Online Trading
Three friends establish a limited liability company (GmbH) for online trading in sustainable products. One is to become the managing director, two are only to contribute capital.
Question: What is the distinction between ownership and management?
Dismissal of a Managing Director
The shareholders of a limited liability company (GmbH) decide to dismiss the managing director due to poor performance.
Question: Which body of the limited liability company (GmbH) is responsible for this decision?
Founding a Limited Liability Company
A founder pays the share capital of her limited liability company only after it has been entered in the commercial register.
Question: When does the limited liability company acquire full legal capacity and limited liability?
Just Maintaining a Building
A limited liability company owns and maintains a building but is not currently engaged in any economic activity.
Question: Is it still considered an entrepreneur in the legal sense?
A creditor wants to access the private assets of a limited liability company shareholder directly.
Question: Is this legally permissible in the case of a GmbH?
The managing director of a GmbH concludes a large supply contract without the approval of the shareholders' meeting.
Question: Who represents the company externally and how is the power of representation regulated?
A managing director causes significant damage through gross negligence.
Question: Can he be held personally liable?
Raise Capital
A group of companies plans to raise capital from investors by issuing shares.
Question: Which legal form is suitable for this and why?
Supervisory Board
The supervisory board of an AG discovers irregularities in the financial reports.
Question: What control function does the supervisory board perform in the AG?
A shareholder sells his shares to a new investor.
Question: Does this change have any influence on the legal identity of the AG?
An experienced craftsman wants to start his own business and run his own company without complicated formalities.
Question: Which legal form is best for him if he wants to retain full freedom of decision-making?
Three friends want to start an online business together, but don't have a lot of start-up capital and just want to get started.
Question: What type of company can they choose initially without formal incorporation or registration?
Art Project
Two designers join forces to implement an art project that is only supposed to run for one year.
Question: In this case, is a civil law partnership sufficient, or would another form be more suitable?
A group of founders wants to create clear decision-making structures because an investor is involved and demands a say in the business.
Question: How can the internal structure of a company be organized to ensure efficiency and control?
Engineer and Investor
An engineer plans to run a small workshop together with an investor. The investor does not want to be liable.
Question: Which legal form could allow for a separation between capital participation and liability risk?