“Member of 'Hall of Fame' in Foreign trade law”
Legal 500 (2026)Bärbel Sachs heads the international trade & investment controls and regulatory & governmental affairs practice groups at Noerr. She has been advising clients in all areas of German, European and international trade law, including export controls, sanctions and customs law since 2006. Bärbel’s practice focuses on advice concerning trade compliance programmes and investigations of complex matters in the past. She also advises on foreign investment reviews by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany.
Distinctions
- International Trade Law Firm of the Year, Chambers Germany Awards (2026)
- Member of 'Hall of Fame' in Foreign trade law, Legal 500 (2026)
- 'Bärbel Sachs is Noerr's head of international trade, investment controls and regulatory and governmental affairs and is widely considered one of the leading international trade lawyers in Germany. She has extensive experience across all sections of the practice area, with particular focuses in customs, export controls, sanctions and WTO law and foreign direct investment matters.', Chambers Germany (2026)
- 'Bärbel Sachs provides us with excellent advice. With her it's not just legal expertise but you can tell she's very well connected, including politically.', Chambers Germany (2026)
- 'Bärbel Sachs is our go-to person when it comes to export control issues.', Chambers Germany (2026)
- 'I especially appreciate Bärbel Sachs for her straightforward and thought-through input and her wide and deep expertise.', Chambers Germany (2026)
- 'Bärbel Sachs is very structured in her work, solution-oriented and has a lot of know-how and a good overview of the bigger picture.', Chambers Germany (2026)
- 'Bärbel Sachs is a friendly lawyer who is highly experienced and always up to date with the latest information.', Chambers Germany (2026)
- 'We have been working with Bärbel Sachs for years. She is our trusted advisor who has resolved all our matters to our fullest satisfaction. She understands our needs precisely, has an outstanding network, and consistently delivers without limitation. Absolutely recommendable!', The Legal 500 Germany (2026)
- 'Recognised expert; very calm, you feel secure and independently advised”, “experience and expertise second to none', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2026/2027)
- 'Focused, effective', 'market-leading expert and thought leader in FDI. Experience and expertise in foreign trade law second to none', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2025/2026)
- 'Comprehensive and pragmatic advice', 'competent in trade compliance advisory', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2024/2025)
- Best Lawyer of the Year, Legal 500 Deutschland (2024)
- Best Team of the Year, Legal 500 Deutschland (2024)
- 'Excellent team covering the entire legal spectrum.' The Legal 500 Germany (2024)
- ‘Highly professional and excellent response times.’, Legal 500 Germany (2024)
- 'Highly experienced experts in export control, sanctions, and foreign direct investment. Noerr always provides very sharp analyses and addresses issues that are at the forefront of the legal landscape.', The Legal 500 Germany (2024)
- 'Bärbel Sachs simply impresses with a calm and incisive analysis of every matter. She also has very strong leadership qualities.', The Legal 500 Germany (2024)
- 'The team provides practical and commercial advice.', The Legal 500 Germany (2024)
- 'Bärbel Sachs is deeply immersed in the subject matter and possesses a fantastic wealth of experience. It is a pleasure working with her.', The Legal 500 Germany (2024)
- Law Firm of the Year for Foreign Trade Law, JUVE Verlag Handbook (2023/2024)
- 'If Noerr had foreseen the global multi-crises, the firm could hardly have positioned itself better. With a keen sense for the growing challenges faced by its clients, the team led by Dr. Bärbel Sachs has been steadily expanding its foreign trade law practice for years.', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2023/2024)
