"Very service-oriented, always goes the extra mile and is never to shy to take a call. He works well and is calm under pressure."
Chambers FinTech 2024
"An accomplished regulatory law expert and has an impressing depth and breadth of experience."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2024
"Many years of experience and expertise."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2024
"Good, close collaboration; a highly esteemed peer."
JUVE 2024/2025
Frequently recommended for Banking and Regulatory
JUVE 2024/2025
"A superb lawyer."
Chambers FinTech 2023
"Axel Schiemann is an excellent banking regulatory expert with in–depth regulatory expertise."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2023
One of the best lawyers in Germany for Financial Regulatory
Handelsblatt Best Lawyers 2020-2024
Profile
Axel Schiemann is a financial regulatory partner who advises German and global clients on a full spectrum of domestic and cross-border regulatory issues and transactions in the financial sector. He is a member of the firm’s Financial Institutions Group.
Axel regularly advises on:
Prudential supervision of banks and investment firms (including CRR/CRDIV)
Securities related compliance (including MAR, MiFID/MiFID II)
Mergers and acquisitions in the financial industry
Issuance of regulatory capital instruments
Litigation in the financial sector
Regulatory enforcement and investigations
Bank recovery and resolution
Corporate governance and remuneration systems
IT/Outsourcing
Fintech and ICOs
Brexit-related issues
Prior to joining Latham, Axel served in different in-house roles in the financial industry.
Axel frequently writes and speaks on financial regulatory issues. For example, he is co-author of a commentary on Securities Compliance (Wertpapier-Compliance in der Praxis) and a commentary on the German Supervisory Act on Payment Services (ZAG - Kommentar zum Zahlungsdiensteaufsichtsgesetz).
Experience
Non-Contentious Regulatory Matters
A number of investment banks in relation to MiFID II implementation projects
Global trading platform operator on the establishment of a German subsidiary and the application of a MiFID II license
Global investment banking boutique on Brexit-related issues and applying for a license to provide financial services in Germany
Contentious Regulatory Matters
German bank in connection with investigation proceedings by the European Central Bank under the European Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM)
German bank in connection with a special audit by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority regarding compliance with minimum risk management requirements
German bank in connection with additional SREP capital requirements
Fintech and ICOs
Global trading platform operator in connection with license requirements for crypto asset trading and custody services
European bank on offering of mobile payment solution to German merchants
German corporate in connection with a contemplated ICO in the energy sector
German corporate in connection with the establishment of a crypto asset trading business
M&A Transactions in the Financial Sector
Apollo Global Management
Acquisition of a significant participation in BKB Bremer Kreditbank AG
Acquisition of a qualifying holding in Oldenburgische Landesbank AG
Acquisition of Wüstenrot Bank AG by Bremer Kreditbank
Intended acquisition of HSH Nordbank AG
La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) on the acquisition of General Atlantic and H.I.G. Capital’s investment in FNZ
Hg on its MediFox-group (including a German regulated factoring business) and Mobility Concept (a German regulated leasing company) acquisitions
Qualifications
Bar Qualification
Rechtsanwalt (Germany)
Education
Second German State Exam, Regional Court, Nuremberg-Fuerth, 2008
First German State Exam, University of Bayreuth, 2006
Firm honored by Law360 for advising startups, financial institutions, VCs, digital asset and Web3 participants, and corporations on their most innovative and complex transactions, investigations, litigation, and regulatory matters.
The draft guidelines outline expectations for institutions to adopt forward-looking strategies and incorporate scenario analysis into their management framework to assess resilience against the negative impacts of ESG factors.
Notice: We appreciate your interest in Latham & Watkins. If your inquiry relates to a legal matter and you are not already a current client of the firm, please do not transmit any confidential information to us. Before taking on a representation, we must determine whether we are in a position to assist you and agree on the terms and conditions of engagement with you. Until we have completed such steps, we will not be deemed to have a lawyer-client relationship with you, and will have no duty to keep confidential the information we receive from you. Thank you for your understanding.