Thomas M. Buhl’s practice focuses on domestic and cross-border litigation, domestic and international arbitration and internal investigations.
His practice has also encompassed German and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings.
His litigation experience before the German courts is broad-based, ranging from interim relief including freezing of assets to the enforcement of domestic and foreign judgments and arbitral awards, appeals against court orders and judgments, and vacatur proceedings against arbitral awards. Thomas’ litigation experience is focused on commercial and financial litigation, including involving sovereign states and state entities as defendants. He also has substantial experience in civil antitrust litigation proceedings in the German courts. His matters frequently include cross-border aspects involving parallel domestic and international litigation and arbitration proceedings both in German and abroad. In international arbitration matters, Thomas has acted as counsel for European, U.S. and other multinational corporations in commercial, M&A post-closing, intellectual property and other areas. His internal investigation experience is wide-ranging, from allegations of accounting fraud to subsidy fraud in various industries.
Thomas joined the firm in 1982 and became a partner in 1990. From 1983 to 1991, he was resident in the Paris office, from 1991 to 2003 in the Frankfurt office, and from 2004 to 2007 in the Cologne office before returning to Frankfurt.
Notable Experiences
International Arbitration
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Citigroup Financial Products Inc. and two related joint venture companies in an ICC arbitration against Eurohypo AG and Servicing Advisors Deutschland GmbH claiming damages for breach of the transaction agreements in connection with the purchase of a portfolio of German residential and mixed-use mortgage loans.
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EdF in a pending ICC arbitration brought by an entity controlled by the German state of Baden-Württemberg in connection with alleged state aid in the sale by EdF of its shareholding in EnBW.
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The Agfa-Gevaert group in a series of arbitrations under the Rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) against AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH and AgfaPhoto GmbH in connection with disputes arising out of AgfaGevaert’s carve-out and divestiture of its consumer image business.
Litigation
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Banco Nacional de Comercio Exterior S.N.C. (Bancomext) in proceedings seeking to freeze assets before the German courts against Empresa de Telecomunicationes de Cuba S.A. with respect to the repayment of a EUR 350 million bank financing to the Cuban National Bank.
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LHB Internationale Handelsbank of Slovenia in proceedings in the German courts brought by the Republic of Croatia relating to the distribution of bank deposits of the former National Bank of Yugoslavia.
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The Republic of Argentina in numerous litigations brought by bondholders in the German courts in the context of Argentina’s default and subsequent sovereign debt workout.
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A global market leader in cartel follow-on damage litigation in the German courts.