Klass, Tobias

Tobias Klass

Partner

tobias.klass@lw.com
    Klass, Tobias

    Tobias Klass

    Partner

    tobias.klass@lw.com
    Lawyer of the Year in Germany for Tax Law

    Handelsblatt Best Lawyers 2023

    Leading individual for Tax Law in Germany

    The Legal 500 Deutschland 2020

    Profile

    Dr. Tobias Klass advises private equity funds, large and medium-sized companies and their shareholders, as well as real estate investment funds on the tax aspects of complex, often cross-border transactions.

    Mr. Klass, as a key member of a client’s deal team, navigates the increasingly complex German and international tax law issues in domestic and cross-border transactions.

    He focuses on the tax-optimization of private equity and M&A transactions as well as restructurings. He also advises on tax structures for inbound real estate investments. 

    Mr. Klass is qualified as a certified tax advisor and specialist tax lawyer. He is a member of the International Fiscal Association. He is ranked among the best M&A lawyers for Germany by Handelsblatt, and noted for his ability to spot and avoid potential problems.

    Experience

    Mr. Klass’ experience includes advising: 

    M&A

    • Aliaxis on the sale of Rheinhütte Pumpen to ITT
    • Cheplapharm on the acquisition of the US Marketing Authorization for Pulmicort Flexhaler, a Budesonide inhalation powder for the treatment of Asthma, from AstraZeneca AB
    • Digital Transformation Capital Partners (DTCP) on the acquisition of a majority shareholding in maincubes
    • Dropbox on the acquisition of Secomba GmbH’s Boxcryptor Software
    • Heramba Electric on: 
      • Its business combination with Project Energy Reimagined Acquisition Corp.
      • The acquisition of Kiepe Electric
    • Novo Nordisk on the acquisition of Cardior Pharmaceuticals
    • Prüftechnik Dieter Busch AG on the sale of the group to Fluke Corporation
    • SERgroup on the sale of a majority stake to The Carlyle Group
    • SPIE on: 
      • The acquisition of a majority stake in ICG Group
      • The acquisition of ROBUR Industry Service Group
      • The acquisition of a majority stake in BridgingIT
    • Wintershall Dea on the sale of its stake in WIGA
    • ZF Friedrichshafen on the sale of its global Body Control Systems business to Luxshare

    Private Equity

    • Established. on the acquisition of Blaupunkt
    • GIP and KKR on the strategic partnership with Vodafone to invest in Vantage Towers
    • IK Investment Partners on:
      • The acquisition of the Schock Group
      • Its investment in Cinerius Financial Partners
    • Keppel Infrastructure Trust on its 45% effective stake in Enpal B.V.’s solar portfolio
    • Lindsay Goldberg on the acquisition of Bilcare Research Group
    • Rockaway Capital on the sale of Bringmeister
    • Stirling Square Capital Partners on the sale of Cartonplast to DBAG
    • The Carlyle Group on the sale of Klenk Holz AG to Binderholz

    Restructuring

    • Senior lenders and the steering committee in the financial and operative restructuring of Kathrein group
    • Löwen Play on financial restructuring and recapitalization

    Real Estate

    • ACCENTRO Real Estate on comprehensive refinancing with bondholders
    • AFIAA on the sale of Westfalen-Center Dortmund
    • Angelo, Gordon & Co. on various acquisitions of residential real estate portfolios
    • Apollo on the €1 billion investment in the Northern Portfolio (residential real estate portfolio controlled by Vonovia)
    • Digital Realty on:
      • The US$7 billion hyperscale data center development joint venture with Blackstone
      • The sale of data centers in Germany and the US
    • Corpus Sireo on the sale of Allianz Campus Berlin to Hines
    • HanseMerkur Grundvermögen on the acquisition of a real estate portfolio of 34 office and retail properties in Germany and Austria
    • Mainova on the sale of a majority stake in its data center business to Blackrock
    • Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund and REDOS Real Estate GmbH on the acquisition, financing, and sale of a number of real estate portfolios in Germany, including the acquisition of the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • Rechtsanwalt (Germany)

    Education

    • Tax Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Hamburg, 2005
    • Second German State Exam, Higher Regional Court, Hamburg, 2002
    • Dr. jur., University of Kiel, 2000
    • MBA, University of Kiel, 1999
    • First German State Exam, University of Kiel, 1997

    Languages Spoken

    • German
    • English

    Practices

    Industries

    News & Insights

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