Manuela Beckert

Leading Authority In White-Collar-Crime Law

Manuela Beckert is a recognised specialist in white-collar-crime matters in Germany, combining long-standing tax-law expertise with focused criminal-defence practice. She advises businesses, entrepreneurs and private clients on complex tax-criminal and economic-criminal exposures, regulatory risk management and preventive compliance measures as well
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as on succession planning and inheritance-law matters.

Her profile is notable for the intersection of tax law, tax-criminal procedure and mediation, making her a strategic choice for clients facing investigatory risk or seeking to strengthen internal controls. This blend positions her as a go-to white-collar-crime lawyer in Germany for advisory, defensive and remedial mandates.

Professional Background & Credentials

Beckert qualified as a Rechtsanwältin in 1999 after studying law at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg and achieved the Fachanwältin für Steuerrecht designation in 2003. She further pursued specialist training in tax-criminal practice, becoming a Zertifizierte Beraterin für Steuerstrafrecht (DAA) in 2022 and adding formal mediation training in 2023. Over more than two decades she has developed a dual focus on contentious tax procedures and criminal defence in economic matters, supported by courtroom experience before fiscal and civil courts as well as in interactions with prosecutorial authorities.

Practice Focus & Depth Of Expertise

Beckert’s core practice encompasses tax law, tax-criminal law (Steuerstrafrecht), economic-criminal defence (Wirtschaftsstrafrecht) and corporate compliance. She represents clients in self-disclosure (Selbstanzeigen), tax audits and appeals, criminal investigations and proceedings, and advises on the design and implementation of compliance programmes.
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Beckert is experienced in handling complex, cross-functional mandates that require close collaboration with the client’s existing tax adviser, as well as with auditors and defence counsel, particularly in matters involving owner-managed companies, family business succession and high-net-worth individuals where  complex legal and tax issues often overlap.

Notable Recognition, Publications & Thought Leadership

Beckert is an active author and commentator in the fields of tax and economic-criminal law. She is a co-author of the 11th edition of the Formularbuch Recht und Steuern (C.H. Beck, 2025) and contributed to Unternehmen in der Krise – Pflichten, Risiken und Handlungsmöglichkeiten für Unternehmer und Berater (C.H. Beck, 2023). She also provides regular case commentary for professional journals, helping practitioners interpret recent rulings in tax and compliance disputes. Earlier recognition for her work includes selection among top tax-criminal practitioners in Germany by prominent legal rankings that highlighted the former W&R Weigell team prior to its integration into LKC.

Recent Firm Integration & Platform Strength

In 2026 Beckert and her W&R Weigell colleague Martina Butenschön joined LKC Rechtsanwälte, consolidating their tax-criminal and economic-crime expertise within a broader national practice
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The integration strengthened LKC’s Munich capability in tax litigation, compliance and criminal defence and gives clients access to a multidisciplinary team providing tax advisory, audit and comprehensive legal services, including employment and corporate law, real estate and tenancy law, as well as litigation.

Escpecially for clients that require coordinated forensic, tax and litigation support, Beckert now operates within a larger network that can mobilise technical specialists quickly across jurisdictions and advisory disciplines.

What Sets Her Apart For Clients

Beckert distinguishes herself through a pragmatic combination of preventive counsel and vigorous defence: she focuses on early risk identification, structured engagement with tax authorities and, where needed, strategic litigation and negotiation with tax authorities or prosecutors. Her certification in tax-criminal consultancy and mediator training enable alternative dispute-resolution pathways where appropriate, reducing disruption and reputational risk for corporate clients. Clients value her particular experience with owner-managed businesses and succession matters, where technical tax questions frequently trigger criminal-law exposure.

White-Collar-Crime In Germany: Context & Challenges

The German enforcement landscape for white-collar-crime has evolved rapidly: prosecutorial focus on tax evasion, corporate misconduct, anti-corruption and compliance failures has increased alongside legislative initiatives such as enhanced corporate responsibility rules and ongoing debate around company criminal liability. Effective defence now requires integrated tax and criminal-law expertise, swift engagement with authorities and robust compliance remediation—areas where specialist counsel makes a measurable difference. Practitioners must additionally navigate procedural nuances of fiscal courts, prosecutorial discretion and the practical dynamics of voluntary disclosures and negotiated outcomes.

Who Benefits From Her Representation

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Beckert represents a spectrum of clients: mid-market and owner-managed enterprises, family-held groups, corporate executives and private individuals. She is particularly experienced in matters requiring close collaboration with the client’s existing tax advisers, auditors and other professional advisers, ensuring a coordinated approach to complex tax and legal issues. She also advises clients on compliance reviews, voluntary disclosures and preventive measures designed to identify and address potential risks at an early stage.

 

Conclusion: Proven Counsel For High-Stakes Matters

For businesses and individuals seeking a white-collar-crime lawyer in Germany who marries deep tax-law credentials with practical criminal-defence experience, Manuela Beckert offers a compelling and verifiable track record. Her publications, recognised specialist qualifications and integration into a national multidisciplinary platform equip her to handle high-stakes investigations, regulatory enforcement and complex tax disputes. Clients seeking to manage regulatory risk, defend against prosecutions or implement legally robust compliance frameworks will find in Beckert a seasoned adviser with both technical depth and a pragmatic, outcome-oriented approach.