STANDING FIRM.
The electricity dispute known as the “Stromstreit” marked the beginnings of BBH and also set the course for the redevelopment of the electrical and gas industries after German reunification, laying the foundations for the country’s pluralistic energy industry today and in the future.
When Dr. Peter Becker agreed to represent 146 Eastern German municipalities in the electricity dispute in 1991, he was taking on a significant case. At stake was whether municipal utilities in the new federal states would be allowed a role in a modern energy infrastructure landscape, or if instead an oligopolistic supply infrastructure dominated by Germany’s major energy supply companies would be established. His successful representation in this landmark case for the German energy industry paved the way for numerous municipal utility companies to be created, laying the groundwork for the energy supply structure as it exists in the new federal states today.
It was also in the early 1990s that name partners Wolf Büttner and Christian Held joined the firm, which at that time consisted of three lawyers. Back then they already demonstrated the approach that defines us to this day: a commitment to defending their clients’ interests while always keeping the bigger picture in mind.
Since then BBH has shown very dynamic growth, in which they have succeeded time and again in recruiting distinguished colleagues who share their values. Today, Becker Büttner Held has 70 partners and more than 550 dedicated employees working at its seven offices in Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Erfurt and Brussels. The name partners Dr. Peter Becker and Wolf Büttner meanwhile left BBH.
The principle of fair competition is the linchpin of their work. They advocate for the energy industry to be shaped as the sustainable, decentralised structure that they need for their future. Against this broadly drawn background, their clients’ particular interests have always remained at the heart of their practice. They are not “just” legal advisors – at BBH, auditors, tax advisors and the experts from Becker Büttner Held Consulting AG work hand in hand. They have grown since their inception into a leading provider of advisory services for the energy and infrastructure industry and far beyond – in Germany and throughout Europe.
Their energy sector specialisation has allowed us to develop an exceptional interdisciplinary advisory practice with a solid legal, economic and technical foundation. From this core speciality, they have successfully extended their expertise to other sectors such as water supply, healthcare, public swimming pools, telecommunications and transport. The construction and real estate industry as well as industrial production processes are additional areas that benefit from their comprehensive service offer covering virtually every relevant legal field.
