Dr. Christoph Schulte-Kaubrügger
- +49 30 880911 0 (Berlin) / +49 231 589 60 0 (Dortmund)
Biography
Overview
Christoph's practice is focused on insolvency and restructuring law. Recognized as a leading practitioner in this field, he was named "Berlin Insolvency and Reorganization Lawyer of the Year 2019" by legal peer-review publication Best Lawyers.
Christoph's reputation is based on his extensive experience dealing with the most complex and challenging of bankruptcy proceedings, such as those involving group structures. A trusted legal resource for local courts in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Potsdam, Neuruppin, Stendal and Dortmund, he has also been Germany's most active insolvency administrator and custodian for a number of years, in terms of the number of cases he has handled.
To date, Christoph has steered more than 2,000 crisis-hit companies through perilous insolvency proceedings. This track record has given him both a remarkably wide sector knowledge as well as a thorough grasp of the intricacies of restructuring law. Committed to achieving the best possible results in tough situations, he has handled numerous high profile and large scale insolvencies, complicated by their cross-border dimension.
Companies that have benefited from Christoph's insight and experience include power supplier FlexStrom AG, bakery chain De Mäkelbörger/Havelbäecker, as well as a number of major real estate funds.
Christoph's dynamic and creative handling of difficult bankruptcies has also led to him preparing insolvency plans for complex corporate restructuring. His deep insight into this field, combined with his considerable skill as a legal strategist, has also made him a sought-after speaker on insolvency and restructuring law at professional conferences and seminars.
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Experience
KaDeWe Group GmbH (2024)
Advised The KaDeWe Group GmbH, the operator of three German luxury department stores, on its self-administration proceedings, including insolvency and reorganization law, employment and tenancy law, and on the sale of the business operations to Thai Central Group.
Mensing Kleve Textilhandel GmbH (2020)
Acting as custodian for the Mensing Group, a retailer of clothing with approx. 400 employees.
natGAS Aktiengesellschaft (2019)
Acting as custodian for the electricity and gas supplier with revenues of about EUR 3.6 billion in 2018.
Sport Voswinkel GmbH & Co KG (2019)
As custodian Christoph Schulte-Kaubrügger succeeded in the renovation by means of protective shielding procedures. Voswinkel was part of the Intersport purchasing association, an association of over 1,100 specialist sports retailers in five European countries, operated 74 stores throughout Germany and employed around 1,300 people.
Stylebop GmbH (2019)
Acting as custodian for the luxury designer fashion online retailer.
Bouwfonds GmbH & Co. Objekt Stinnesplatz KG, 2017
Acting as custodian for the former Stinnes-headquarters in Mühlheim an der Ruhr.
Park Concept Lünen GmbH & Co. KG, 2017
Acting as custodian; large housing – complex because of partly unfinished construction project.
Innova Handelshaus AG, 2016
Acting as custodian for the wholesaler and retailer of „white goods“ (kitchen and large domestic appliances etc) with over 200 employees in 13 branches.
Umlauf & Klein-Unternehmensgruppe, 2016
Cross-border insolvency Germany/France
Acting as custodian for the manufacturer and retailer with about 100 employees.
ATELCO Computer Aktiengesellschaft, 2015
Acting as custodian for the ATELCO group, a wholesale and retail company for IT hardware and software with about 350 employees in 23 branches and four internet webshops.
Heinz Kettler GmbH & Co. KG, 2015
Acting as (preliminary) custodian for Heinz Kettler GmbH & Co. KG, a manufacturer of leisure articles with about 1050 employees.
BEKUM Maschinenfabriken GmbH, 2014
Acting as custodian for BEKUM Maschinenfabriken GmbH, a mechanical engineering company with 110 employees.
De Mäkelbörger Backwaren GmbH, 2014
Acting as preliminary custodian and insolvency administrator, Christoph recently successfully restructured the bakery chain, which has 1,200 employees, to buyer "Lila Bäcker".
FlexStrom AG, 2013
Acting as insolvency administrator in the bankruptcy of Flex Strom-Group, a power supplier with 580 employees and 835.000 creditors. These are Germany's largest ever insolvency proceedings, in terms of the number of potential creditors.
Wellnesshotel Hafendorf Rheinsberg GmbH & Co. KG, 2013-ongoing
Acting as custodian in the bankruptcy of the Maritim Group Hotel, which has 110 employees, Christoph is helping the hotel business to find the best options for its restructuring.
Pampus Automotive GmbH & Co. KG, 2013
Christoph acted as insolvency administrator in the insolvency of Pampus Automotive, an automotive supplier with 600 employees.
AKT Altmärker Kunststoff-Technik GmbH, 2011
Christoph acted as insolvency administrator in the bankruptcy and successful M&A transfer to buyer "Boryszew", of AKT Altmärker Kunststoff-Technik, an automotive supplier with 1,700 employees.
