Bio
Georg studied law at the universities of Freiburg i.Br., Grenoble (France) and Münster (Westfalen, Germany). He holds a Doctor of Laws degree from the Westfälische Wilhelms-University in Münster. Georg also holds a degree in Economics for Competition Law of King‘s College, London.
Georg served his legal traineeship (Referendariat) at the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf (Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf) with stations at the Directorate General for Competition (DGCOMP) in Brussels, Hengeler Mueller in Düsseldorf and Blake Dawson (now Ashurst) in Sydney, Australia. After being admitted to the bar (Rechtsanwalt), he worked at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in Düsseldorf from 2008 until 2014, where he advised national and international clients in all aspects of German and European Competition Law. He then worked for two leading international retail companies, most recently as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President for Competition, Compliance and Data Protection.
Since 2021, the German business magazine “WirtschaftsWoche” regularly ranks Georg Schmittmann as one of the most renowned lawyers for Competition Law.
References
- Advising Quadriga Capital on its acquisition of Ignition Holding
- Advising Bencis Capital in relation to multiple transactions in the German market
- Advising PON Holding in relation to the acquisition of a minority shareholding in Moll
- Advising a car manufacturer in relation to competition law aspects of its selective distribution system.
- Advising an international energy company in relation to foreign direct investment regulation.
- Advising an international supplier of automotive parts in an antitrust audit
- Advising a private equity company on merger control regarding the acquisition of a pharmaceutical company
- Advising a private equity company in relation to the acquisition of an international trading company for autoparts
- Advising an international manufacturer of construction machinery before the European Commission in relation to the public takeover of a German industrial company
- Advising an international chemical company on merger control before the European Commission
- Advising a retail company for consumer goods in connection with the establishment of a purchasing cooperation with an international partner
- Advising a leading German manufacturer of sausages in the context of a cartel proceeding by the German Federal Cartel Office
- Advising an international retail company for consumer electronics in connection with a consultation procedure before the European Commission
- Advising an international retail company in connection with the establishment of an international purchasing cooperation
- Advising a trading company in the cartel proceedings of the German Federal Cartel Office against food retailers for vertical price fixing
Publications & Presentations
- “Kartellrecht im Kontext von ESG, LkSG und CS3D”, presentation held on 25 January 2024 for JUC
- Now in Force: 11th Amendment to German Competition Law, Januar 2024, ABA Antitrust Section Article
- “Was HR über das Kartellrecht wissen muss”, paper in “Personalmagazin”, 6/2022.
- “Update zur Reform der Horizontal-GVOs und -Leitlinien”, presentation held on 8 September 2021 at the “Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht”.
- “Kartellrechtliche Besonderheiten in gesellschaftsrechtlichen Transaktionen sowie Neuerungen in der Fusions- und Investitionskontrolle”, presentation held on 19 August 2021 at the “Berliner Anwaltsverein”.
- “Ein Abgesang auf Bestpreisklauseln”, Comments on the “Booking.com” decision of the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH KVR 54/20).
- “Wenn das Smarthome sich nicht vernetzen will - Datenzugangsansprüche nach der 10. GWB-Novelle”, Markt und Mittelstand, 3/2021, p. 50f.
- “Elektronische Marktplätze von, mit und für Wettbewerber”, presentation held on 6 May 2021 at the “Netzwerk Compliance”.
- “One Ring to Rule them All - On the Commission’s Guidance on the application of the referral mechanism set out in Art. 22 of the European Merger Regulation”, D’Kart Antitrust Blog, 12 April 2021.
- “Drum prüfe, wer sich ewig bindet” - Zur Haftung von Finanzinvestoren und Private-Equity-Unternehmen für Portfoliogesellschaften, M&A-Review 3/2021, p. 92ff.
- Co-author (with A. Schürmann), Korruptionsprävention (Prevention of corruption), in: Momsen/Grützner, Wirtschafts- und Steuerstrafrecht - Handbuch für die Unternehmens- und Anwaltspraxis, 2. Edition (2020).
- Rechte und Grundsätze in der Europäischen Grundrechtecharta (Rights and principles in the European Charta of Fundamental Rights), published in the publication series „Völkerrecht – Europarecht – Staatsrecht“ issued by Prof. Dr. Stefan Pieper and Prof. Dr. Volker Epping, Carl-Heymanns-Verlag, Cologne/Berlin 2007.
Memberships
- German Association of Antitrust Lawyers (Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht e.V.)
- German Foreign Direct Investment Control Association (Forum Investitionsprüfung e.V.)
- American Bar Association (Antitrust Section)
- German White Collar Crime Association (Wirtschaftsstrafrechtliche Vereinigung e.V.)
- German Institute for Compliance (DICO - Deutsches Institut für Compliance e.V.)
- Tax & Legal Excellence Network
Accolades
- Juve Magazine - Handbook - recommended for Antitrust/Competition, 2023/2024
- WirtschaftsWoche Top-Lawyer Competition Law 2021, 2022, 2023
- Handelsblatt “Best Lawyers” Competition & Antitrust 2021, 2022, 2023
- Best Lawyers Germany Competition & Antitrust 2021, 2022, 2023
- brand eins Beste Wirtschaftskanzleien - Antitrust - 2022, 2023
- Focus Magazine, Antitrust/Competition - 2023
- Member of the Tax & Legal Excellence Network
