Certificates are securities which in most cases were sold to retail customers by banks. They are constructed as bonds and entitle the owner to a participation in the profits of certain stock market trades. There are different kinds of certificates, for example so called guarantee certificates, bonus certificates and discount certificates. All certificates have in common that the acquirer bears the risk of an insolvency of the issuer. Since the beginning of the financial crisis certificates issued by Lehman Brothers have been the focal point of public interest. At the same time, it cannot be ruled out generally that certificates of other banks suffer a similar fate.

We find ways for our clients to get back at least part of the money which they had believed to be lost. Arguments for negotiations about an out-of-court settlement or even the institution of formal legal proceedings in court can arise for example if there are indications that the investor was miscounselled.