- *Competent and practice-oriented', 'focused and effective', 'market-leading expert and thought leader in investment screening', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2023/2024)
- Law Firm of the Year, Handelsblatt (2023)
- 'Profound expertise, clear in communication', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2021/2022)
- 'Very good and comprehensive advice on projects and individual matters, solution-oriented and with deep expertise', 'focused and effective', JUVE Verlag Handbook (2022/2023)
- 'Very experienced, well connected and able to find pragmatic solutions', 'very good in compliance', 'focused and effective', 'competent and practical', JUVE Handbook (2020/2021)
- 'Sachs is extremely experienced, very knowledgeable in the subject matter, responsive and well-connected.', Legal 500 Germany (2021)
- 'Bärbel Sachs is a prominent name in the trade and customs arena where she eclipses peers with her stellar work on anti-dumping and anti-subsidy matters, as well as sanctions and export controls.' Who's Who Legal (2021)
- 'Market-leading expert and thought leader', 'focused and effective', 'knowledgeable and hands-on', Legal 500 (2019)
- Leading Individual in Foreign Trade Law in Juve Handbook and Legal 500
- 'Global Elite Thought Leader' for International Sanctions, 'Global Leader' for Foreign Investment Review, Who's Who Legal
- Recommended as a leading expert in commercial law, Best Lawyers Germany
My insights
Career
Legal studies and political science at the universities of Regensburg, Berlin, Frankfurt (Oder), Paris and Nottingham
Stages with the European Commission and the European Court of Justice
Research assistant at the chair for public, European and comparative law at the University of Greifswald
Experience as a lawyer with an international law firm in Berlin from 2006 to 2011
With Noerr since 2012
Admitted to the Berlin Chamber of Lawyers
Memberships
- Board of editors of WorldECR
Upcoming Events
Show all
Lectures
- Increases in investment control scrutiny – what are the implications for transaction planning?, Noerr Competition Day, 10.03.2023
- A New Era of Sanctions: Taking Stock After One Year of Russian Sanctions, Transatlantic Legal Conference, Deutsch-Amerikanische-Juristen-Vereinigung, 17.03.2023
- Implications of Sanctions on International Arbitration: Sanctions against Russia, Legance, 03.05.2022
- Foreign Investment Review in Germany: What to expect in 2022, ICC Germany/Noerr, Webinar, 02.03.2022
- Panel Discussion: Foreign Investment Restrictions, 15th Annual International M&A and Corporate Finance Summit 2022 , 28.06.2022
- OECD Webinar on Investment Screening: Regulatory proportionality of investment screening mechanisms, 18.05.2022
- “Prudential Ownership Control and FDI Screening in the Financial Sector”, ERA Online Workshop Series, Regulatory Compliance in the EU Financial Sector, 09.06.2021
- „Incident Response – Bewältigung von Cyberangriffen“, Noerr Digital Day, 06.05.2021
- Update on FDI Restrictions in France, Germany and the UK - Changes and Trends in 2021, Webinar, 31.03.2021
- Lex Mundi International Trade: Recent Trends across the Globe and What to Expect in 2021, Webinar, 23.02.2021
- “How far may China block? A three dimensional view” – Practice in the EU and Germany under the Blocking Statutes, Webinar, 20.01.2021
- Panel Presentation on Investment Screening from a Business Perspective, ERA Online Seminar on Investment Screening in the European Union, 13.11.2020
- “Global Sanctions Compliance: A Lose-Lose Situation for Multi-National Companies?”, 2020 International Law Section Virtual Annual Meeting, ABA International Law Section, 06.11.2020
- Praxisschulung Exportkontrolle Herbst 2020, Webinar, 27.10.2020
- “Managing Cross Border Investigations during a Pandemic”, European American Chamber of Commerce New York, Webinar, 07.10.2020
