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In our video series, attorney Niklas Decker explains the basics of inheritance law—in a clear, concise, and practical way. We start with the question: Do you even need a will?

In Baden-Württemberg alone, some 30,000 companies are facing a succession issue. The founding generation has reached retirement age, and the next generation is set to take over. What sounds simple often turns out to be highly complex in practice. Not because the legal arrangements are difficult or the ideas unfeasible, but simply because there is a lack of suitable successors. If no one within the family is willing (and able!) to continue the business, the search for external successors begins. In economically challenging times, however, entrepreneurial independence holds little appeal for many, so suitable candidates are usually just as hard to find outside the family as they are within it. If there are indeed family members interested in taking over, another problem often arises. True to the old adage “too many cooks spoil the broth,” handing over the business to multiple family members willing to take over risks paralyzing or splitting the company if disputes arise in future generations.

With the Act on the Further Development of Pharmacy Services (ApoVWG), lawmakers are planning one of the most comprehensive reforms of the pharmacy sector in recent years. The goal is to ensure the supply of medicines, particularly in structurally weak regions, and to integrate pharmacies more closely into outpatient healthcare. To this end, pharmacists are to be granted additional competencies in the future that were previously reserved primarily for the medical profession. The planned changes are therefore being discussed not only as an opportunity for improved care but also as a potential encroachment on existing jurisdictional boundaries.

The right of access under Article 15 of the GDPR—on the one hand, a right of data subjects and a tool for promoting transparency and informational self-determination in the context of personal data processing; on the other hand, a frequently exploited avenue for escalating disputes that have their roots elsewhere.

With the “Act Amending the State Data Protection Act and Other Laws” of February 10, 2026, Baden-Württemberg set a decisive course that will provide a new legal foundation for the fully automated issuance of administrative acts using AI systems. It is now important for government decision-makers and developers of administrative software and systems to precisely translate the requirements of administrative procedure law, data protection law, and the AI Regulation into practice.

On March 4, 2026, the Bundestag held its first debate on the draft bill to modernize product liability law. The bill is intended to transpose the European Product Liability Directive into German law. It represents a fundamental overhaul and is likely the most comprehensive reform since the Product Liability Act came into force in 1990. Even though the legislative process is still ongoing, it is already worth taking a look at the key changes.

Even though the eFTI Regulation has been in effect for several years now, and awareness of the regulation has certainly increased since the publication of the survey results by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) at the end of 2024—at which time only 14% of the companies surveyed were familiar with “eFTI”—this article aims to shed light once again on the eFTI Regulation, which will gain in importance in the coming year, and provide affected companies with a brief overview.

On March 20, 2026, a training session for the municipal council on the topic of “Rights and Duties of Municipal Supervisory Boards” was held in Oberndorf am Neckar.

Preparing for annual performance reviews using structured questionnaires is part of the daily routine for human resources departments. These questionnaires are used to regularly gather employees’ self-assessments of their performance, feedback on their managers, and future career aspirations. Companies are increasingly turning to digital tools for this purpose. The law firm VOELKER explains what companies need to consider under data protection law when using employee questionnaires—both in paper and digital formats.

Consumers have a right to have (certain) products repaired directly by the manufacturer. Manufacturers must facilitate such repairs and provide information about them. Sellers are not exempt either. They must inform consumers that they have the right to choose between repair (rectification) and replacement (subsequent delivery) and, in the event of a repair, must “grant” consumers an additional year of warranty coverage. At least, that is the current draft, which is set to take effect on July 31, 2026.

With effect from January 1, 2026, the General Decree of the German Bishops' Conference on canons 1292, 1295, and 1297 CIC of March 2, 2023, came into force for all German dioceses.

On February 12, 2026, the German Bundestag passed various amendments to the Unfair Competition Act (UWG). In doing so, the legislature is transposing European Directive (EU) 2024/825 ("EmpCo Directive") into national law. The aim is to better protect consumers and market participants from misleading environmental and sustainability claims. In doing so, the legislature is going far beyond the established requirements of case law (VOELKER reported). This results in new requirements, some of which are subject to fines, particularly in the areas of marketing and advertising statements, sustainability claims, and products with software elements. The amendments will essentially come into force on September 27, 2026. VOELKER provides an overview.