Vita and Publications

Curriculum vitae

Dr. Michael Ivens studied law at the Universities of Kiel, Hamburg and London. In 1987 he received his doctorate on the non-competition clause of the GmbH shareholder.

In 1991, Dr. Ivens completed a master's degree in law at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Dr. Ivens was also appointed as a sworn auditor and received the title of a specialist lawyer for tax law and a specialist lawyer for inheritance law.

Dr. Ivens has been working as a lawyer in Hamburg since 1984 and has been associated with Weiland Rechtsanwälte since 2011. The clients of Dr. Ivens include individuals, companies, foundations and internationally operating companies.

Areas of Legal Practice

In my consulting and litigation practice, I have been dealing with the most diverse areas of law for several decades. My guiding principle is: rerum cognoscere causas, to get to the bottom of things with the breadth of experience and prudence of a generalist at the level of a specialist. This is how I will also work for you.

Estate Planning

Succession within the family without consideration, subject to usufruct or in return for pension benefits. Sale to own management, financial investors or competitors, IPO and foundation solution. Legal, tax, economic and psychological parameters of a succession.

Real Estate and Corporate Law

Real Estate Law
Purchase and sale of real estate and rights thereto, mortgages and security agreements, claims for restitution and foreclosure.

Commercial leases: Interpretation and effectiveness control of form clauses and individual agreements, rent, operating costs and rent securities, maintenance and repair, contract duration, written form requirement and termination, liability for defects, exclusion and limitation of liability

Partnerships and Company Law
Forms of partnerships and corporations, liability of shareholders and managing directors for equity and debt capital,due diligence and loyality obligations, appointment and dismissal of managing directors, unanimity and majority principle, contestation of shareholder resolutions, exclusion and compensation of partners and shareholders.

Tax and Criminal Tax Proceedings

Inheritance tax returns, tax audits, compulsory tax appraisals, tax settlements, objection and action against tax and liability assessments, suspension of execution, interim orders, non-admission complaints, criminal tax evasion, tax investigation, house searches, confiscation, self-denunciation, penalty order, limitation period.

Law of Succession and Administration of Estates

Will and testamentary contract: Pre- and subsequent heirs, final and substitute heirs, bequests and conditions, divisional and advance bequests, disinheritance, deprivation of compulsory portion and execution of wills.

Administration of estates in case of inheritance: Opening of wills and certificate of inheritance, rejection of the inheritance and contesting the will, estate protection and liability of heirs, community of heirs and claims to a compulsory portion.

Applicable inheritance and tax law in case of parties or assets involved abroad.

Loans, Restructuring and Insolvency

Credit Law
Establishment, amendment and termination of loans, current account agreements, guarantee and other credit agreements, mortgages, transfer of ownership by way of security, assignment by way of security, surety and guarantees as collateral, overcollateralisation, gagging and creditor jeopardisation, security agreement and restitution claim.

Reorganisation Law
Silent liquidation, internal and external restructuring, capital increase, shareholder loan, letter of comfort, debt waiver, debtor warrant, subordination, debt conversion, deferral, continuation companies, dual purpose trust.

Insolvency Law
Duty to file for insolvency, insolvency and over-indebtedness, duty to preserve assets, security measures of the (provisional) insolvency administrator, filing of claims and information rights, rights of segregation and separation, mutual contracts, insolvency contestation, report meeting, review meeting and final distribution, self-administration and insolvency plan.

Gift, Foundation and Art Law

Donation Law
Pure donation, mixed donation, donation subject to usufruct, life annuities and care obligation. Reclaim rights and transfer clause, compulsory portion crediting, waiver of compulsory portion, family pool and taxes.

Foundation Law
Capital foundation and institutional foundation, private and charitable foundation, basic assets, income, endowments and donations, executive board, board of trustees, beneficiaries, statutes, decision-making and foundation supervision.

Art Law
Art purchase and forgery, restitution of looted art, import and export restrictions, succession planning for art objects.

(International) Business Law

Supply and plant contracts, delivery clauses (Incoterms) and payment clauses, letters of credit and bank guarantees, transport contracts and insurance, contracts with commercial agents, authorised dealers and licensees, antitrust law, companies and branches, joint venture contracts, applicable law, UN Sales Convention and Unidroit Principles of International Commercial Contracts, international jurisdiction, jurisdiction clauses and arbitration.

