Dr. Andreas Groezinger
Specialist Attorney for Criminal Law · Partner
Dr. Andreas Groezinger is a partner at Gercke Wollschläger in Cologne, Germany. He advises and defends companies, board members, managing directors, and individuals — primarily in complex white-collar criminal proceedings, export control and sanctions law, and internal investigations. He represents clients in Cologne, across North Rhine-Westphalia, throughout Germany, and in cross-border proceedings, including investigations by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).
Practice Areas
White-collar criminal defense · Anti-money laundering law (§§ 261 ff. StGB, GwG) · Cum-ex / Cum-cum dividend arbitrage · EPPO proceedings · Export control and sanctions criminal law · Corporate defense / Internal investigations · Fraud, embezzlement, and corruption · Workplace accidents and advisory on industrial incidents and major loss events
Selected Cases
Dr. Groezinger defends in some of Germany’s most high-profile white-collar criminal cases:
Export control and sanctions law. Regular defense in cases involving violations of the German Foreign Trade and Payments Act (AWG/AWV) — including the Russia embargo, dual-use exports to China, and sanctions evasion. EU sanctions criminal law.
Internal investigation. Including leading a criminally sensitive internal investigation (MeToo context) for an international asset manager.
Workplace accidents. Criminal law advisory for an infrastructure group in connection with prosecutorial investigations following a gas explosion.
Chinese espionage case, Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf. Defense of a defendant charged with intelligence activity on behalf of the Chinese intelligence service MSS. The Federal Prosecutor General had indicted on espionage and violations of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act. The espionage charge was dropped. (Coverage: Süddeutsche Zeitung, ARD)
Sanjay Shah / Cum-ex and money laundering, Regional Court Hamburg. Co-defense — together with Björn Gercke — of the most prominent defendant in the German cum-ex complex. The proceedings were discontinued. (FAZ, 22 May 2025)
Money laundering, approx. EUR 250 million. Successful discontinuation of proceedings.
EPPO proceedings. Defense in European Public Prosecutor’s Office investigations concerning cross-border VAT fraud.
Fraud, embezzlement, corruption.
Academic Work and Teaching
Dr. Groezinger holds a teaching appointment in the Master’s program in White-Collar Criminal Law at the University of Cologne (fraud law). He is the author of the monograph Die Überwachung von Cloud-Storage (Nomos, 2018) and co-author of the commentary on §§ 100a ff. and 111b ff. StPO in the Heidelberger Kommentar zur Strafprozessordnung (7th ed. 2023). Further publications in NStZ, wistra, StV, StraFo, and Goltdammer’s Archiv, as well as in the Münchener Anwaltshandbuch Strafverteidigung.
The German Auditor Oversight Body (APAS) was trained by Dr. Grözinger in white-collar criminal law over a two-day seminar.
Awards and Rankings
JUVE Handbook: “Rising Star” in white-collar and tax criminal law (2023, 2024, 2025)
The Legal 500 Germany: Next Generation Partner, Corporate Defense (2025, 2026)
Best Lawyers / Handelsblatt: White-collar and tax criminal law
WirtschaftsWoche: White-collar criminal law
FAZ-Institut: Top Attorney 2026
Competitors describe him as “a very sharp mind, always to the point, with a commanding presence,” “highly creative and pragmatic,” and “outstanding in his field” (JUVE 2023/2024).
Professional Affiliations
Member of the German Bar Association (DAV) Committee on Internal Security · Head of the Criminal Proceedings Working Group of the German White-Collar Criminal Law Association (WisteV) · Regular speaker at the Strafverteidigertag, DICO Forum, and IWW Congress Praxis Steuerstrafrecht (PStR)
Languages
German · English
