This is a convenience translation. The German version is legally binding.
These General Terms of Engagement apply to engagements with STRUB.LAW. They also apply to pre-contractual dealings and subsequent engagements. “I” refers to the firm, and “you” refers to you as the client.
1. Engagement
1.1. The scope of the engagement is set out in the email headed “engagement agreement” (Mandatsvereinbarung). I will only begin work once you have returned the “confirmation letter” (Bestätigungsschreiben) from the same email, completed and signed. If you have a right of withdrawal, I will normally begin work only after the withdrawal period has expired. At your express request, I will begin earlier. For this, you separately give me your express consent. For contracts concluded away from business premises, this consent must be given on a durable medium. Before work begins, you also confirm that you understand that your right of withdrawal expires when the agreed service has been fully performed. You will receive a separate notice of your right of withdrawal before the contract is concluded.
1.2. Unless I expressly record otherwise in text form, the following applies:
- (a) I advise you exclusively on the law of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- (b) I do not advise on tax matters. You must clarify the tax implications at your own expense with qualified third parties, such as tax advisers. Please inform me of any tax-related requirements in good time.
- (c) I provide my services exclusively for you. I assume no liability or obligations towards third parties, including persons or companies affiliated with you, unless this is expressly agreed in text form.
- (d) I lodge appeals, for example against a first-instance judgment, and other legal remedies only if this is expressly agreed in text form as part of the engagement.
2. The law firm STRUB.LAW
2.1. I, Rechtsanwalt (attorney-at-law) Leonhard J. Strub, provide legal services under the name “STRUB.LAW”.
2.2. I operate the firm in an office-sharing arrangement (Bürogemeinschaft) under Section 59q of the Federal Lawyers’ Act (BRAO) with other lawyers. The members of the office-sharing arrangement are organisationally and economically independent. Only certain resources are shared, such as office premises, IT infrastructure and staff. This does not constitute a joint professional practice. There is no joint client relationship with the other members of the office-sharing arrangement.
3. Initial consultation
3.1. The initial consultation is a separate, self-contained engagement. It includes preparation, a discussion of your matter and my initial legal assessment. It does not oblige either you or me to continue working together.
3.2. The initial consultation is charged at the fixed fee I quote to you before the appointment. Further services, such as drafting a court submission or representing you in dealings with third parties, are not included. You can instruct me to provide these separately, under a new engagement. I credit the initial consultation fee against a subsequent engagement in the same matter.
3.3. If you have a right of withdrawal for the initial consultation, I will inform you of it separately before the appointment.
4. My duties
My work includes the following services in particular:
4.1. I examine your legal matter carefully and inform you of the outcome without being asked. I represent your legal interests in dealings with third parties within the scope of the engagement.
4.2. I hold funds received on your behalf in trust. At your request in text form, I pay them without undue delay to the recipient you designate.
5. Confidentiality
5.1. I am bound by a statutory duty of confidentiality. This duty covers everything you entrust to me in the course of the engagement or that otherwise becomes known to me.
5.2. By way of exception, I may disclose the client relationship to the tax authorities to fulfil my tax obligations, in particular your name, address, VAT identification number, the subject matter of the engagement and the amount of the fee. My professional indemnity insurers, insurance advisers and tax advisers may also receive information about my clients insofar as I consider this necessary.
5.3. Other members of the office-sharing arrangement may learn of information relating to your matter. You consent to me making this information accessible to them insofar as this is unavoidable in an office-sharing arrangement or necessary or helpful for handling your matter. You may withdraw this consent at any time, in whole or in part, with effect for the future in text form. If you have any objections, please tell me before or when instructing me.
5.4. I use these services when handling your matter: Microsoft 365 for email and documents, Libra as AI-supported software for legal work with servers in Germany, and DeepL for translations. I have concluded a data processing agreement under Article 28 GDPR with all three providers. Details are set out in my privacy policy. If you have any objections, please tell me before or when instructing me.
6. Your duties to cooperate
Please observe the following so that I can handle your matter promptly:
6.1. You inform me fully and truthfully of all facts relating to the engagement and provide all relevant documents and data in an orderly form. During the engagement, you contact courts, authorities, the opposing party or other persons involved only after consulting me. You forward any information you receive from them to me without undue delay.
6.2. Please tell me promptly if your contact details change. If you are unavailable for more than a week, please arrange for someone to act on your behalf and inform me.
