Markulf Behrendt
Partner
Hamburg
Markulf Behrendt
Partner
Hamburg
Contact Details
Markulf’s combination of extensive experience in employment law, regular advice to leading B2C companies on complex proceedings, and his lecturing and speaking engagements on human resources issues, keeps him at the cutting edge of his field.
With more than 13 years of professional experience as an employment lawyer and over 8 years of heading the Employment & Benefits group in Hamburg, Markulf’s clients profit of his depth of expertise. Being regarded by colleagues and clients as highly pragmatic, he helps his clients through challenges, including the difficulties of company wind-ups, negotiations and restructurings. Markulf is able to outline complex legal issues easily understandable and always delivers a clean answer. He provides his clients with the opportunity to access his wide personal network which often opens unexpected business opportunities to them.
Markulf is highly valued by his clients and peers alike, being described as “an excellent employment lawyer”, “fast, unbureaucratic and solution-oriented” and “excellently networked” (Legal 500 2018).
His experience and expertise has established many long-standing client relationships, particularly with international companies where his advice deals with multiple legal jurisdictions. Markulf is also widely recognised for his lecturing on human resources issues (Wismar University) and regular publishing and speaking engagements. Clients regard him as proactive and personal.
“Understanding the client is key to a successful on-going relationship. In today’s complex global business context they need straightforward, pragmatic advice from someone who is always reachable.”
Expertise
Practices
Corporate Governance and Compliance
HR Compliance and Investigations
Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Assessor, Germany, 2005
Referendar, Germany, 2002
News & insights
Publications: 19 APRIL 2021
SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Regulation: Mandatory testing offer
After weeks of tough wrangling, the Federal Cabinet has decided to oblige companies throughout Germany to offer coronavirus tests to their employees. This obligation will be included in the SARS-CoV-2…
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Publications: 12 MARCH 2021
Webinar: A global view on whistleblowing – what is the current and anticipated landscape?
By the end of 2021, EU member states must have transposed the requirements of the new EU Whistleblower Protection Directive into national legislation.
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Publications: 24 FEBRUARY 2021
Brexit – Post-transition Q&As for employers
The end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020 has reshaped the landscape for employers. In our updated Q&As publication, we look at the impact for employment law and at considerations…
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Publications: 21 DECEMBER 2020
In the fourth in our series of webinars, members of Allen & Overy’s Global Employment team discussed the significant issues and challenges that employers need to prioritise in relation to managing and…
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Expertise
Practices
Corporate Governance and Compliance
HR Compliance and Investigations
Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations
Sectors
Qualifications
Professional
Assessor, Germany, 2005
Referendar, Germany, 2002
Published work
Articles
- European Commission proposes directive to protect whistleblowers – scandals necessitate reform (in collaboration with I. Vanderreken); in: International Law Office, 31/10/2018
- Whistleblower protection (published in German); in: Human Resources Manager, October/November 2018, S. 86 ff.
- Whistleblowing in the company - New legislation on dealing with whistleblowers (published in German); in: Personalführung 10/2018, S. 72 ff.
- Dealing with Whistleblowers – Sanction Protection, Policy Clutter and Compliance Systems (published in German); in: Der Betrieb, 13/08/2018
- EU Directive proposal for protecting whistleblowers (published in German); in: Handelsblatt, 28/05/2018
- Digital HR organisation from a legal perspective (published in German); in: Digital HR Organisation – Where we are, what we need (Appel/Wahler); Personalwirtschaft, 29/03/2018, chapter in book pp. 87 ff.
- Workplace harassment – #metoo?; (in collaboration with V. Witzke, published in German); in: Arbeit und Arbeitsrecht, 03/2018, pp. 136 ff.
- Low transparency achieved by the German Law on Payment Transparency (published in German); in: Handelsblatt, 08/01/2018
- The German Law on Payment Transparency – “Zero Effect”? (in collaboration with V. Witzke, published in German); in: Betriebs-Berater, 51/52.2017, pp. 3060 ff.
- Compliance in business travel (in collaboration with J. Zange, published in German); in: Arbeit und Arbeitsrecht, 12/2017, pp. 695 ff.
- Preventative action with regard to avoiding compliance breaches in the context of bonus agreements (in collaboration with S. Pretzel, published in German); in: Compliance-Berater, 12/2017, pp. 454 ff.
- The German Law on Payment Transparency – A clear view (published in German); in: Süddeutsche Zeitung, no. 277, 02‑03/12/2017
- Compliance with the German Temporary Employment Act for foreign secondments (in collaboration with M. Weyhing, published in German); in: Betriebs-Berater, 42.2017, pp. 2485 ff.
- Gap in the law (published in German); in: Der Spiegel, no. 37 09/09/2017, pp. 74 f.
- Manager liability remains unclear (in collaboration with E. Braun, published in German); in: WirtschaftsWoche, 14/07/2017
- The law requires communication (published in German); in: manager magazine, January 2017, p. 1
- Employment and tax law in business practice e-cars in the company fleet? (published in German); in: Arbeit und Arbeitsrecht, 9/2016, pp. 556 ff.
- When your boss suddenly appears on your doorstep (published in German); in: Human Resources Manager, October 2015, p. 15
- Legal requirements for recruiting and in using social media (published in German); in: manager magazin, Board Edition 4/2015, p. 8
- Illegitimate favours for works council members in everyday business – Where are the limits? (in collaboration with N. Lilienthal, published in German); in: Kölner Schrift zum Wirtschaftsrecht, 2014, pp. 277 ff.
- Informing employees correctly (in collaboration with S. Seidel, published in German); in: Arbeit und Arbeitsrecht, 2011, pp. 704 ff.
- Annual leave and long-term illness (published in German); in: Betriebs-Berater, 2011, p. 3059
- Annual leave entitlement can indeed lapse (published in German); in: Financial Times Deutschland, 29/11/2011
- Carrying over annual leave due to illness (published in German); in: Betriebs-Berater, 2011, p. 1907
- German Federal Labour Court names managing directors as consumers (published in German); in: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 07/09/2010
Comments on court rulings
- State Labour Court of Nuremberg: Severance entitlement from social plan despite resignation of the employee (in collaboration with L. Hoffmann; comment on ruling by State Labour Court of Nuremberg dated 27/10/2020 - 7 Sa 157/20); in Betriebs-Berater, 11.2021 pp. 700 ff.
- Berlin Labour Court: Mass redundancies of ground handling staff at Tegel Airport – social plan ineffective (Comment on ruling by Berlin Labour Court dated 07/07/2015 – 13 BV 1848/15; published in German); in: Betriebs-Berater, 45.2015, pp. 2746 ff.
- Managing directors as consumers (in collaboration with T. Neufeld; comment on ruling by German Federal Labour Court dated 19/05/2010 – 5 AZR 253/09, published in German); Betriebs-Berater, 2010, p. 2639
