Legal precision with an eye for individual responsibility

Since my admission to the Bar in 1998, I have worked exclusively in criminal law. I advise and defend companies, associations and individuals in commercial criminal law and tax criminal law as well as in chosen areas of general criminal law. I am committed to maintaining an overview - even in complex proceedings: Identifying the relevant details, determining the legal essentials– and, on this basis, representing the interests of my clients in an expert manner.

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Unschärfe einer Person, die vor einem Gebäude mit Säulen und grünem Garten vorbeigeht.Verschwommene Szene mit vorbeigehender Person vor einem Baum und einer Mauer.

About me

After working for a national commercial law firm and most recently spending 17 years as a named partner at a well-known criminal law firm, I have decided to progress my legal career as a sole practitioner from 2026 onwards. This will allow me to offer my clients the greatest possible independence in all areas.Yet, working alone does not mean working in isolation: my personal assistant, Ms Heike Wolf, my research assistant Amos Rosenbauer, and, depending on the case, specialist colleagues, auditors and tax consultants from my international network support me in keeping my focus on the essentials without losing sight of important details.

Cases in which I was involved that have become public knowledge have included:the criminal defence of board members of several state banks and savings banks on charges of embezzlement, executives of local-authority run businesses on charges of corruption and embezzlement, the “Dieselgate” investigations, defence of the legal advisor of an issuing house on charges of aiding and abetting fraud, individual defence against fraud charges regarding federal road tolls, defence of COO against charges of subsidy fraud and tax evasion, consultants in the context of cum/ex trade arrangements, auditor in the Wirecard case (APAS proceedings) and a listed real estate group in connection with GDPR fines before the EuropeanCourt of Justice.

Mann in Brille, weißem Hemd und schwarzem Anzug vor dunklem Hintergrund.

Curriculum Vitae

Born in Konstanz, raised in Vienna and The Hague

1990

Study of Law at the Freie Universität of Berlin

1995

First state-law examination

1996 to 1998

Trainee lawyer (Rechtsreferendar) in Berlin

1998

Second state-law examination; Lawyer working in a Berlin law firm

since 2001

Specialist lawyer for criminal law (Fachanwalt für Strafrecht); moving to a transregional commercial law firm

2001 to 2011

Extra-professional Lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Potsdam

2008 to 2025

Partner at the law firm Freyschmidt Frings Pananis Venn

2026

Founding the independent law firm RAVENN


Languages: German, English, Dutch

Ein Mann im Anzug telefoniert, während um ihn herum unscharf vorbeifahrende Fahrradfahrer zu sehen sind.Ein Mann im Anzug telefoniert auf einem städtischen Zebrastreifen, während Radfahrer vorbeifahren.

Recommendations

Erneute Aufnahme in die Liste „Berlins beste Rechtsanwälte“, Bereich Strafrecht

Der Tagesspiegel

September 2025

„Top-Rechtsanwalt“ im Fachbereich Strafrecht (seit 2018)

FOCUS

September 2025

Empfehlung in dem erstmals erschienenen Ranking der „renommiertesten Kanzleien und Anwälte für Privatpersonen“

Wirtschaftswoche

Juli 2025

Nomination in commercial and tax criminal law since 2008, most recently in 2024/25: “meticulous, good team player” “legally outstanding, extremely collegial”, “excellent, with an eye for the essentials.”

JUVE — Handbuch Wirtschaftskanzleien

Auszeichnung im Ranking „Deutschlands beste Anwälte“ in den Bereichen Wirtschaftsstrafrecht und Steuerstrafrecht

Handelsblatt

Juni 2025

„Anwalt des Jahres“ im Steuerstrafrecht; Auszeichnung im Ranking „Deutschlands beste Anwälte“ in den Bereichen Wirtschaftsstrafrecht und Steuerstrafrecht

Handelsblatt

Juni 2024

Kompetenzen

Commercial criminal law

Criminal tax law

Criminal law

All areas of practice
Verwischtes Bild einer Person in schwarzer Kleidung, die auf einem Bürgersteig vor einer mit Graffiti bedeckten Wand geht.Unscharfes Bild einer Person, die auf einem Bürgersteig geht, mit Gebäuden und Pflanzungen im Hintergrund.

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