English / German
Dispute Resolution - Estate Planning & Law of Foundations - Tax Law
Dr Gerrit Ponath is Partner at ADVANT Beiten‘s Frankfurt a.M. office and co-head of the practice group Assets, Succession, Foundations. His area of expertise comprises legal advice to individuals and (family-owned) companies on all aspects of national and international estate planning and wealth succession as well as on tax-efficient structuring of assets. He furthermore focuses on providing legal advice to foundations and associations on all legal and tax issues arising in specific foundation- and association-related contexts. Here he sets a strong focus on planning and implementation of structuring measures, in particular in terms of compliance with legal requirements under charitable law, as much as the coordination with supervisory bodies and tax authorities. In addition Dr Ponath is increasingly active as forensic expert with regard to conflicts under commercial law, law of succession and tax law.
Dr Gerrit Ponath studied law at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main and was admitted to the German Bar in 2006. In 2010 he was admitted as licensed specialist for law of succession and in 2012 he was admitted as licensed specialist for tax law. He has been working with ADVANT Beiten since 2007 and became Partner in 2010.
Dr Gerrit Ponath was inducted into the Private Client and Nonprofit Hall of Fame.
"Outstanding performance in commitment and expertise: Gerrit Ponath and Katharina Fink.";
"Gerrit Ponath is a very reliable partner who can draw from a huge pool of experiences. He is very pleasant in personal interaction, well founded in his statements/elaborations and very flexible. A very recommendable business partner!";
"Gerrit Ponath is not only an excellent expert of the foundation scene, but on top of that develops always excellent and customised solutions.";
"Gerrit Ponath demonstrates high/broad professional expertise, can summarise and get to the heart of complex facts in comprehensible and clear sentences. He is approachable, structured, focussed, and always has client success in mind.";
“Outstanding performance in commitment and expertise.”
Dr Gerrit Ponath was inducted into the Private Client and Nonprofit Hall of Fame.
"First and foremost, our main contact here is Dr. Gerrit Ponath, who is not only an excellent expert on the foundation scene, but is also available at any time and always develops excellent, tailor-made solutions.";
"Precision in analysis, tenacity in advocacy and implementation, pragmatism in finding solutions."
Dr. Gerrit Ponath was awarded "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in the area of Trust and Succession Planning
Dr Gerrit Ponath is awarded "Leading Individual" in the field of Private Clients and Nonprofits.
"Dr Gerrit Ponath is a personality that is both highly competent and personally convincing. Both as a speaker and in personal engagements, Dr Ponath always speaks the right language and gets to the heart of the matter.";
"Dr Gerrit Ponath has a very deep and broad knowledge as well as an enormous wealth of experience. He is available at any time and also at short notice. I really appreciate working with him, as the very professional business relationship with him is underlined by a pleasant nature in the cooperation.";
"Dr Ponath has an extremely deep knowledge of foundations and generational management. Extremely valuable as a partner in interaction both for us and our customers!"
Dr Gerrit Ponath is awarded as "Leading Individual" in the Non-Profit Sector.
"First and foremost, our main contact person is Dr. Ponath, who is not only an excellent expert on the foundation scene, but is also always available and always develops excellent and customised solutions.", Client
Publications:
Foundation as part of succession 2nd edition (co-author, C.H. Beck 2024);
What is long lasting is not always good: Discussion areas of the new foundation law (ZEV 2021, p.605 et seq., co-author Dr Georg Tolksdorf);
Establishment of a (tax-privileged) Foundation Mortis Causa, StiftungsManager - Recht, Organisation, Finanzen (chapter 4.4, as per April 2017, Hamburg, Erich Schmidt Verlag);
The Foundation in Heir Appointments, StiftungsManager - Recht, Organistion, Finanzenn (as of: September 2016, Hamburg, Erich Schmidt Verlag, chapter 4.3, co-author Susan Pischel-Bowien);
On the Admissibility of the Execution of a Will in Case of Foundations (KSzW 2014, p. 182 et seq., co-author Katharina Fink);
Sources of Danger for Parties Involved in an Estate Stipulated in WpHG [German Securities Trading Act] and WpÜG [German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act] (Zeitschrift für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge, 7/2013, pp. 361 et seq., co-author Stefan Raddatz);
Asset Protection Under German Law (2nd Edition, Bonn, zerb verlag, 2013, co-author Dr Christian von Oertzen);
Permanent Execution and Foundations (with Particular Focus on the Establishment of a Testamentary Foundation) (Zerb 11/2012, pp. 253 et seq.);
Appeal Against Interest in Case of Slow Processing by the Tax Authorities (Der Betrieb 2011, pp. 959 et seq., co-author Jörg Walzer);
The Liechtenstein Foundation: an Asset Protection Instrument for German Private Individuals (Private - Geld Special 2009, pp. 32 et seq.);
The Binding Effect of Contracts of Inheritance after a Disclaimer of Inheritance (Commemorative Publication for Prof. Dr Jürgen Damrau, 2007, pp. 95 et seq.);
The Limitations of Testamentary Freedom by Probate Law (zerb verlag, November 2006);
Asset Protection by Change of Matrimonial Property Regime (Zeitschrift für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge 2006, pp. 49 et seq.);
Asset Protection by Life Insurances (Zeitschrift für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge 2006, pp. 242 et seq.).
Lectures:
Law of Succession & Drafting of Last Wills – Good Reasons for Drafting a Last Will (2014);
Präsentation "Fallstricke bei Sachspenden" vom Seminar „Aktuelles für steuerbegünstigte Organisationen“, Frankfurt am Main, 15. März 2013;
Präsentation "Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Zivil- und Steuerrecht" vom Seminar „Aktuelles für steuerbegünstigte Organisationen“, Frankfurt am Main, 15. März 2013;
Death and Sin – Mistakes in Business and Asset Succession (2013);
How to Properly Draw Up a Lasting Power of Attorney and an Advance Decision (2013);
Tips and Tricks Regarding a Last Will – What One Can Learn from the Mistakes of the Beautiful and the Rich in Case of Business and Asset Succession (2013);
Traps in Donations in Kind (2013);
The Revision of the Fiscal Code Application Decree for Non-Profit Corporations / Law on Strengthening Honorary Posts (2013);
Foundations as Possible Instruments Within the Framework of Corporate Succession Planning (2009);
News as to the Law of Succession with Special Attention to the "Disabled Will" (2008);
The Reforms to Charity Law, Inheritance Law and Inheritance Tax Law (April 2008);
VAT and Special-Purpose Enterprises (2007).
