Julia Klesse, LL.M.
Attorney at law, Partner
Julia Klesse advises on complex disputes in commercial and business law. She focuses on corporate law conflicts, such as disputes over the validity of shareholder or general meeting resolutions, cases of director and officer liability and joint venture disputes, as well as post-M&A disputes. She specializes in cases involving insolvency, particularly in claims against auditors and tax advisors for breaches of professional duty. Another particular focus of her practice is cross-border disputes.
Julia Klesse represents a wide range of clients, including private individuals, insolvency administrators and medium-sized and large listed companies. She acts before state civil courts as well as in national and international arbitration proceedings and is also appointed as an arbitrator. She currently holds the position of DIS40 Regional Coordinator for Munich.
CV
Studied at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and Victoria University of Wellington/NZ (LL.M.)
Research assistant to Prof. Johannes Hager at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich
Legal clerkship in Munich and Hong Kong
Training as a business mediator (CVM)
Admitted to the bar
Awards
Focus TOP Lawyer for Arbitration 2025
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany since 2023 for Arbitration/Dispute Resolution/Mediation, Corporate Law, and Conflict Resolution
Selected References
Advising and representing the purchaser of an international automotive supplier in asserting claims against the seller for breach of warranty and fraudulent misrepresentation
Advising and representing members of the advisory board of an internationally active group in defending against an action for defective resolutions and in defending against claims for damages in DIS arbitration proceedings
Advising and representing the insolvency administrator of a large energy supply company in the judicial enforcement of claims for damages against an auditing firm for breach of duty in connection with annual audits
Advising and representing a company in international ICC proceedings in the enforcement of commission claims arising from M&A brokerage activities
Advising and representing a medium-sized chemical company in enforcing claims against its tax advisor for incorrect tax advice in connection with the tax treatment of dividend distributions
Advising and representing a foreign, internationally active cosmetics company in a joint venture dispute (various court proceedings and arbitration proceedings concerning the amount of compensation for the former joint venture partner)
Advising and representing a company belonging to an internationally active group in the concrete and building materials industry in defending payment claims in a cross-border dispute
Advising and representing the Dutch subsidiary of a Japanese engine manufacturer in defending against product liability claims
Publications
Shareholder actions in the two-person limited liability company: need for efficient legal enforcement vs. compliance with internal rules of competence – Review of BGH, Decision of 5 November 2024 – II ZR 85/23, NZG 2025, 545 et seq.
The consequences of the changes to the standard of disclosure and the requirements for rejection in the DIS Arbitration Rules 2018, SchiedsVZ 2021, 278 ff (together with Michael Wietzorek)
Fraudulent misrepresentation in the conclusion of a company purchase agreement – false statements about the economic situation of the target company – at the same time, discussion of OLG Munich, judgment of December 3, 2020 – 23 U 5742/19, NZG 2021, 732 ff. (together with Maike Michels)
Requirements for the distribution of tasks between managing directors of a limited liability company (GmbH) – at the same time a discussion of Federal Court of Justice (BGH), judgment of November 6, 2018 – II ZR 11/17, NZG 2019, 501 ff. (together with Dr. Philip Peitsmeyer)
Arbitration Mechanism for Sovereign Debts: A Last Chance for Millennium Development Goal 8?, Victoria University of Wellington, LL.M. Master's thesis 2010
Lectures
"Are commercial courts the better choice in emergency cases?" Debate at the DIS40 Autumn Conference 2023 on September 15, 2023, Berlin
"Interactions between judicial location and arbitration location" Presentation at the conference of the Federal Ministry of Justice and the German Institution of Arbitration "Convergence of Arbitration and State Jurisdiction" on June 29, 2023, Karlsruhe
Experience report from the legal profession on the practice of the Stuttgart Commercial Court, Stuttgart Commercial Court Symposium on May 8, 2023
Arbitrator Challenge – Dos and Don'ts when challenging arbitrators: DIS40 Munich webinar on September 9, 2020, together with Michael Wietzorek
Languages
German, English
Contact
P+49 89 89 05 89 284 F+49 89 89 05 89 299