These are the best lawyers in Berlin

A brief moment of inattention and there's a bang. The Berlin police counted 134,136 traffic accidents last year. The most common causes are: errors when turning, failure to give way, speeding and drunk driving. That sounds as if these are mostly clear-cut cases in which the question of guilt should be quickly decided. But it's not that simple. Berlin lawyer Martin Huth advises: you should go to a lawyer after every accident, even if you didn't cause the damage.

Insurance companies often object to legitimate claims, says the specialist in civil traffic law. The injured party could be left with the costs of repairing the damage, even if they are in the right.

That is why Huth recommends having every case examined legally by a specialist lawyer “who knows the tricks of the insurance companies”. In clear cases, this is even free of charge: if the other driver caused the accident, his motor vehicle liability insurance will cover the legal costs.

© Hahn Kroll & Partner

Martin Huth knows what he is talking about, as he is one of the most renowned lawyers in Berlin in the field of traffic law. The independent economic research institute Handelsblatt Research Institute (Human Resources Management (HRI)) has investigated “Berlin’s Best Lawyers” on behalf of the Tagesspiegel. Martin Huth is one of the award winners.

The study is based on a survey among lawyers because the researchers assume that lawyers are best able to assess the competence of their colleagues and competitors.

More than 3,700 lawyers were surveyed and were able to name the five best law firms and lawyers in various legal areas, whereby self-assessments and agreements between them were generally excluded.

As a result, 582 lawyers from 428 law firms were recommended, of which 139 individuals and 146 law firms were named “Berlin’s Best.” They are allowed to use a special seal.

When families break apart

Eva Becker was also mentioned particularly frequently by her colleagues. Becker is a specialist lawyer for family law. Over half of her cases are divorces, she says, which can be quite complex.

When long-term relationships break down, there is often a “need for people to rub up against each other”. That is why it is important, despite all the emotions, to “keep your senses, your mind and your nerves together”. If you harm the other side unnecessarily, you will usually take it back to another place.

As a lawyer, she wants to help to minimize the damage to both ex-partners and their families. “In her work, she also notices the social changes,” says Becker. Since most women work and earn more, there are fewer disputes about maintenance. However, custody disputes between unmarried ex-couples have become more common.

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Inheritance fraud is rampant

Dietmar Kurze from the law firm Kärgel de Maizière & Partner also deals with families. His area of ​​expertise, inheritance law, is “not a mass operation,” says Kurze. He has fewer cases than colleagues in other legal areas, but there are many subtleties and significant differences.

For example, if you draw up a will, you can be sure that it will hold up even if circumstances change. Since there are many patchwork families today, inheritance arrangements can quickly become very complicated. Kurz therefore recommends making arrangements that are as simple and clear as possible.

© Kärgel de Maizière & Partner

Inheritance fraud is a growing problem. Due to demographic developments and widespread loneliness, it is increasingly common for a neighbour, for example, to gain the trust of older people in order to steal property or assets.

From the employees’ side

Benedikt Rüdesheim from the DKA law firm represents only employees, not employers. He is sure that he is “on the right side,” he says. His clients come from logistics and the metal industry, from the public sector and other areas.

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In recent years, he has also had to deal with job cuts in technology start-ups. Capital is lacking, investors and companies are in an “economic rearguard action”. As a result, I am quickly fired, and things are not always done properly. Many employees from non-German-speaking countries find it difficult to demand their rights.

sometimes a letter

Damla Yağbasan, a specialist lawyer for migration law, has been practicing for three years. At the beginning of 2024, she set up her own law firm in Kreuzberg. Migration law is not only very complex, she says, but is also constantly changing due to political and social developments.

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Her clients include highly qualified professionals as well as refugees who, for example, want to obtain a residence permit.

“I am absolutely biased. My interest is the interest of my client,” says Yağbasan. However, a lawsuit is not always necessary, because a letter from a lawyer to the authority explaining the facts and giving detailed reasons is often sufficient.

© Daily Mirror