Leading Authority & Regulatory Lawyer in Germany

Dr. Carolin Raspé is recognised as a leading Regulatory lawyer in Germany, with deep expertise at the intersection of public law, compliance and internal investigations. As a partner at YPOG, she co-leads the firm’s Corporate Crime, Compliance & Investigations offering and advises national and international clients on preventive regulatory strategies as well as contentious regulatory matters. Her practice blends regulatory litigation before specialised courts with hands-on compliance design, cross-border investigations and advice on sector-specific export controls & sanctions.

Professional Background & Credentials

Dr. Raspé studied law at Bucerius Law School (Hamburg) and LUISS Guido Carli (Rome), completed legal training with placements in Hamburg, Berlin and Paris, and earned a doctorate in Hamburg on the animal–human relationship in society, ethics and law. She is admitted to the German bar (Rechtsanwältin) and holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Law & Management from the University of St. Gallen. Before joining YPOG on 1 October 2024, Dr. Raspé spent more than a decade at Hengeler Mueller, where she was appointed Counsel in 2022 and developed a practice focused on public economic law, compliance and complex internal investigations.

Regulatory Practice Focus & Sector Experience

Dr. Raspé’s regulatory practice covers preventive compliance frameworks, export control and sanctions compliance, data protection, foreign direct investment (FDI) clearances, permitting and supply-chain compliance, including ESG-related regimes. She frequently works for industrial groups, financial institutions, large corporates and non-profits facing cross-border regulatory exposure, tailoring advice to sector-specific risks in manufacturing, automotive, energy, tech and financial services. Her multi-lingual capability (German, English, French, Italian, Spanish) supports coordination of multinational responses and cooperation with foreign authorities.

Internal Investigations, Litigation & Crisis Response

A distinguishing strength of Dr. Raspé's practice is her track record in managing complex, cross-border internal investigations and regulatory crises. She has led or advised on high-profile internal inquiries—ranging from the diesel-related internal review at Robert Bosch GmbH to investigations linked to the TÜV Süd dam incident in Brazil, alleged cum-ex matters at a financial institution, and procurement-related probes at Vonovia SE. Her work routinely involves evidence preservation, multi-jurisdictional witness interviews, coordination with enforcement agencies, and designing remediation and corporate-governance measures.

Notable Publications & Thought Leadership

Dr. Raspé is an active contributor to the professional literature on regulatory & compliance topics. Her recent publications address criminal risks in sanctions compliance, supply-chain compliance and the interaction of administrative and criminal consequences under Germany’s evolving regulatory landscape. She has published in specialist outlets such as the WiJ, StraFo and sector journals covering data protection, intra-group transfer risks post-Schrems II, and the legal aspects of blockchain privacy. These publications inform both corporate compliance teams and external counsel on practical risk management and enforcement trends.

What Sets Her Apart From Other Practitioners

Dr. Raspé combines rigorous public-law training and litigation experience with hands-on commercial awareness and project-management credentials. Her prior NGO work in Madagascar and academic research reflect an ability to handle ethically sensitive issues and complex stakeholder environments. Clients value her pragmatic approach to designing compliance systems that are enforceable and proportionate, and her capacity to lead multi-disciplinary teams that include tax, corporate and transactional specialists for seamless regulatory support in M&A and restructuring.

Context: Regulatory Law In Germany & Key Challenges

Regulatory law in Germany continues to require specialist counsel who can navigate overlapping administrative, criminal and civil regimes. Recent years have brought heightened focus on supply-chain due diligence (LkSG), parallel EU initiatives such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and continuously updated export control and sanctions regimes tied to geopolitical developments. These trends mean companies face expanded compliance obligations, potential administrative sanctions and criminal exposure where controls fail—making early preventive compliance and fast, credible investigations essential.

Why Specialist Regulatory Counsel Matters

Specialist Regulatory lawyers in Germany must translate statutory obligations into operational policies, anticipate enforcement priorities, and manage interactions with authorities. Effective counsel minimises enforcement risk through tailored risk assessments, targeted control frameworks and clear incident-response protocols. In complex investigations, experienced counsel also preserves privilege where possible, coordinates cross-border evidence handling and crafts remediation that mitigates litigation and reputational harm. Dr. Raspé’s combined litigation and compliance skills position her to provide this integrated support.

Who She Serves & Typical Engagements

Dr. Raspé advises boards, compliance officers, in-house legal teams and senior executives of German and international companies. Typical engagements include: designing export-control and sanctions compliance programs; conducting cross-border internal investigations; defending administrative and constitutional proceedings in regulatory disputes; integrating regulatory and data-protection due diligence in M&A; and implementing supply-chain compliance systems. Her work is designed to be practical for non-lawyers while robust enough to withstand regulatory scrutiny.

Practical Approach & How Clients Benefit

Dr. Raspé delivers an adviser who prioritises clear risk-ranking, rapid fact-finding and actionable remediation steps that balance legal protection with business continuity. Her multidisciplinary coordination across litigation, tax and transactional teams at YPOG ensures regulatory issues are addressed in the context of commercial objectives. For businesses and individuals in Germany seeking a Regulatory lawyer in Germany, Dr. Raspé offers seasoned courtroom experience, hands-on investigation leadership and forward-looking compliance design aligned to current EU & national regulatory trends.

YPOG Verified Firm

Our Lawyers