Jens Hafemann is a partner in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Tax Practice Group.
As a lawyer and certified tax advisor, Jens advises on all tax law aspects of national and international M&A, private equity, capital markets transactions, and reorganizations, and regularly represents clients in tax controversy matters, including tax audits and proceedings before the German tax courts. He also advises on the corporate law aspects of complex, multi-jurisdictional reorganizations. His broad, cross-border capability positions him to support the firm’s private equity, M&A, and restructuring clients on the German tax aspects of their most complex transactions.
Handelsblatt/The Best Lawyers™ 2026/2027 list him among the best lawyers for tax law. JUVE Handbook Tax 2025 ranks “the experienced Jens Hafemann” as “frequently recommended” for Transaction Tax, describing the practice he then led as “a fixture in the market for high-volume transactions,” regularly relied on by multinationals. The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Tax Lawyers includes him among the world’s 500 outstanding leaders who specialize in the tax aspects of M&A and other complex transactions. The Legal 500 Germany 2026 recommends Jens in its M&A ranking for his expertise in tax law.
His recent transaction* experience includes advising:
- Blackstone Inc. in the formation of Blackstone Life Sciences VI.
- Levi Strauss & Co. in its up to $391 million sale of its Dockers brand to Authentic Brands Group.
- Synopsys in its acquisition of PikeTec from ECM Equity Capital Management.
- NeXtWind’s founders in the sale of NeXtWind Capital to a consortium of Sandbrook Capital, the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), and the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO), including commitments of such consortium to invest up to $750 million of equity capital to acquire NeXtWind’s existing portfolio of operating wind assets and to fund future growth.
- International Flavors & Fragrances in the sale of its food preparation business to Frulact, a portfolio company of Ardian.
- The Walt Disney Company in the sale of its partnership interest in SRTL to RTL/Bertelsmann.
- LivaNova in the sale of its heart valve business to Gyrus Capital.
- Latour Capital in the acquisition of Solvay’s barium and strontium, and sodium percarbonate businesses.
- Baxter Healthcare in its strategic partnership with ZeoSys.
- Casa Tarradellas in its acquisition of a 60% stake in the Herta charcuterie and dough business from Nestlé.
- International Flavors & Fragrances in its merger with the Nutrition & Biosciences business of DuPont.
- 3M in the sale of its communication markets business to Corning.
- Dow Chemical in its sale of Safechem.
- Lafarge in its $40 billion merger with Holcim and in the €6.5 billion sale, together with Holcim, of certain assets to CRH.
- Merck KGaA in its divestment of Allergopharma to Dermapharm Holding SE.
- Lavazza in its acquisition of Mars Drinks from Mars Incorporated.
- Falabella in its $138 million acquisition of online marketplace operator Linio.
- Hanon Systems in the $1.2 billion acquisition of the Global Fluid Pressure & Controls business of Magna International Inc. and the complex post-M&A integration of German Magna entities.
- DCC in its acquisition of TEGA - Technische Gase und Gasetechnik GmbH from Linde.
- Alstom in its terminated €15 billion merger with Siemens’ mobility business, including its rail traction drives business.
- General Motors in the sale of its Opel/Vauxhall subsidiary and GM Financial’s European operations to PSA Group.
- German banks, insurance companies, and industry clients in tax audits and tax court proceedings, including before the German Federal Fiscal Court (Bundesfinanzhof).
- Clients in tax-related arbitration proceedings, including post-M&A in connection with tax indemnification claims.
- LVMH in its acquisition of RIMOWA, a leading manufacturer of luggage and leather goods.
- Asahi Kasei in its acquisition of Polypore International and the back-to-back sale of the worldwide separations media business to 3M.
- The underwriters in the re-IPO of Pfleiderer Grajewo, following a complex restructuring of the German Pfleiderer Group.
- Germany’s Financial Market Stabilization Agency (FMSA) in connection with the reprivatization and IPO of Deutsche Pfandbriefbank.
- Westlake Chemical Corporation in its acquisition of Vinnolit.
- Edenred in the acquisition of a participation in the fuel-card issuer UTA.
- Commerzbank AG in a rights offering.
- Deutsche Bank in capital increases.
- Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen on the acquisition of West LB.
- American Express in its acquisition of Loyalty Partner.
Jens studied law at the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, where he obtained his LL.B. in 2003 and his first state examination in 2004. He obtained his LL.M. (Master of Laws) in 2005 from the University of Cambridge and passed his second state examination in Hamburg in 2007. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2007 and has become licensed as a certified tax advisor in 2011.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was the partner leading the German tax practice at a renowned international law firm.
Jens regularly publishes on German tax issues. He is a member of the Tax & Legal Excellence network.
In addition to his native German, Jens is fluent in English.
*Includes experience prior to joining Gibson Dunn
Capabilities
- Tax
- Business Restructuring and Reorganization
- Capital Markets
- Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits
- Financial Institutions
- Investment Funds
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Private Equity
- Real Estate
- Tax Controversy and Litigation
- White Collar Defense and Investigations
Credentials
Education:
- University of Cambridge - 2005 Master of Laws (LL.M.)
- Bucerius Law School - 2004 Law Degree
- Bucerius Law School - 2003 Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
Admissions:
- Germany - Certified Tax Advisor
- Germany - Rechtsanwalt