"Necessary changes to German debtor-in-possession insolvency proceedings from an insolvency trustee's perspective", 12 October 2016: Handelsblatt Insolvency Convention, Düsseldorf, Speaker
"The fact of unprofitability on the part of the opposing party within a cash transaction-like exchange of services/For the appreciation of the reminder of obligations not yet due under threat of a delivery stop" (Das Tatbestandsmerkmal der Kenntnis von Unrentabilität beim Anfechtungsgegner innerhalb eines bargeschäftsähnlichen Leistungsaustausches/Zur Würdigung des Anmahnens noch nicht fälliger Verbindlichkeiten unter Androhung eines Lieferstopps), ZinsO, Issue 16, 2019, P. 817-826 (with Charalambos Bograkos)
"The treatment of mass debts remained unpaid in a first insolvency proceeding in a later second insolvency proceeding - A comment on the Judgment of the Court of Appeal of 14.9.2018 (14 U 34/18)" (Die Behandlung von in einem ersten Insolvenzverfahren unbeglichen gebliebenen Masseschulden in einem später folgenden zweiten Insolvenzverfahren - Eine Anmerkung zum Urteil des Kammergerichts vom 14.9.2018 (14 U 34/18)), ZinsO, Issue 51-52, Pages 2777-2783, 2018 (with Charalambos Bograkos and Johannes Joos)
"If there is a likelihood of imminent insolvency despite the liquidity of the debtor, contestation on the grounds of willful disadvantage is possible" (Vorsatzanfechtung möglich, wenn trotz Zahlungsfähigkeit demnächst voraussichtlich die drohende Zahlungsunfähigkeit eintritt. Anmerkung zu BGH, Urt. v. 21. 1. 2016 - IX ZR 84/13), ZInsO, Issue 21, Pages 1050-1055, 2016 (with Charalambos Bograkos)
"Claims under insolvency law in connection with 'housing projects' (Insolvenzanfechtung im Rahmen des „sozialen Wohnungsbaus“. Anmerkung zu KG, Urt. v. 1.8.2014 – 14 U 119/12)", ZInsO, Issue 6, pp. 273-278, 2016 (with Charalambos Bograkos)
"Imminent insolvency as a strong indicator of intentional fraudulent trading" (Drohende Zahlungsunfähigkeit als starkes Beweisanzeichen für Gläubigerbenachteiligungsabsicht. Anmerkung zu KG, Urt. v. 21.3.2014 – 14 U 24/13), ZInsO, Issue 23, pp. 1107-1111, 2015 (with Charalambos Bograkos)
"Continuing obligatins and aspects of labor law" (Dauerschuldverhältnisse und arbeitsrechtliche Aspekte), Sanierungsrecht. Ed. Andreas Schmidt. Cologne, pages 543-656, 2016
"Imminent insolvency due to permanently negative financial plan; termination of public subsidies" (Drohende Zahlungsunfähigkeit bei dauerhaft negativem Finanzplan; Einstellung öffentlicher Förderung. Anmerkung zu KG, Urt. v. 4.3.2014 – 14 U 98/12), ZInsO, Issue 43, Pages 2113-2116, 2014 (with Charalambos Bograkos and Christian Rissmann)
"On the independence of the Sachwalter (custodian) in self-administration proceedings" (Zur Unabhängigkeit des Sachwalters im Eigenverwaltungsverfahren), EWiR, Issue 21, Pages 705-706, 2012
"Account set up by the (preliminary) insolvency administrator: Special account or escrow account?" (Kontoeinrichtung durch den (vorläufigen) Insolvenzverwalter: Sonderkonto oder Anderkonto?), ZIP, Pages 1400-1408, 2011
"Notifiable mass redundancies during preliminary insolvency proceedings and after insolvency proceedings have been opened" (Anzeigepflichtige Massenentlassungen während des Insolvenzeröffnungsverfahrens und nach Verfahrenseröffnung), Kölner Schrift zur Insolvenzordnung. Münster, 3rd ed., Page 1238 et seq., 2009
"Delayed distribution despite an insolvency plan where items are subsequently identified" (Nachtragsverteilung trotz Insolvenzplan für nachträglich ermittelte Gegenstände), ZInsO, Page 1321 et seq., 2009
Restructuring & Insolvency – Germany, Who's Who Legal 2024
Leading Individual: Restructuring & Insolvency, Who's Who Legal: Germany 2023
Leading Individual: Insolvency, WirtschaftsWoche 2022
Leading Individual: Insolvency, WirtschaftsWoche Top-Kanzleien 2021
Best Lawyer Germany in Restructuring and Insolvency Law, Handelsblatt 2009-2024
Leading Individual: Insolvency, WirtschaftsWoche 2020
Lawyer of the Year: Restructuring and Insolvency, Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt 2019
Leading Individual: Insolvency Administration, Chambers Europe 2016, Germany
Highly Recommended Lawyer: Insolvency Administration, Chambers Europe 2017, Germany
Highly Recommended Lawyer: Restructuring and Insolvency, JUVE 2016/2017
