Prof. Dr. Thomas Höppner
Prof. Dr. Thomas Höppner is a partner at Hausfeld, where he leads a team of competition lawyers focused on complex litigation and digital regulation.
He has assisted clients in numerous high-stake investigations, including some of the most complex abuse of dominance cases involving major tech companies. His recent work includes matters related to Alphabet (e.g. Google Search, Android, AdTech, Privacy Sandbox, News Showcase), Apple (ATT, App Store), Amazon (Buy-Box, MFNs), Meta (Consent-or-Pay), and Microsoft (Teams I, II).
Thomas also plays a prominent role in private enforcement before German courts. He represents individual companies and plaintiff groups in high-value antitrust damages claims (e.g. for idealo, Heureka, AdClaim) and has a strong track record of securing preliminary injunctions in competition disputes. Notable cases include NetDoktor, ImmoWelt, AdBlock, and several injunctions against the blocking or suspension of business users’ accounts by Google, Meta, and Amazon. Thomas also advises businesses on the competition implications of the Digital Markets Act, the AI Act, the Data Act and the Media Freedom Act.
In 2024, legal directory JUVE named Thomas as one of the top 10 advisors in antitrust law and the platform economy. He is also recognized as one of the top 10 lawyers in media competition law and as a Thought Leader in competition law and competition plaintiff work in Germany by Lexology/Who’s Who Legal. In 2021, he won the exclusive ILO Client Choice Award for excellent client service. His academic work has been nominated for the Concurrences Antitrust Writing Awards seven times, winning on three occasions.
Thomas holds a Ph.D. (summa cum laude) and an LL.M in competition law. He was appointed as Professor of Law in 2016 and taught Business, IP, and Marketing Law at Technical University Wildau until 2023. Previously, he served as a Visiting Professor for telecoms law at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
He has co-authored over 100 articles and six books, and frequently speaks on contemporary issues in competition and technology. His latest book, Self-Preferencing in Online Search, can be downloaded. The second edition of his book Digital Advertising and the Google Ecosystem (in German) is set for publication in 2026. His previous book, Google's (Non-) Compliance with the EU Shopping Decision, is available as a free download.
Dr. iur, Humboldt University, Berlin – Summa Cum Laude and Karlheinz-Quack Prize
LL.M, University of Dundee
Bar Exam / 2. State Exam, Berlin – Distinction
LL.B / 1. State Exam, Berlin – Distinction and Graduation Prize
Who's Who Legal Thought Leader – Competition Plaintiffs (since 2022); Global Leader (since 2021) & National Leader Germany (since 2021 - Competition Plaintiffs and Competition Law (since 2024))
Best Lawyers Germany since 2017 - Competition/Antitrust, Information Technology Law, Media Law, Technology Law
Legal 500 Germany, recommended for competition law since 2018
Juve, recommended since 2013, listed as leading media competition lawyer (since 2022) and Top 10 advisors for competition law in the platform economy (2024)
Leaders in Law since 2019 - Media & Entertainment Law
Thomas Höppner is recognized in Juve, Legal 500 , Who's Who Legal, Best Lawyers and other directories as one of the leading antitrust lawyers in Germany with outstanding expertise in the field of digital economies.
JUVE
“He has been beating up Google at the highest level for ten years now (competitor)”, Juve, 2024
“penetrates digital cases like few others - makes life really difficult for a defence lawyer” – Juve Top 10 (Anti-)trust Advisors, 2024
Ranked as “leading media competition lawyers” – since 2022
"Thomas Höppner has a in-depth understanding of the internet economy” - Antitrust, 2023
“Stands for the tenacious fight against tech giants” – Antitrust Law of the Year, 2022
“Perfectly positioned as a challenger”, said a competitor – Antitrust, 2022
“Extremely competent and committed” said a client; “his complaint against Apple was extremely good” said a competitor – Antitrust, 2021
"There are not many who have such a deep background on Google," said one client. - Antitrust, 2020.
It highlights its "expertise in the digital economy." - Antitrust, 2018
One of the ten leading minds in antitrust law in the platform economy. His ability to "penetrate digital proceedings like few others and make life really difficult for defense lawyers" is particularly highlighted, Juve print edition 03/2024
Legal 500 Germany
“the specialist for GAFA victims in Germany and beyond” – Legal 500 Germany, 2024
“Thomas Höppner's team can only be described as outstanding. Extremely complex issues are excellently analysed and legally assessed in such a way that the results are comprehensible and immediately usable” – Legal 500 Germany, 2024
“Over the past ten years, Prof Höppner has shown that he and his team understand the extreme complexity of the ecosystems and business practices of big tech companies” – Legal 500 Germany, 2024
"Thomas Höppner is probably the antitrust and regulatory lawyer who has by far the best grasp of the issues and regulation of BIG-Tech, both in fact and in law, in all of Europe.” – Legal 500 Germany, 2023
“Thomas Höppner: Mr. Big Tech; no one knows the field of GAFAs and the legal problems of the digital industry better than him.” – Legal 500 Germany, 2023
“Thomas Höppner has always proven that he is one of the most noteworthy legal experts in the field of digital markets and network policy. Mr. Höppner is an excellent lawyer with outstanding legal knowledge who has always advised and supported us to our fullest satisfaction, especially in the area of competition policy. He provides first-class legal advice, incisive legal opinions and excellent litigation.” – Legal 500, Germany 2023
"Prof. Höppner has outstanding knowledge of both digital platforms and relevant law and the scientific discussion with them. Relentless and extremely knowledgeable representative of the client’s interests." - Legal 500 Germany, 2022
"Thomas Höppner is professionally brilliant, intrinsically motivated, and has a fast grasp of even complex business issues." He "not only provides legal advice, but understands the overall context." - Competition Law, 2021
He "has many years of experience in proceedings at the EU Commission, is very well connected as a result and extremely proactive." - Competition Law, 2020
Who's Who Legal
Recognised as Thought Leader in Competition Plaintiff & Competition Germany, Global Leader in Competition Plaintiff and National Leader for Competition Germany 2023: "Thomas has an unparalleled knowledge of the complex world of digital markets, digital advertising ecosystems and abuse of dominance in digital ecosystems."
Acknowledged as an "extremely versatile" practitioner who is "an outstanding subject matter expert on the legal aspects of antitrust law." – WWL Global Guide Competition, 2022
Recognised as single “Thought Leader” (since 2022) and “Global Leader” (since 2021) in category “Competition Plaintiffs” from Germany; also recognised as “National Leader” (since 2021) in category “Competition”.
Acknowledged as an "extremely versatile" practitioner who is "an outstanding subject matter expert on the legal aspects of antitrust law." Noted as single National Leader Germany - Competition Plaintiff 2022
Recognised as a Global Leader for Competition Plaintiff in the 2021 edition of Who’s Who Legal ‘Global Leaders 2021’
A “very smart lawyer”, “Outstanding understanding of very complex technical and economic systems, in particular digital platform market, outstanding knowledge of competition law, outstanding written and oral argumentation” – Competition, 2020
Lexology Client Choice Awards
In 2021, Thomas won the exclusive Lexology Client Choice Awards 2021 for Competition in Germany.
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