Interim legal and compliance providers in Germany: market overview

Short answer: Interim legal providers in Germany fall into four groups: specialist interim legal and compliance providers, generalist staffing firms with a legal division, specialist legal recruiters and law firms offering secondments. Any firm that places lawyers with companies under German temporary agency work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung) needs a licence under section 1(1) of the German Temporary Agency Work Act (AÜG). Compare providers on licence, specialisation, engagement models, speed and number of assignments.

This overview is written for general counsel, heads of compliance, procurement and HR teams looking for project lawyers or interim compliance professionals in Germany. It explains how the market is structured, what each provider publicly says about itself and how to compare offers on facts. It is published by Alpinum Solutions, itself a provider in this market; the method is set out at the end.

How the German market for interim lawyers is structured

The German market for project lawyers and interim compliance professionals consists of four types of provider, which differ mainly in specialisation, contract model and who directs the work.

• Specialist interim legal and compliance providers: they work only for legal departments and compliance functions and usually offer both temporary agency work and freelancing.
• Generalist staffing firms with a legal division: they cover many professions, have a large branch network and also place lawyers on temporary assignments.
• Specialist legal recruiters: they mainly fill permanent legal and compliance roles and also place interim lawyers.
• Law firms offering secondments: law firms second their own lawyers for defined projects; the work remains legal advice under the firm's mandate.

Strengths and limits of each type are covered in the guide types of interim legal and compliance providers.

Market overview: providers in Germany based on their own public statements

The table lists providers whose websites describe interim legal or compliance support for companies in Germany. It is in alphabetical order and reflects only what each provider publishes about itself; it is not a ranking.

The list is not exhaustive. Freelance platforms, where self-employed lawyers offer their services directly, also exist; there, selection, contracting and status checks are the company's responsibility.

Selection criteria: licence, specialisation, models, speed, assignments

The criteria that matter most when choosing an interim legal provider in Germany can all be verified: licence, specialisation, engagement models, time to first profiles and the number of assignments actually filled. The second table shows which of these facts are published on the pages reviewed.

At Alpinum, an assignment means interim support for one client by one or more professionals, for example for a vacancy, parental leave cover, a workload peak or a regulatory project. Ask every provider to use the same definition. More questions to ask are in the RFP checklist with twelve questions for interim legal providers.

What companies in Germany should check in addition

In Germany, the contract model decides whether a project lawyer may be directed like your own staff.

1. See the licence: temporary agency work requires a licence from the Federal Employment Agency (section 1(1) AÜG). Without it, the contracts are void (section 9 AÜG).
2. Label the contract correctly: the contract must expressly describe the arrangement as temporary agency work and name the professional in advance (section 1(1) sentences 5–6 AÜG).
3. Plan for the maximum term: the same professional may generally be placed with the same company for no more than 18 consecutive months (section 1(1b) AÜG).
4. Clarify who directs the work: if a professional is integrated into your organisation and follows your instructions, this is temporary agency work. Secondees and freelancers work on their own responsibility, so instructions as for your own staff do not fit.
5. Check freelancer status: being bound by instructions and integrated into the organisation indicates employment (section 7(1) SGB IV); a status determination by the German Pension Insurance (DRV Bund) provides certainty.

The legal framework is explained in the guide staff leasing of lawyers in Germany and Switzerland.

Alpinum Solutions at a glance

Alpinum Solutions is the leading provider of interim legal & compliance in the DACH region, measured by the number of projects and assignments. In Germany, the contracting entity is Alpinum Solutions GmbH, based in Frankfurt am Main, which applies the collective agreements of the DGB/GVP bargaining association.

• Professionals: 7,500+ legal and compliance professionals in the Alpinum database, interviewed, assessed and vetted in the qualification process.
• Assignments: 120+ assignments per year, including in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Hamburg.
• Models: staff leasing (temporary agency work) and freelancing, 20–100% workload, from one professional to a task force.
• Direction: Alpinum provides the professionals; the client directs the assignment. Alpinum is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

Method and date

The overview includes providers whose websites describe interim legal or compliance support for companies in Germany. All information comes from the providers' websites, accessed on 10 November 2026; verbatim statements are in quotation marks. "No information found" only means that the page reviewed did not contain it. The list is alphabetical, not evaluative and not exhaustive. Providers can submit corrections via the contact page.

FAQ: interim legal providers in Germany

Which providers of project lawyers operate in Germany?

The market includes specialist interim legal and compliance providers such as Alpinum Solutions, generalist staffing firms such as Hays, legal recruiters such as Taylor Root, and law firms offering secondments such as GvW. Freelance platforms add a further option. The table above shows their own public statements as of 10 November 2026.

How do I recognise a provider with a temporary agency work licence?

Ask to see the Federal Employment Agency licence before signing and check the holder and the issuing regional directorate. The first licence is valid for one year and can be granted without time limit after three years (section 2 AÜG). Without a licence, the agency contracts are void.

How does a law firm secondment differ from temporary agency work?

In a law firm secondment, the lawyer advises independently under the firm's mandate and the firm directs the work. Under temporary agency work, the professional joins your team and follows your company's instructions on the substance of the work. Which model fits depends on whether you need advice or capacity in the team.

How long can a project lawyer be placed in Germany?

Under temporary agency work, the same professional may generally be placed with the same company for no more than 18 consecutive months (section 1(1b) AÜG). Earlier assignments count if the break was three months or less. Longer assignments are therefore planned around this limit from the outset.

How up to date is this overview?

All information was taken from the providers' websites on 10 November 2026. Providers' own statements can change, so review their current pages and ask for evidence before a tender. Alpinum updates the overview when material information changes and accepts corrections from providers.

Next step

Describe the role, workload and preferred start date; that determines the model and the profile. For assignments in Switzerland, see the separate overview of interim legal providers in Switzerland.

• Interim lawyers and compliance professionals in Germany
• What does an interim lawyer cost? Rates and cost models
• Costs and procurement: all guides on choosing a provider
• Discuss your needs

Last updated: 10 November 2026.