Dr Gerrit Ponath
Lawyer, Licensed Specialist for Law of Succession, Licensed Specialist for Tax Law, Certified Executor (AGT)
Partner
- T +49 69 756095-111
- F +49 69 756095-512
- Frankfurt/Main
Competences
Family-owned Companies & the Families Behind Them Family Offices Charities & Non-Profit Organisations Conflict Resolution Tax Law Foundations Administration of Foundations Associations & Federations Assets, Succession, Foundations Asset & Succession Planning, Inheritance LawLanguages
German EnglishExpert
Dr Gerrit Ponath
Career
Dr Gerrit Ponath is Partner at BEITEN BURKHARDT‘s Frankfurt a.M. office and co-head of the practice group Assets, Succession, Foundations. His area of expertise comprises legal advice to individuals and (family-owned) companies on all aspects of national and international estate planning and wealth succession as well as on tax-efficient structuring of assets. He furthermore focuses on providing legal advice to foundations and associations on all legal and tax issues arising in specific foundation- and association-related contexts. Here he sets a strong focus on planning and implementation of structuring measures, in particular in terms of compliance with legal requirements under charitable law, as much as the coordination with supervisory bodies and tax authorities. In addition Dr Ponath is increasingly active as forensic expert with regard to conflicts under commercial law, law of succession and tax law.
Dr Gerrit Ponath studied law at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main and was admitted to the German Bar in 2006. In 2010 he was admitted as licensed specialist for law of succession and in 2012 he was admitted as licensed specialist for tax law. He has been working with BEITEN BURKHARDT since 2007 and became Partner in 2010.
Dr Gerrit Ponath is a "leading lawyer" in the non-profit sector. "Gerrit Ponath is outstanding in the quality of his advice and in the efficiency of his solutions. His well-founded, extremely broad background knowledge makes him stand out positively."
(Legal 500 Germany 2020 and Legal 500 EMEA 2020)
The publishing house and information service JUVE lists Dr Gerrit Ponath as frequently recommended lawyer with regard to succession/assets/foundations.
(JUVE Handbook Commercial Law 2019/2020)
Dr Gerrit Ponath is "not only an excellent expert of the foundation scene", but on top of that "is responsive at any time", develops "always excellent and customised solutions" and "performs his profession with noticeable passion and enthusiasm".
(Legal 500 Germany 2019 and Legal 500 EMEA 2019)
The publishing house and information service JUVE lists Dr Gerrit Ponath as frequently recommended lawyer with regard to succession/assets/foundations.
"excellent knowledge of charitable organizations", Client
(JUVE Handbook Commercial Law 2018/2019)
The industry journal JUVE lists Dr Gerrit Ponath as frequently recommended lawyer in the field of wealthy private customers; "very good expert" - Competitor;
(JUVE Handbook Tax Law 2018)
The "proactively acting" Gerrit Ponath is "an excellent expert of the foundation scene", he carries out his profession with noticeable passion and enthusiasm".
(Legal 500 Germany 2018 & Legal 500 EMEA 2018)
Dr Gerrit Ponath is an ‘above-average and service-oriented’ partner with ‘great expertise in foundation law’ and doing ‘excellent work’.
(Legal 500 Germany 2017)
Dr Gerrit Ponath is recommended.
(The Legal 500 EMEA 2017)
Awards
Memberships
- German Association for Inheritance Law and Estate Planning e.V. (DVEV)
Publications / Lectures
Publications:
Establishment of a (tax-privileged) Foundation Mortis Causa, StiftungsManager - Recht, Organisation, Finanzen (chapter 4.4, as per April 2017, Hamburg, Erich Schmidt Verlag);
The Foundation in Heir Appointments, StiftungsManager - Recht, Organistion, Finanzenn (as of: September 2016, Hamburg, Erich Schmidt Verlag, chapter 4.3, co-author Susan Pischel-Bowien);
On the Admissibility of the Execution of a Will in Case of Foundations (KSzW 2014, p. 182 et seq., co-author Katharina Fink);
Sources of Danger for Parties Involved in an Estate Stipulated in WpHG [German Securities Trading Act] and WpÜG [German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act] (Zeitschrift für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge, 7/2013, pp. 361 et seq., co-author Stefan Raddatz);
Asset Protection Under German Law (2nd Edition, Bonn, zerb verlag, 2013, co-author Dr Christian von Oertzen);
Permanent Execution and Foundations (with Particular Focus on the Establishment of a Testamentary Foundation) (Zerb 11/2012, pp. 253 et seq.);
Appeal Against Interest in Case of Slow Processing by the Tax Authorities (Der Betrieb 2011, pp. 959 et seq., co-author Jörg Walzer);
The Liechtenstein Foundation: an Asset Protection Instrument for German Private Individuals (Private - Geld Special 2009, pp. 32 et seq.);
The Binding Effect of Contracts of Inheritance after a Disclaimer of Inheritance (Commemorative Publication for Prof. Dr Jürgen Damrau, 2007, pp. 95 et seq.);
The Limitations of Testamentary Freedom by Probate Law (zerb verlag, November 2006);
Asset Protection by Change of Matrimonial Property Regime (Zeitschrift für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge 2006, pp. 49 et seq.);
Asset Protection by Life Insurances (Zeitschrift für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge 2006, pp. 242 et seq.).
Lectures:
Law of Succession & Drafting of Last Wills – Good Reasons for Drafting a Last Will (2014);
Präsentation "Fallstricke bei Sachspenden" vom Seminar „Aktuelles für steuerbegünstigte Organisationen“, Frankfurt am Main, 15. März 2013;
Präsentation "Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Zivil- und Steuerrecht" vom Seminar „Aktuelles für steuerbegünstigte Organisationen“, Frankfurt am Main, 15. März 2013;
Death and Sin – Mistakes in Business and Asset Succession (2013);
How to Properly Draw Up a Lasting Power of Attorney and an Advance Decision (2013);
Tips and Tricks Regarding a Last Will – What One Can Learn from the Mistakes of the Beautiful and the Rich in Case of Business and Asset Succession (2013);
Traps in Donations in Kind (2013);
The Revision of the Fiscal Code Application Decree for Non-Profit Corporations / Law on Strengthening Honorary Posts (2013);
Foundations as Possible Instruments Within the Framework of Corporate Succession Planning (2009);
News as to the Law of Succession with Special Attention to the "Disabled Will" (2008);
The Reforms to Charity Law, Inheritance Law and Inheritance Tax Law (April 2008);
VAT and Special-Purpose Enterprises (2007).
Newsletter
Press releases
NEWS
Regular election of the managing bodies at BEITEN BURKHARDT |
Regular election of the managing bodies at BEITEN BURKHARDT.pdf |
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