Oliver Korte is a Partner at ADVANT Beiten in Hamburg and an expert in commercial and distribution law. His areas of focus include the law governing commercial agents and distributors, international sales of goods (including the UN Sales Convention), and contractual disputes. He advises and represents clients in complex negotiations as well as before state courts and arbitral tribunals. In addition, he frequently serves as an arbitrator.
Oliver Korte has been a qualified attorney since 2002 and brings more than 20 years of experience from another leading German law firm, before joining ADVANT Beiten in 2023. In addition to his legal practice, Oliver Korte is the co-author of the "Westphal/Korte, Handbuch Vertriebsrecht" ("Handbook on Distribution Law", 3rd edition, 2026) and has published numerous articles. He is a regular speaker at conferences and professional associations. Furthermore, he developed a Legal Tech tool for assessing and calculating compensation claims and hosts a podcast on commercial agency law.
"Oliver Korte is very experienced and a go-to person in distribution law.";
"I like working with him as he is very pragmatic, he is clear in his advice and there's no fuss. He is a very efficient lawyer."
"Oliver Korte has extensive experience in commercial agency law."
Oliver Korte is recommended in the area of Commercial Contracts.
Oliver Korte is listed in the Lexology Index Germany 2025 as a recommended lawyer for litigation and franchising.
Oliver Korte was awarded "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in the area of Trade Law.
“Oliver Korte of ADVANT Beiten is appreciated for his in-depth expertise in a broad range of commercial contracts including distribution agreements, general terms and conditions, and logistics as well as agency agreements. He is also well versed in handling litigation and arbitration pertaining to contractual disputes. He does extremely well before court and is a calm, knowledgeable litigator.”
"Oliver Korte [...] is appreciated for his in-depth expertise on a broad range of commercial contracts including distribution agreements, general terms and conditions, logistics as well as agency agreements. He is also well versed in handling litigation pertaining to contractual provisions."
"very committed", Competitor
"extremely competent, skilled, pleasant and very trusting cooperation", Clients
"Oliver Korte deserves his very good reputation because he has very profound knowledge. He is also very quick to deliver his legal expertise with very high quality, so that it can serve as a basis for a good decision. I therefore greatly appreciate him as a intellectual sparring partner and always look forward to the exchange.";
"Oliver Korte provides a very conscientious and competent professional service. Thinks beyond the box and offers very personalised advice."
"He provides very prompt responses and although he makes analysis from different perspectives everything is very clear."
Books
Handbook on Distribution Law – The Law Governing Commercial Agents and Authorized Dealers in Contract and Litigation Practice
Oliver Korte and Prof. Dr. Bernd Westphal
Carl Heymanns Verlag / Wolters Kluwer, 3rd edition 2026 (co-author)
Publications
“CJEU | Assignee's ability to invoke a jurisdiction clause from the original contract”
Oliver Korte and Dr Tobias Pörnbacher
in: IWRZ 2026, p. 47 et seq.
“Opting out of the law on general terms and conditions when an arbitration tribunal has jurisdiction” (commentary on Federal Court of Justice, decision of January 9, 2025 – I ZB 48/24)
Oliver Korte
in: Zeitschrift für Vertriebsrecht, 2025, pp. 191–194
“Jurisdiction clause in commercial agency agreement permissible despite consequence of denial of compensation claim” (commentary on KG Berlin, decision of July 1, 2025 – 2 U 37/22)
Oliver Korte
in: GWR, 2025, p. 364
“Germany as a center of justice in transition – What the new commercial courts mean”
Oliver Korte and Christopher D. Harten
in: DisputeResolution 2/2025
“Consideration of subsequent developments in the equalisation claim?”
Oliver Korte
in: Zeitschrift für Vertriebsrecht, 2025, p. 3 et seq.
"Distribution Law - The Law of Commercial Agents and Authorised Dealers in Contractual and Litigation Practice"
Oliver Korte and Dr Bernd Westphal
Handbook, Carl Heymanns Verlag / Wolters Kluwer, 2nd edition 2023 (co-author)
"Modernisation of Arbitration Law on the Way"
Oliver Korte
in: BetriebsBerater 2023/22, first page
"A view from Germany on limitation of liabiliy in international contracts – ineffective provisions can lull one into a false sense of security“
Oliver Korte
in: Risk Management Today (LexisNexis) 2023, p. 66
"Key points commercial agents and distributors selling products in the Gulf Region should be aware of" (English and Arabic)
Oliver Korte
in: Legal Challenges (Kuwait) 06/2023
"No Follow-up Commission for Repeat Orders from Intensified Existing Customers"
Oliver Korte and Christopher D. Harten
in: Journal of Distribution Law, 2021, p. 364
"Supply Chain Act (RegE): New Due Diligence Obligations for Companies"
Oliver Korte
in: Der Betrieb, 2021/12, first page
"Secret Protection in Distribution Law - Without Adequate Protective Measures, No More Protection of Trade and Business Secrets?"
Oliver Korte abd Christopher D. Harten
in: Zeitschrift für Vertriebsrecht, 2021, p. 155
"The Indemnity Claim of the Commercial Agent during and after the Corona Pandemic"
Oliver Korte
in: GWR, 2020, p. 194.
