Where we come from
lawyer4expats.de is a Berlin-based start-up, helping expats to get easy access to legal advise. We know from own experiences how hard it can be to find clear legal advice, especially in jurisdictions where one is less familiar with the legal frameworks. Many expats in Germany have great jobs and excellent compensation packages. However, not all of them are fully aware of their rights, e.g. in case of (unfair) dismissal. Besides the language barrier, German laws can be confusing. However, Germany tends to be among the more employee-friendly countries, especially when it comes to firing employees adn compensating for unfair dismissal. But not every expat knows his or her rights – or about the fact that once you have a termination letter in your letterbox, the proverbial clock is ticking: In most cases, you have exactly 3 weeks to file a complaint against the dismissal in a dedicated labor court. Which will require a lawyer for most of us.
How we operate
On lawyer4expats.de, we provide users with clear and accessible information—presented in plain English—regarding how to navigate dismissals in Germany, as well as how to quickly find a qualified labor lawyer. Through our blog, we address the most pressing questions employees typically have following the termination of their employment. Topics include employee rights under German labor law, how to calculate appropriate severance payments, the necessary steps to obtain such compensation, and administrative requirements such as applying for unemployment benefits. We also offer whitepapers and video content, which will soon be available in English. In addition, we facilitate free initial consultations with carefully selected partner attorneys—experienced, English-speaking specialists in labor law (*Fachanwälte für Arbeitsrecht*). These consultations are provided at no cost to the employee. Our platform is funded entirely through our partnerships with these legal professionals.
The founders
Frank Broer
Frank studied law, economics, and business administration and received his doctorate in law. He worked for a few years as a lawyer and tax consultant in Frankfurt/Main. After that, he was a project manager in the corporate finance practice of McKinsey&Company for 6 years and held various management positions in start-ups, partly as a founder afterwards. In 2023 he founded severance-pay-germany.de with Timo
Timo Sauer
Timo is an economist and expert in online/ performance marketing, product development and conversion rate optimization. As one of the first employees in a Berlin start-up, he helped make it the largest lead-gen platform in Europe for many years. At the same time, from 2015, he also worked with his own company in an advisory capacity for various start-ups. In 2022 he founded severance-pay-germany.de with Frank