Maria Brakalova

Partner, Dentons

Based in Berlin, Dr. Maria Brakalova is a partner and member of the Dentons’ Competition, Antitrust & Regulatory and Public Procurement practices in Germany. She focuses mainly on foreign trade law and public procurement law.

Maria advises on export control matters, appearing before regulatory authorities in Germany. She supports clients in setting up or improving their internal export control compliance organization. She also advises clients on the practical implications of EU/German as well as US sanctions on transactions relating to Russia, Venezuela, Iran and other sanctioned countries.

Another major area of Maria’s expertise in foreign trade law relates to German foreign direct investment control (FDI control). She supports foreign investors and German targets on the implications of FDI control on M&A transactions and prepares the clearance process, closely interacting with the Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action.

Maria was recently recognized as a “Name of the Next Generation” in the field of Foreign Trade Law by The Legal 500. She was also ranked in Handelsblatt and Best Lawyers’ list of “Germany’s Best Lawyers” (2020). One client testimonial says: “Ms. Brakalova – our contact person at Dentons – is extremely competent, reliable, always available and if she is not available, she will call you back immediately if possible. Our export control issues are properly received and professionally processed and answered,”. Another client describes Maria as a “committed, friendly contact who enables a very pleasant and effective cooperation,” (The Legal 500: Germany, 2022).

In addition to her role at Dentons, Maria is chairwoman of the working committee “Foreign Trade/Export Control” of the German Institute for Compliance (DICO).