- „Pflichten und Risiken eines Ausfuhrverantwortlichen“, Webinar, 26.08.2020
- „A paradigm shift in foreign direct investment control?”, Webinar Series on Foreign Investment Control, 14.07.2020
- Foreign Investment Restrictions in the Post-Corona Environment, Lex Mundi Business Adaptation Webinar, 28.05.2020
- „Deep dive investment controls – The first movers: Italy, Spain and Germany”, AT+ICA Webinar Series on Trade & Investment Controls, 27.05.2020
- „Will COVID-19 cause an epidemic of foreign investment restrictions?”, AT+ICA Webinar Series on Trade & Investment Controls, 20.05.2020
- „German Foreign Direct Investment Controls”, Webinar, 15.05.2020
- “Global Sanctions Compliance”, Panel Moderation, ABA Section of International Law, 2020 Annual Meeting, Webinar, 23.04.2020
- “How to Avoid Typical Pitfalls: Key Elements and Best Practices of Internal Trade Compliance Programs”, Panel Discussion (with Katja Stockburger, ZF Friedrichshafen and Dr. Christina Möller, Bertelsmann, ICC Trade Compliance Conference, Frankfurt, 22.10.2019
- „Compliance mit Embargos und Finanzsanktionen: Zum Umgang mit ständig steigender Komplexität und Due Diligence Anforderungen“, Noerr Compliance Day 2019, Frankfurt, 24.09.2019 (with Dr. Tassilo Amtage, UBS Europe, Markus Jüttner, E.ON
- “Tax, Customs and Foreign Trade Aspects of Technology Transfer Agreements”, Development and Cross-Border Sale of Technology, UIA and LexisNexis, Munich, 28.06.2019
- “Typical Sanctions Compliance Challenges”, [at+ica] conference, Milan, 21.06.2019
- “Key Elements of a Trade Compliance” Programme, [at+ica] conference, Milan, 21.06.2019
- „Embargos und sonstige außenwirtschaftsrechtliche Beschränkungen“, Deutscher Kongress für Maschinensicherheit, Stuttgart, 05.06.2019
- Compliance in der Außenwirtschaft“, Korruption und Compliance in Hochrisikoländern, Sitzung des Forum Compliance Mittelstand (FCM) Würth Elektronik GmbH, 17.05.2019
- “EU/Iran: What’s in INSTEX, the Special Purpose Vehicle for Trade with Iran”, European Business Summit, Brussels, 07.05.2019
- „Compliance and non-compliance: lessons learnt from Germany”, European Commission Export Control Forum 2018 / Brussels, 13.12.2018
- Regulatorische Schranken für M&A-Transaktionen, Diskussionsleitung, 19. Münchner M&A Forum, 07.11.2017
- ICC seminar “Finanzierung und Absicherung von Internationalen Geschäften: Zulässigkeit, Wirksamkeit und Gestaltung von Sanktionsklauseln”, Frankfurt, 12.06.2017, organisation and lecture: “Das kritische Delta: Unterschiedliche Reichweite von EU- und US-Sanktionen”
- “Zwischen Aufbruchsstimmung und Ernüchterung: Das Irangeschäft und seine Compliance-Risiken nach Inkrafttreten des Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action”, together with Markus Warmholz, Paul Hartmann AG, Noerr Compliance Day, Munich, 05.05.2017
- “EU Sanctions – What EU Companies Still Need to Look Out For”, international conference hosted by law firm Ughi e Nunziante on the subject of Iran, Milan, 15.03.2016
- “Exportbeschränkungen, na und?”, organisation and contribution to a panel discussion with John Kornblum and Andreas Konle, Grob Aircraft, Structured Finance, Stuttgart, 25.11.2015
- “Organisation der Güterklassifizierung in der Exportkontrolle”, seminars at Hamburger Zollakademie, Hamburg, 16.11.2015 and 04.05.2015
- “Der Versicherungsmarkt als Spielball europäischer Außenpolitik: Praxistipps zum Umgang mit Embargos und Finanzsanktionen”, Noerr Spring Conference on Insurance and Reinsur-ance Law, Munich, 22.04.2015
- “European Union Sanctions on Trade with Russia”, Lex Mundi Ad Hoc International Trade Committee, Tokyo (by audio conference), 17.10.2014
- Webinar via Webcounselor on the subjects “Trade Compliance”, 06.10.2016; “Update Iran Embargo”, 18.02.2016; “Russland Sanktionen”, 31.10.2014; and “Compliance im Außen-wirtschaftsrecht”, 12.05.2015 and 30.05.2014
Publications
- Handelsbeschränkungen/Exportkontrolle, in: Bräutigam/Kraul, Internet of Things, 2021, P. 688 ff.