Books and Essays

Estate
Planning

  • Unternehmer- und Gesellschaftererbfolge Familiengesellschaften, 2006, 659 Seiten
  • Unternehmens und Beteiligungs(ver)kauf, 2006, 481 Seiten
  • Ertrags- und Verwaltungsvorbehalte bei vorweggenommener
  • Erbfolge in Personengesellschaftsanteile, ZErb 2011, 76
  • Überlegungen zur Rechtsformwahl bei Gründung eines Familienpools, ZErb 2012, 65, 93
  • Hamburger Handbuch zur Vermögensnachfolge, 2012, 1337 Seiten

Law of Succession
and Administration of Estates

  • Testament, Erbvertrag und Erbfall, 2006, 482 Seiten
  • Internationales Erbrecht, 2006, 562 Seiten
  • Die Vererbung von Einzelunternehmen, ZEV 2010, 462
  • Die Vererbung von Personengesellschaftsbeteiligungen, ZEV 2010, 615
  • Die Vererbung von Kapitalgesellschaftsbeteiligungen, ZEV 2011, 177

Donation, Foundation
and Art Law

  • Schenkung Stiftung Familienpool, 2006, 281 Seiten
  • Ausführungsgesetz (KGÜAG) zum Kulturgutübereinkommen in Kraft, KUR 2008, 36
  • Rückforderung geschenkter Personengesellschaftsanteile, ZErb 2010, 286
  • Grundstücksschenkung unter Nießbrauchsvorbehalt, ZEV 2012, 71
  • Kunst und Stiftungen, KUR 2012, 16
  • Kunst im Rechtsverkehr, 2012, 289 Seiten

Real Estate and Corporate Law

  • Das Fördergebot des GmbH-Gesellschafters, GmbHR 1988, 249
  • Das Konkurrenzverbot des GmbH-Gesellschafters und § 1 GWB, DB 1988, 215
  • Das Stimmrecht des GmbH-Gesellschafters bei Satzungsänderungen, GmbHR 1989, 61
  • Informationsverweigerung gemäß § 51 a Abs. 2 GmbHG, GmbHR 1989, 273
  • Zur Anwendbarkeit der Tarifbegrenzung des § 32c EstG auf den Übernahmegewinn gemäß § 4 UmwStG, DStR 1999, 1344
  • Wohnungsunternehmen als begünstigtes Vermögen nach § 13 b ErbStG, DStR 2010, 2168
  • Gesellschaftsvertragliche Abfindungsbeschränkungen im Schenkung- und Erbschaftsteuerrecht, GmbHR 2011, 465

Loans, Restructuring
and Insolvency

  • Firmenkredit-, Insolvenz- und Sanierungsrecht, 2012, 670 Seiten

Tax and Criminal Tax Proceedings

  • Steuerstrafberatung, 2004, 102 Seiten

(International)
Business law

  • Der Zollkodex der Europäischen Union, WiB 1995, 104
  • Zur Abgrenzung des Dienst- und Werkvertrages von Arbeitsverhältnis und Arbeitnehmerüberlassung, WiB 1995, 694
  • Warenabsatz in Europa, Vertragsgrundlagen, Kartellrecht, Rechtsverfolgung, Steuern, Länderübersicht 1996, 186 Seiten
  • Das EG Handelsvertreterrecht – Umsetzung in den einzelnen EU-Mitgliedstaaten, IWB 1997, 1175
  • Das EG Handelsvertreterrecht Vertragsgrundlagen, Kartellrecht, Rechtsverfolgung, IWB 1997, 623
  • Automobilvertragshändlerrecht, 2006, 424 Seiten
  • Film- und Fernsehrecht, 2006, 232 Seiten
  • Internationales Handels- und Wirtschaftsrecht, 2006, 725 Seiten
  • Internationale Handels- und Wirtschaftsverträge Unidroit Style, 2009, 539 Seiten
  • Bausteine des internationalen Wirtschaftsrechts, 2011, 161 Seiten
  • Liefer- und Anlagenverträge im internationalen Wirtschaftsrecht, 2012, 390 Seiten

Dr. Michael Ivens, LL.M (LSE)

Am Kaiserkai 62
20457 Hamburg