20 leading lawyers in Data Protection and Digital Law in Germany in 2026
Impact Lawyers’ editorial selection brings together twenty professionals with particularly significant experience in this field in Germany. Lawyers are listed alphabetically by first name; the order of the table does not establish internal positions or imply that one professional is superior to another.
| Lawyer | Firm | Main profile |
|---|---|---|
| Amelie Bätz | Gleiss Lutz | Privacy, data and cybersecurity |
| Christian Cascante | Gleiss Lutz | AI, platforms and digital regulation |
| Christian Hamann | Gleiss Lutz | IT, technology contracts and cloud |
| Christian von Köckritz | Gleiss Lutz | Data, telecommunications and digital services |
| Christiane Freytag | Gleiss Lutz | Privacy, data and cybersecurity |
| Heike Blank | CMS | Data, telecommunications and digital services |
| Iakovina Kindylidi | Gleiss Lutz | AI, platforms and digital regulation |
| Jan Balssen | Gleiss Lutz | IT, technology contracts and cloud |
| Jan Felix Hinrichs | Gleiss Lutz | Data, telecommunications and digital services |
| Johannes Bernhardt | Gleiss Lutz | Privacy, data and cybersecurity |
| Julian Jörges | Gleiss Lutz | AI, platforms and digital regulation |
| Manuel Klar | Gleiss Lutz | IT, technology contracts and cloud |
| Marc Ruttloff | Gleiss Lutz | Data, telecommunications and digital services |
| Martin Hitzer | Gleiss Lutz | Privacy, data and cybersecurity |
| Michael Feilke | Gleiss Lutz | AI, platforms and digital regulation |
| Michael Kamps | CMS | Privacy, data and cybersecurity |
| Moritz Holm-Hadulla | Gleiss Lutz | IT, technology contracts and cloud |
| Pietro Fringuelli | CMS | AI, platforms and digital regulation |
| Sebastian Cording | CMS | IT, technology contracts and cloud |
| Winfried Bullinger | CMS | Data, telecommunications and digital services |
How the ranking was prepared
The selection has been prepared through an independent editorial analysis and an overall assessment of the career, specialisation, experience and professional recognition of the lawyers included. Multiple sources of information have been taken into account, including the websites of the professionals themselves and their firms, news and publications appearing in the media, matters and transactions in which they have been involved, their academic and institutional activity, their national and international profile, and references within the legal and business community.
Particular attention has also been paid to the perception of clients and professionals familiar with their work, assessing factors such as the trust they inspire, responsiveness, legal judgement, effectiveness in resolving matters and the recognition achieved within their respective areas of specialisation. The result reflects a combined editorial assessment of objective and qualitative factors, designed to capture not only career track record and technical knowledge, but also the prestige and professional standing each lawyer has consolidated through legal practice.
How to interpret the selection
The ranking is an editorial snapshot of the German legal market based on information available in 2026. It does not measure fees, guarantee outcomes or claim that any included professional is the right choice for every matter. The choice of counsel should take into account the precise specialty, potential conflicts of interest, jurisdiction, availability, language, budget and relationship of trust.