6.3. I may rely on your account of the facts without verifying it myself and base my work on the facts you provide. You carefully check the messages, drafts and letters I send you to ensure that the facts are stated truthfully and completely.
7. Fees
I bill on the basis of the engagement agreement and the fee agreement.
8. Legal expenses insurance
8.1. If you instruct me to apply to your legal expenses insurer for benefits on your behalf, I am irrevocably released from my duty of confidentiality for this purpose.
8.2. You agree that I pay cost reimbursements directly to your legal expenses insurer under Section 86 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG), in conjunction with the general terms of legal expenses insurers, insofar as it has provided benefits for you.
9. Communication
9.1. I communicate with you and, where applicable, other persons involved by email and also share documents in this way.
9.2. Electronic communication does not reliably protect confidentiality. If you do not wish to communicate or receive documents by email, either generally or for specific documents, please tell me.
10. Limitation of liability
10.1. My liability under this contractual relationship for damage caused by ordinary negligence is limited to EUR 1,000,000.00 (Section 52(1) sentence 1 no. 2 BRAO). This limitation does not apply to gross negligence or intent, or to damage arising from injury to life, body or health.
10.2. If employees of the firm, other persons working for the firm or members of the office-sharing arrangement are personally liable, the limitation of liability applies to their personal liability accordingly.
10.3. I have taken out liability insurance covering EUR 1,000,000.00 per insured event, up to EUR 2,000,000.00 per insurance year. If you wish to cover liability above this amount, I will take out additional insurance for the individual case at your request and at your expense.
11. Assignment
You may assign rights arising from the engagement only with my prior consent. Consent must be given in text form.
12. Marketing (businesses only)
12.1. This section applies only if you are a business. For marketing, publications and client acquisition, it may be important for me to disclose that I have worked for you, for example to JUVE, Chambers, Legal 500 or other publications that rate legal services, as well as in press releases or on social media such as LinkedIn. Limited to these cases, I may name your business, the general nature of the matter and publicly known facts. I do not disclose or publish personal data.
12.2. I also follow developments in the law and legal practice. I may occasionally send you information, such as brochures, press releases or invitations to seminars and talks, if I consider it to be of interest to you. You agree that I may send you this information by post or electronically.
12.3. You give your consent by agreeing to the engagement agreement in writing or in another way. You may withdraw it at any time with effect for the future.
13. My files
13.1. I hold the copyright in all documents I draft in the course of an engagement. I grant you the right to use these documents for your purposes.
13.2. My correspondence with you and copies of all other documents that I receive from you or create in the course of the engagement remain my property. Once all my invoices for the engagement have been paid, I will provide copies of the relevant documents on request for a fee.
13.3. I retain your client file for at least six years after the engagement ends (Section 50(1) BRAO). Once all my invoices for the engagement have been paid, you may request the release of the client file. This right expires six years after the engagement ends. I may retain copies or certified copies of all documents.
14. Final provisions
14.1. All contractual relationships between you and me are governed exclusively by the law of the Federal Republic of Germany, excluding its conflict-of-laws rules. For pecuniary claims against you arising from the engagement, we agree on Berlin as the place of jurisdiction if, after the contract is concluded, you move your domicile or habitual residence out of Germany, or if your domicile or habitual residence is unknown when the action is brought. This jurisdiction agreement does not apply insofar as it conflicts with exclusive statutory jurisdictions or mandatory rules of jurisdiction. Mandatory statutory provisions protecting consumers remain unaffected.
14.2. The place of performance is Berlin unless a different place of performance is expressly agreed in text form.
14.3. For pecuniary disputes arising from the engagement, in other words disputes about money, you can apply to the Schlichtungsstelle der Rechtsanwaltschaft (conciliation board of the German legal profession). It is established at the Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer under Section 191f BRAO and works independently. Address: Rauchstraße 26, 10787 Berlin, www.schlichtungsstelle-der-rechtsanwaltschaft.de. I do not take part in dispute resolution proceedings before any other consumer dispute resolution body, and I am not obliged to do so.
14.4. If we later agree to extend the engagement or take on further engagements, these General Terms of Engagement also apply to them unless we agree otherwise in text form.
14.5. If any provision of these General Terms of Engagement is or becomes wholly or partly invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain unaffected. We will replace the invalid or unenforceable provision with a provision that comes as close as possible to its economic purpose. The same applies to any gaps in these terms.
As at September 2026