecht (Inheritance Tax Law) Inheritance-tax law advisory covering tax-optimized estate structuring, anticipated succession planning, and post-mortem tax optimization through the exploitation of exemptions and deductions (including international tax considerations).

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cornelius Treuhand Holding GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation partner of WELLENSIEK for Treuhandschaften (trust/fiduciary mandates). The CTHG acts as an independent trust company that implements double-benefit trust structures (doppelnützige Treuhandschaften) for companies in crisis or insolvency. WELLENSIEK lawyers collaborate closely with CTHG on restructuring mandates. Dr. Florian Dausend serves as Managing Partner of both CTHG and WELLENSIEK, further integrating the two entities.
• Heidelberger Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für Unternehmensrestrukturierung mbH (HgGUR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHgGUR is co-founded and co-sponsored by WELLENSIEK and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmbH. Its purpose is the ideal and financial promotion of science, teaching, deepening of knowledge, training, and practice in the field of insolvency, restructuring, and corporate restructuring. This includes supporting the Master program 'Legum Magister für Unternehmensrestrukturierung' (LL.M. corp. restruc.) at the University of Heidelberg. Christopher Seagon serves as Managing Partner of HgGUR.
• Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoland Berger Strategy Consultants co-founded and co-sponsors HgGUR (Heidelberger Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für Unternehmensrestrukturierung) together with WELLENSIEK. HgGUR promotes science, education, and practice in insolvency, restructuring, and corporate restructuring, including supporting the LL.M. Corporate Restructuring program at University of Heidelberg.
• Gravenbrucher KreisminorOthersProfessional association of leading German insolvency administrators. Christopher Seagon is a member of the Gravenbrucher Kreis. Membership provides access to professional network and best practices in German insolvency administration.
• VID (Verband Insolvenzverwalter und Sachwalter Deutschlands)minorOthersGerman association of insolvency administrators and supervisors. Christopher Seagon is a member. Membership supports professional standing and network in the German restructuring community.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Noerr LLP: Major international full-service law firm with a strong German restructuring practice; previous employer of WELLENSIEK partners Stadler and Abel. Overlaps with WELLENSIEK in restructuring and insolvency advisory but operates across many other practice areas.
• CMS Hasche Sigle: Large international law firm with a German restructuring and insolvency practice; previous employer of WELLENSIEK partner Dr. Volker Büteröwe. Overlaps with WELLENSIEK in insolvency and restructuring but with a much broader corporate and M&A portfolio.

Direct peers

• PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH: One of Germany's largest insolvency-administration and restructuring specialist firms, with nationwide coverage and a similar court-appointed mandate profile. Directly comparable to WELLENSIEK in core insolvency administration and restructuring advisory.
• Schultze & Braun Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft für Insolvenzverwaltung: Specialist German insolvency administrator and restructuring firm explicitly named in WELLENSIEK's own competitor and personnel data. Directly comparable on insolvency administration, self-administration, and Sachwaltung mandates.
• hww hermann wienberg wilhelm: Major German restructuring and insolvency-administration specialist with a similar nationwide office footprint and court-appointed mandate base. A direct comparable for court-driven insolvency and restructuring work.
• BBL Bernsau Brockdorff & Partner: German insolvency-administration and restructuring specialist firm; prior employer of several current WELLENSIEK partners (Schlotter, Pantlen, Merten). Directly comparable in court-appointed insolvency and self-administration work.
• Brinkmann & Partner: German insolvency administration and restructuring firm that previously employed WELLENSIEK's Dr. Paul Abel. Directly comparable in court-appointed insolvency proceedings and restructuring advisory.
• Anchor Rechtsanwälte: German restructuring and insolvency-administration specialist; also previously led by Dr. Paul Abel. Directly comparable on insolvency administration, restructuring, and Selbstverwaltung mandates.
• Pöllmann Rechtsanwälte: German insolvency administrator and restructuring firm; previous employer of WELLENSIEK lawyer Matthias Nierhaus. Directly comparable in insolvency administration and distressed advisory.
• Westhelle und Partner: Berlin-based restructuring and insolvency-administration firm; previous employer of WELLENSIEK's Berlin Standortleiter Christian Isekeit. Directly comparable in insolvency administration and debtor advisory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wellensiek

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WELLENSIEK