Manhart

Jörn Manhart

he/himCounsel
About

Jörn Manhart represents renowned, market-leading clients in the specialised field of company pension schemes. He specialises in advising on company pension law issues in labour and insurance supervisory law, catering to employers and product providers. In addition, Jörn Manhart has extensive practical experience in outside funding transactions involving pension funds and trust structures. He also provides advice on M&A, restructuring, and reorganization processes concerning all aspects of company pension schemes and has particular industry expertise in the Banking & Finance, Automotive, and Chemistry sector.

Bar admissions / Professional QualificationsRechtsanwalt admitted with Rechtsanwaltskammer Dusseldorf

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising a major German public-sector State Bank on the external financing of company pension commitments via a pension Fund.
  • Advising an energy company on the design and negotiation of a pure defined contribution model, including product design and Supervisory authorisation.
  • Advising a major German automotive supplier on ongoing and transactional issues relating to the handling of trust structures for the formation of plan assets.
  • Advising a chemical company on the reorganisation of its pension scheme by replacing pension fund commitments.
  • Advising an insurance company on the design of a product for the implementation of pure defined contribution pension plans.
Languages
  • German
  • English
Education
  • Higher Regional Court of Cologne, Second State Examination, 2005
  • Ruhr University Bochum, First State Examination, 2002

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • The Legal 500 Germany, rec. 2024 for Employment Law
  • Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers 2024/2025: Recommended for labor and employment law

Publications and media

  • The BAG's case law on company pension schemes in the first half of 2023, SPA 2023, p. 181
  • Pension adjustments in times of hyperinflation, SPA 2023, p. 57
  • Do employers need to rethink the statute of limitations in occupational pension schemes?, Human Resources Manager, Nov 2023
  • Federal Labor Court solves riddle of pension adjustment "escape" clause, SPA 2022, p. 94
  • Employer contribution – now for real!, SPA 2022, p. 13
  • The pension fund crisis – New information on insolvency protection for pension fund commitments in particular, SPA 2020, p. 37
  • Pension obligations – obligation of health insurance funds to calculate the necessary actuarial reserve, BB 2013, p. 2013, Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock / Jörn Manhart
  • Company co-determination in the company pension scheme, BB 2011, p. 2293, together with Christian von Buddenbrock
  • Jurisdiction of the Federal Labour Court on the endowment of a "pensioner company" in the light of the BilMoG, Der Betrieb, 2009, p 1237, Christian Freiherr von Buddenbrock / Jörn Manhart

Seminars

  • March 28th, 2023: Pension Adjustment and Hyperinflation: DGFP Specialist conference for Occupational Pensions
  • March 19th, 2024: Pensions and M&A: DGFP Specialist conference for Occupational Pensions

Prior Experience

  • 2010 to 2024: Partner, Dusseldorf based European Law Firm
  • 2008 to 2010: Manager, Dusseldorf based European Law Firm
  • 2005 to 2007: Associate local Dusseldorf Law Firm

Additional News

  • Co-Editor of C.H.Beck's SPA – Quick reference guide for personnel management and labour law

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Eberbacher Kreis
  • Dusseldorf Bar Association

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