- Lex Mundi Global Foreign Investment Restrictions Guide, Chapter Germany, Lex Mundi Global Foreign Investment Restrictions Guide: Germany - Lex Mundi Interactive Guides, 11/2021
- Exterritorialität - Neues Gesetz: (Re-)Exportkontrolle made in China, ICC-Germany-Magazin 12/2021, P. 28 et seq. (with Johannes Schäffer)
- Wie Europa sich vor ausländischen Sanktionen schützen sollte, Börsenzeitung of 23.01.2021 (with Carl-Wendelin Neubert)
- Feindhandelsrecht unter Freunden, EuZW 2021, 241 et seq. (with Carl-Wendelin Neubert)
- Sanctions 2020, Chapter Germany, ICLG, pp. 79 et seq.
- Amerikaner drohen Fährhafen, FAZ of 19.08.2020 (with Carl-Wendelin Neubert)
- Grundzüge des Zollwertrechts, in: Ovie/Lison/Stadtler (Hrsg.) Zollverfahren Recht – IT – Praxis, 91. EL 2/2019, P. 1 – 63
- Schiedsverfahren mit Embargohintergrund, ICC-Germany-Magazin 8/2019, P. 60 et seq. (with Anke Meier)
- Secondary Sanctions Hit Harder, ICC-Germany-Magazin 7/2018, P. 36 et seq.
- Hocke/Pelz/Sachs, Außenwirtschaftsrecht, 2017 (new edition with Christian Pelz)
- Der Brexit und seine Folgen für die Logistik, ZOLL.EXPORT, 8/2018 (with Johannes Schäffer)
- EU-Kommission will ausländische Investitionen beschränken, FAZ on 20.09.2017 (with Florian Becker)
- Die Investitionsprüfung nach Änderung der AWV, NZG 2017, p. 1336 et seq. (with Florian Becker)
- Germany tightens rules on FDI reviews, Trade Security Journal 3/2017, p. 28 et seq. (with Florian Becker)
- Commentary on Articles 210 to 218 of the Union Customs Code, Witte, Unionszollkodex, Beck, 7th edition 2018
- US-Sanktionen für Nicht-US-Unternehmen, ICC-Germany-Magazin 3/2016, p. 26 et seq.
- Germany, WorldECR, Dual-Use Export Controls of the European Union, December 2015, p. 93 et seq.
- EU and German export controls and sanctions law, Georgi/Lalonde (eds), Handbook of Ex-port Controls & Economic Sanctions, 2nd edition (to be published) )
- Grundzüge des Zollwertrechts, Zimmermann/Lison/Stadtler (eds), Zollverfahren Recht – IT – Praxis, 75th supplement 12/2015, p. 1 et seq.
- Compliance als Aufgabe des Treasuries, Finance of 06.11.2015, p. 73 (together with Sebas-tian Bock)
- Practical Aspects of Sanctions and Embargoes: A Comparative View, Germany: Responses to Questions, European Union: Responses to Questions, Global Trade and Customs Journal, Volume 10 (2015) / issue 7/8 p. 236 et seq.
- European Financial Sanctions Law and Its Application to Subsidaries of Listed Entities, Global Trade and Customs Journal, Vol. 8, 2013, p. 268 et seq.
- Compliance in der Außenwirtschaft: Auswirkungen der AWG-Novelle, editorial, Compliance Berater 6/2013, p. 1
- Innergemeinschaftliche Verbringung, Forum Vergabe, Vergaben im Bereich Verteidigung und Sicherheit, 2013
- Anforderungen an ein außenwirtschaftliches Compliance-Programm und seine Ausgestaltung in der Praxis, CCZ 2013, p. 60 et seq. (with David Krebs)
- Quid pro Quo im Außenhandel: Compliance gegen Verfahrensprivilegien, CCZ 2013, p. 12 et seq. (with David Krebs)
- Germany debates new Export Control Law, WorldECR 18/2012, p. 12 et seq.
- Heimliche Kehrtwende im Zollwertrecht, AWPrax 2012, p. 392 et seq.
- Sanktionslistenprüfung in Unternehmen, EuZW 2012, p. 527 et seq. (with Karoline Hehlmann)
- Foreign Direct Investment Controls in Germany’s Defence and Cryptography sectors, WorldECR 10/2012, p. 27 et seq.
- EU moving towards DIY Export Control, WorldECR 13/2012, p. 12
Well
informed
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