Dr Wolf Bussian
Managing Partner Germany
Frankfurt am Main

Dr Wolf Bussian
Managing Partner Germany
Frankfurt am Main
Contact details
As our Managing Partner Germany, Wolf heads Allen & Overy’s German practice. He focuses on litigation and investigations in the finance sector.
He represents banks, asset managers, insurers, funds, accounting firms and other companies as well as governments and public institutions in disputes both in and out of court. He deals with disputes about complex finance products and tax driven transactions (for example cum/ex and cum/cum trades) on a regular basis. Wolf also frequently advises on capital market disputes and capital market-related professional indemnity claims as well as disputes in the field of payment services. He has special expertise with disputes resulting from bank crises (restructuring, resolution and insolvency) and equity substitution. He regularly deals with international civil procedural law issues (e.g. service, taking evidence and enforcement abroad), in particular in relation to the UK and the United States.
A major focus of his work are investigations in the financial sector (e.g. relating to allegations of tax evasion, market manipulation, fraud or insider trading), typically in multi-jurisdictional teams from several practice groups (including regulatory, tax, corporate). Wolf leads internal investigations and advises on external investigations conducted by regulators (including ECB, BaFin, SEC, DOJ, FCA), tax authorities or criminal prosecutors.
Wolf regularly publishes in legal journals as well as daily press on procedural, capital market and banking issues. He is recognised as leading expert for Finance Litigation and Investigations in legal directories. Legal 500 Germany 2019 praises his Finance Litigation Practice as market leading (Tier 1). Chambers Global recognises Wolf as leading expert for Finance Litigation since 2015 already, highlighting that he "enters the rankings on the strength of his excellent reputation for representing banks and financial institutions in litigation proceedings, often with a significant international aspect". JUVE 2017/2018 lists Wolf as "leading expert for investigations and disputes in the context of tax transactions like cum/ex and cum/cum deals". The Financial Times commended Allen & Overy as "standout" for a matter led by Wolf in the category "Innovation in dispute resolution" at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards 2015.
Expertise
Practices
Investigations, Enforcement and Business Crime
Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
Dr iur, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2007
LL.M, Boston University School of Law, USA, 2006
Second German Law Degree, 2004
First German Law Degree, 2002
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Expertise
Practices
Investigations, Enforcement and Business Crime
Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
Dr iur, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2007
LL.M, Boston University School of Law, USA, 2006
Second German Law Degree, 2004
First German Law Degree, 2002
Published work
Bussian W. (2016): „Lichtblick für Banken in Swap-Klagewelle“, Börsenzeitung 2. April 2016
Bussian W., Loewer J. (2016): „Litigating Securities Class Actions”, Eisenberg (Hrsg.), LexisNexis, Kapitel zu “Non-US Class Actions - Germany”
Bussian W., Windthorst J.E. (2015): “Europäische Bankenaufsicht und Legal Privilege – Weigerungsrechte bei Dokumentenanforderungen im Rahmen des einheitlichen Aufsichtsmechanismus (SSM)“, WM Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Bankrecht 2011, pp. 2265 – 2271
Bussian W. (2015) "Handbuch Gesellschaftsrechtliche Streitigkeiten" (Corporate Litigation), 2. Aufl., Mehrbrey (Hrsg.), Carl Heymanns Verlag, Kapitel zu aktienrechtlicher Nichtigkeitsklagen, Freigabeverfahren, Eilverfahren, positiver Beschlussfeststellungsklage sowie Feststellungsklagen
Bussian W., Schmidt A. (2012) "Der Regierungsentwurf zur Reform von Kapitalanleger-Musterverfahren – Auf dem Weg zu Class Actions in Deutschland?", Corporate Finance Law (CFL) 2012, pp. 37 - 45
Bussian W., Schmidt A. (2012) "Zur Reform von Kapitalanleger-Musterverfahren", PHi Versicherung und Haftung 2/2012, pp. 2 -7
Bussian W. (2012) "Berlin will Kollektivklagen beschleunigen – Reform des Kapitalanleger-Musterverfahrensgesetzes", Börsenzeitung 13 March 2012
Bussian W. (2011) "Die Verwendung von Insiderinformationen", WM Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Bankrecht 2011, pp. 8 -14
Bussian W. (2011) "Pflicht zur Aufklärung über Gewinnmarge bleibt die Ausnahme", Interview zur "Swap"- Entscheidung des BGH, Börsenzeitung 23 March 2011
Bussian W., Bartlik M. (2011) "Kick-backs bei Mezzanine-Programmen", Anmerkung zu LG Frankfurt, BKR 2011
Bussian W. (2011) "BGH erschwert Verjährung von Anlegeransprüchen", Recht der Finanzinstrumente 2011
Bussian W., Achenbach M. (2011) "Haftung des GmbH-Geschäftsführers für die Gesellschafterliste trotz Mitwirkung des Notars?", Betriebs-Berater (BB) 2010, pp. 778 - 781
Bussian W., Zimmerling M. (2010) "Class Actions – bald auch in Deutschland?", Deutsches Aktieninstitut Finanzplatz Juli 2010, pp. 10 -12
Bussian W. (2008) "Due Diligence bei Pakettransaktionen: Zur Rechtsstellung des Vorstands zwischen Auskunftsanspruch der Aktionäre, Insiderverboten und Datenschutz", Peter Lang Verlag, Schriftenreihe zum Gesellschafts- und Kapitalmarktrecht, Band 23