Victor A. Thonke is an associate in the Frankfurt office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the firm’s Administrative Law and Regulatory, Artificial Intelligence, Media, Entertainment, and Technology, and Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation practices. He advises at the forefront of digital and data regulation and provides strategic guidance on complex regulatory and public-law matters.
Victor’s technology practice centers on navigating Europe’s core digital-regulation frameworks, including the GDPR, the AI Act, the Digital Services Act and other initiatives under the EU’s Digital Rulebook. His AI and privacy work covers the full spectrum of data protection, data governance, and regulatory enforcement, as well as the governance of AI systems and the rollout of digital services. Through his in-house experience in the privacy team of a leading technology company, Victor brings a practical understanding of regulatory implementation at scale in technology and data-driven business models.
Drawing on his regulatory background, Victor advises on foreign direct investment control (FDI) and national security reviews. He supports investors in cross-border transactions through early risk assessments, multi-jurisdictional strategies and efficient filing processes, and regularly engages with the Ministry for Economic Affairs to facilitate timely clearances.
Working closely with the firm’s Riyadh office, Victor leverages his international public law expertise to advise on legislative and institutional projects connected to Saudi Vision 2030.
Victor has substantial experience representing clients before courts and regulatory authorities, including the European Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC), the Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Federal Justice Office, and various data-protection and media regulators.
Handelsblatt / The Best Lawyers™ in Germany recognized Victor as “One to Watch” in Regulatory Law in 2025/2026.
His representative experience* includes:
- Advised Meta on content moderation frameworks and regulatory strategy under European and German platform-regulation and media laws.
- Provided strategic advice for global social media platform on compliance and regulatory engagement.
- Advised a multinational technology company on the global deployment of AI tools and privacy compliance strategy.
- Represented a major digital-services company in litigation against the European Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network concerning geo-blocking practices in online services.
- Represented a global messenger service in a high-profile enforcement case before the Federal Justice Office and German courts.
- Advised leading technology company on data-incident response and privacy risk mitigation.
- Represented GlobalWafers in German administrative proceedings relating to foreign direct investment control in its proposed acquisition of Siltronic AG.
- Advised special economic zone on the setup of its legislative and regulatory framework, including the development of legislative policies, the drafting of founding laws and regulations, and the preparation of the constitutive documents of affiliated bodies.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Victor worked as an associate at a renowned international law firm and gained experience as a trainee lawyer at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Berlin and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Victor is active in the legal community and committed to pro bono work. As part of his engagement, he was seconded to the Greece Pro Bono Collaborative, where he advised on matters of human rights and access to justice.
Victor studied law at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg and the University of Sydney. He passed both the First and Second State Examinations with honors and received an LL.M. in Administrative and European Law with distinction from the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer. He has been admitted as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2021.
He is fluent in German and English and speaks conversational French.
*Includes matters prior to joining Gibson Dunn
Capabilities
- Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice
- Antitrust and Competition
- Artificial Intelligence
- Media, Entertainment, and Technology
- Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation
- Public Policy
- Tech and Innovation
Credentials
Education:
- German Univ. of Administrative Sciences Speyer - 2021 Master of Laws (LL.M.)
- Bucerius Law School - 2017 First State Exam
- Bucerius Law School - 2015 Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
Admissions:
- Germany - Rechtsanwalt