When foreign companies are sued in Germany

Typical situations include:

• A German supplier claims unpaid invoices
• A German customer claims damages for alleged defects
• A German business alleges breach of contract
• A German partner claims project delays or penalties

In many of these cases, foreign companies underestimate the speed and rigidity of German court procedure.

German courts do not “invite negotiation”. They apply procedural rules strictly.

What happens if you receive a German court claim

Once you receive a German court claim, the following applies:

You usually have only a short period to respond.
If no proper defence is filed in time, the court can issue a default judgment.
A default judgment in Germany can be enforced across borders.

Ignoring the claim is not an option.

SUED IN GERMANY WITHOUT CONTRACT?

Some foreign companies are sued in Germany by claimants they have never consciously contracted with.

This is not unusual.

German courts can assume jurisdiction based on factors that are not obvious at first glance, for example:

• place of performance of a disputed obligation

• delivery locations linked to Germany

• German branch offices or permanent establishments

• product-related claims raised by German customers

• distribution structures involving German intermediaries

Many foreign companies initially assume that “there is no contract, therefore there is no case”. That is often legally incorrect.

Whether German courts are competent is not a side issue. It is one of the first strategic questions in your defence.

I assess from the perspective of German courts whether the claim is procedurally admissible and whether jurisdiction can be challenged. This is often a decisive early step in the defence of foreign companies sued in Germany.

Key questions foreign companies face

Most foreign companies in this situation ask the same questions:

• Do I need a German lawyer to defend the lawsuit?
• Can I handle the case from abroad?
• How much time do I really have?
• Can I challenge the jurisdiction of the German court?
• Can I defend the case in English?

These questions must be answered quickly. Delays destroy options.

How I defend foreign companies in German litigation

I am a German litigation lawyer focused on commercial disputes and cross-border cases.

My work is not limited to formal defence. It is strategic:

First, I analyse whether the German court is actually competent.
Second, I assess whether the claim is procedurally and substantively vulnerable.
Third, I build a defence strategy aimed at leverage, not only reaction.

Many German proceedings are won or lost not on facts, but on procedural mistakes.

That is where foreign companies are most exposed without German representation.

Can foreign companies defend a lawsuit from abroad?

Yes.

You do not need to travel to Germany for most commercial court cases.

Communication is possible in English.
Court submissions are made centrally by your German lawyer.

What matters is not your location.
What matters is speed and procedural discipline.

Common mistakes foreign companies make

Foreign companies often make critical errors:

• They assume German procedure works like common law systems.
• They expect informal extensions of deadlines.
• They send letters to the court without formal structure.
• They underestimate the significance of silence.

These errors are avoidable. But only if corrected early.

German litigation requires precision, not improvisation.

Costs and risks of defending a lawsuit in Germany

German court costs and lawyer’s fees are regulated by law.

They depend primarily on the amount in dispute.

In cross-border cases, the real risk is not only costs – it is procedural loss of position through inaction or late reaction.

A strategically led defence often reduces the long-term financial exposure significantly.

When you should act

You should contact a German litigation lawyer immediately if:

• You have received documents from a German court
• You are unsure about deadlines
• You fear a default judgment
• You want to check whether German courts are competent

Time is leverage in German litigation. Delay is usually defeat.

German litigation lawyer for foreign companies

I represent foreign companies in disputes before German courts.

Focus of my work:

• Defence of foreign companies sued in Germany
• Commercial contract disputes
• Cross-border enforcement and litigation strategy