Felix Schmidtke

As a counsel in our Düsseldorf office and member of our Commercial Practice Group, I advise our domestic and international clients on all aspects of civil and commercial law, both in and out of court.

Being part of our Automotive Sector Group, my work mainly focuses on advising companies in the automotive sector (suppliers and insurance companies) regarding product liability, warranty and general contract law issues. In addition, I support our clients in drafting and reviewing complex commercial contracts as well as general terms and conditions.

Advising national and international companies on ESG related matters is another key aspect of my daily work. As co-leader of our German ESG team, I mainly advise on supply chain compliance, including CSDDD and LkSG, as well as ESG product compliance and related regulatory requirements. This covers the entire product lifecycle, from raw material extraction to disposal and recycling (e.g. electronics or batteries).

In addition to my day-to-day practice, I am a frequent speaker on automotive supply issues, liability issues, supply chain due diligence and product compliance.

Before joining our firm, I worked for another international law firm in Düsseldorf.

• Representing a Tier-1 automotive supplier in a warranty case against a major German OEM (approx. 345 m EUR litigation).
• Representing a Tier-2 automotive supplier in a warranty case against a major German Tier-1 automotive supplier (arbitration).
• Advising several domestic and international companies on various issues related to the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) as well as other ESG requirements.
• Advising a global supplier on the implementation of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) and legal representation in official administrative proceedings in connection with potential violations of the LkSG.
• Advising a leading global battery manufacturer on various product compliance issues (including labelling requirements) under the new European Battery Regulation.
• Advising an insurance policy holder (Tier-1 supplier) regarding the defense of claims of a major German OEM in a warranty case.
• Advising a Tier-1 automotive supplier on various legal issues in connection with the semiconductor crisis (e.g. short-term cancellations of call-offs, resource allocation).
• Advising an automotive supplier (Tier-1) regarding the defense against a delivery stop for the purpose of implementing price increases.
• Advising a technology company operating in the e-mobility sector on various product liability and product safety law issues.