Dr. Tom Billing is a Partner with Noerr LLP’s Commercial & Real Estate Department in Berlin. His areas of expertise range from Distribution law to Franchising as well as various other areas of Civil law. Dr. Billing joined Noerr LLP in 2006. Over the years he has advised on the structure of numerous well-known national and international distribution systems and their expansion. Clients advised by Noerr LLP in this regard include McDonald’s (more than 20 years), Hugo Boss, Engel & Voelkers and OBI, Germany’s leading operator of DIY stores. Furthermore Dr. Billing frequently lectures and publishes on various issues of Franchising and Distribution law. He studied at the Universities of Berlin and Munich and received his PhD degree from the latter. In his thesis he focused on the assessment of standard contract terms by German courts.