"3D Printing and Product Liability"
Oliver Korte with Pajtesa Istrefi
in: Der Betrieb, 2018, p. 2482
"Arbitration - Legal Basis and Arbitration Agreement"
Oliver Korte
book chapter in: Hamburger Handbuch des Exportrechts, ed. Paschke / Graf / Olbrisch, C.H. Beck, 2nd ed. 2014
"The Indemnityn Claim of the Commercial Agent after the Amendment of Sec. 89 b Commercial Code"
Oliver Korte
in: Der Betrieb, 2011, p. 2761
"Pathological Arbitration Clauses - Examples from Consulting Practice"
Oliver Korte and Breßler, Kröger, Rollin and v. Bodenhausen
in: International Commercial Law (IHR), 2008, p. 89
"The Hamburg Friendly Arbitration - An Overview on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of Section 20 Platzusancen for the Hamburg Trade in Goods"
Oliver Korte
in: SchiedsVZ, 2004, p. 240
Dozens of other smaller publications (judgment notes etc. in BetriebsBerater, Der Betrieb, EwiR, GWR, Lexology, Financial Times Deutschland, association and business publications).
Lectures (selection)
“Volatility in Global Trade and Supply Chain Structures”, “The Nuts and Bolts of Contract Drafting to Address the Unexpected”, IBA Conference in Munich, 16 April 2026
“Need for speed: Nothing else matters? Urgency, Emergency Arbitrators, Expedited Procedures, and Effective Justice”, Paris Arbitration Week, 25 March 2026
“Legal issues in international B2B sales contracts – best practices and pitfalls”, presentation at the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Industry and Commerce, 24 February 2026
“The Authorized Dealer Agreement,” presentation at the 20th German Commercial and Corporate Law Day, October 11, 2025
“The bone of contention in distribution law: The compensation claims of commercial agents and authorized dealers in legal practice,” presentation at the German Association of Specialist Lawyers for Commercial and Corporate Law, June 24, 2025
“The gray market: What companies can (and cannot) do contractually to prevent gray market distribution in export target markets” (together with Helena Thiel), presentation at the Export Association of the German Confectionery Industry (German Sweets), March 28, 2025
“Commercial agency law - focal points of disputes in practice”, semiar at the Hamburg Bar Association, 24 September 2025
“Commercial agency law - focal points of disputes in practice”, semiar at the Munich Bar Association, 14 May 2025
“Legal issues in international B2B sales contracts - best practices and pitfalls”, lecture at the IHK Schleswig-Holstein, 27 February 2025
“Commercial agency law - focal points of disputes in practice”, semiar at the Frankfurt Bar Association, 19 February 2025
“Commercial agency law - focal points of disputes in practice”, seminar at the Berlin Bar Association, 12 February 2025
"Claims of commercial agents and distributors at the end of the contract”, lecture at the IHK Schleswig-Holstein, 24 January 2025
"Legal issues upon termination of the agency agreement", lecture at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, 20 January 2025
“Force Majeure in International Trade: When Are Supply Chain Disruptions (Un)foreseeable?”, DAV Portugal and ARGE International Business Law – German-Portuguese Legal Dialogue, Porto, October 4, 2024
“Consideration of post-contractual Developments in indemnity Claims?”, 14th Symposium on Current Issues in Distribution Law and International Trade Law of the German Society for Distribution Law (DGVR), Leipzig, May 2, 2024
"Use of Commercial Agents Abroad," German Sweets / Export Association of the German Confectionery Industry, Bonn, June 2023
"Protection of Secrets in Distribution Agreements," Annual Congress of the German Society for Distribution Law (DGVR), Leipzig, May 2023
Kuwait Arbitration School, several lectures on International Arbitration Law, Kuwait City, September 2022
"The New Vertical Block Exemption Regulation" ( Distribution Antitrust Law), Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry, Webinar, June 2022
"Supply Chain Disruptions, Forece Majeure and Price Rise," German Sweets / Export Association of the German Confectionery Industry, webinar, May 2022
"Supply Chain Disruptions and Price Increases - What is the Legal Situation?" AGA Business Association, Webinar, April 2022
Hamburg Arbitration School, Organisation of the annual training course for trainee lawyers since 2021
"Risk Management and Liability Rules", FORUM, Online One-Day Seminar, June 2021
"International Sales and Distribution Contracts", German Sweets / Export Association of the German Confectionery Industry, Webinar, October 2020
"Use of Commercial Agents in Times of Corona", AGA Business Association, Webinar, June 2020
Brown Bag Lunch „Commercial Contracts, Commercial Disputes – Lawyer in (International) Commercial and Distribution Law", lecture at the University of Hamburg, May 2020
"Supply Chain Disruptions: COVID-19 as Force Majeure?", AGA Business Association, Webinar, March 2020
"Supply Chain Disruptions II: Particularities in Cross-Border Contracts", AGA Business Association, Webinar, March 2020
"Commercial Disputes - Best Practices", Association of Electrical Wholesalers (VEG), Hamburg, February 2020
"Accelerated Arbitration", presentation at the 2nd Osnabrück Arbitration Day, University of Osnabrück, November 2019
Dozens of other lectures at trade associations, chambers of industry and commerce, lawyers' associations, etc.
