Overview

Dr. Sandra Urban-Crell has vast experience across the spectrum of labor and employment law, having handled everything from day-to-day practical advice tailored to her national and international clients’ operational and commercial needs, to complex multi-jurisdictional transactions from strategic planning through post-merger integration. She regularly advises on co-determination matters on the company and board levels, and on outsourcing and restructurings, including negotiations with employee representatives. Sandra is an experienced litigator and has particular knowledge of international assignments, service agreements for board members, managing directors and executive employees (including separation processes), and bonus and benefit plans.

Sandra also advises supervisory and managing boards on employment-related compliance issues, often in connection with directors’ and officers’ liability and internal investigations. She further provides advice and delivers training sessions regarding the use of outside staff, particularly in the “grey zone” of legal service agreements and illegal temporary employment.

Previously, Sandra was a research assistant to Professor Dr. Wank at the Institute for Civil Law, Commercial and Labor Law at the University of Bochum. She is a published author in the area of labor and employment law and speaks frequently at employment-law seminars.

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Results

Counseling one of the world-leading retailing groups (stock-listed) on assignment-related and litigation issues
Served as one of the lead counsels for a large and well-known retailer in Germany in an insolvency situation on developing and implementing various restructuring measures, and advised the client on necessary mass dismissals (including application procedures with German authorities, litigation, etc.)

Served as responsible labor law expert in Germany for a leading US marketer of everyday basic apparel (NYSE-listed) in one of its latest successful transactions (involving a purchase price of approximately €400 million), including post-merger integration
Counseling a market leader in the real estate industry on all day-to-day labor and employment matters, including litigation (in particular, termination processes)
Advising companies, inter alia, in the engineering industry sector and automobile supporting industry on the use of outside staff on the basis of work agreements and/or independent contractors (as opposed to temporary employment), as well as on application for licenses under the German Temporary Employment Act (Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz – AÜG)

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Recognitions

Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers™ 2020 Germany: Leading Lawyer for Employment and Pension Law
The Legal 500 Deutschland 2014, “one of Germany’s best employment lawyers”
The Best Lawyers in Germany 2019, Employee Benefits Law
Member of the McDermott Germany team twice nominated as best employment team of the year by JUVE (2012 and 2008)

Community

Specialist Lawyer for Labor & Employment, 2006
German Lawyer’s Association, member of Sports Law Committee

Credentials

Education
Specialist Lawyer for Labor and Employment Law, 2006
Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Second State Exam, 2001
University of Bochum, Dr. jur. (PhD), 2000
University of Bochum, First State Exam, 1998

Admissions
Germany

Languages
English
German

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