Dr Nikolas Brunstamp

Nicolas advises on all aspects of private construction law, with a particular focus on plant construction and international construction law (especially FIDIC contracts). His advice covers projects throughout their entire lifecycle—from project preparation and assistance with bidding processes and contract negotiations through construction, subsequent operation, and the warranty period. In recent years, a particular focus of his practice has been on projects in the energy sector, especially onshore and offshore wind farms, battery projects, LNG terminals, gas-fired power plants, and the construction of extra-high-voltage transmission grids. Nearly all of these projects have an international dimension due to the parties involved, the language of the contract, the foreign place of performance, or the chosen non-German law.

In addition to providing advice throughout the project lifecycle, He represents the firm’s clients in international adjudication, arbitration, and ordinary court proceedings. Furthermore, he serves as an adjudicator himself.

Nicolas heads the firm’s Offshore Wind Practice Group and is a founding member of the Legal Advisory Board of the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO).

What others say

Recommended lawyer for construction law
Legal 500 Germany 2023

Recent work  

• Advice on more than 30 offshore wind projects in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Taiwan, including the drafting and negotiation of contracts for all major contracts—in particular the TSA—based on international contract templates (typically FIDIC).
• Negotiation of cable supply contracts and ongoing project advisory services for the transmission system operator of a national extra-high-voltage project.
• Representation of a transmission system operator in DAB proceedings with a dispute value of approximately EUR 43 million against a contractor.
• Providing advice to the client of an LNG terminal throughout the construction phase, as well as representing the client in an ICC arbitration proceeding with a claim amount of EUR 300 million.
• Advising on follow-on maintenance contracts following the expiration of the initial maintenance contract.
• Approx. 20 DAB and arbitration proceedings for offshore wind farm projects

Curriculum vitae

• Studied law at the University of Hamburg, 2003 to 2009
• Legal clerkship in Hamburg and Kiel, 2009 to 2011
• Lawyer at a commercial law firm in Hamburg since 2011, lawyer at Kapellmann since 2012
• PhD on construction law, 2012 – 2016
• Secondment to the plant engineering department of a large German energy supplier, 2013
• Ongoing provision of pro bono advice for the Hamburg Lawyers’ Association

Further qualifications and memberships

• Legal Advisor to the Federal Association of Offshore Wind Energy (BWO)
• Member of the Construction Law Working Group of the German Bar Association
• Member of the International Construction Law Working Group
• Member of the Hamburg Bar Association
• Regular in-house seminars on (anti-)claim management and FIDIC contracts, as well as workshops on legal issues related to the construction of offshore wind farms.