Silence is your right.Defence is our profession.
Whether you searched for a criminal defense attorney or a criminal defence lawyer, you have reached a criminal defence practice in Hamburg, Germany that works in English. We act at every stage of German criminal proceedings, from the first police interview to the appeal on points of law.
Section 136 (1) sentence 2 StPOYou are free to respond to the accusation or not to give evidence on the matter.
In an investigation the first hour counts.
Call before you say anything to the police or the public prosecution office. Make use of your right to silence until a defence lawyer is with you. We establish the situation, take over all contact with the authorities and apply for access to the file.
Before you say anything.
Three situations in which minutes decide. What you do now shapes the whole of the proceedings that follow.
Search of your home
- 01Stay calm and do not obstruct the search, but do not actively assist it either.
- 02Ask to see the search warrant and object to the search expressly.
- 03Sign nothing, say nothing about the allegation, and call us while the search is still going on.
Summons as a suspect
- 01You are not obliged to attend a police summons as a suspect (section 163a (4) StPO).
- 02Do not cancel the appointment yourself; we do that and apply for access to the file at the same time (section 147 StPO).
- 03Only once the file is known do we decide whether any statement is made at all.
Arrest and pre-trial detention
- 01Ask for a defence lawyer immediately; that right exists from the first minute.
- 02Say nothing about the allegation, not even in an informal conversation.
- 03Relatives can reach us on the emergency numbers, around the clock.
This information is general in nature and does not replace advice on an individual case.
Whatever you say ends up in the case file.
Areas of practice
We defend across the whole of criminal law, from business proceedings to juvenile cases.
- StGBGeneral criminal law
- section 266 StGBWhite collar crime
- section 370 AOTax criminal law
- sections 174 et seq. StGBSexual offence law
- BtMG · KCanGDrug offence law
- section 316 StGBTraffic criminal law
- sections 222, 229 StGBMedical criminal law
- JGGJuvenile criminal law
- sections 395 ff. StPOVictim representation
- section 136 StPO · section 147 StPOSummons, hearing form, penal order
Each allegation is dealt with on its own page, in English: drink-driving (drunk driving, DUI) defence, drug offences, sexual offence allegations and white-collar and business crime.
Most enquiries we receive in English concern an assault allegation after a night out, a domestic assault reported to the police, a drunk driving stop on the way home, or a drug find at the airport. If you do not speak German, the difficulty is rarely the allegation alone; it is the procedure. We conduct the defence in English and in French, deal with the police, the public prosecution office and the court on your behalf, and explain each step before it happens.
Four things that work differently in German criminal proceedings.
German criminal procedure does not work the way the criminal justice system at home works. Four differences matter most in the first days.
- 01
There is no bail system
Germany has no bail bond industry and no set price for release. A court examines whether there is a risk of flight or of interference with evidence, and it can suspend a detention order against conditions such as a deposit, the surrender of a passport or regular reporting to a police station.
- 02
No grand jury, but an investigation
No jury of citizens decides whether you are charged. The public prosecution office conducts an investigation (Ermittlungsverfahren) and then decides alone between charge, penal order and discontinuation. Much of a criminal defence is therefore done long before any courtroom.
- 03
A lawyer from the first interview
You may consult a defence lawyer of your choice at any time, including before the first police interview, and you are free not to give evidence on the matter (section 136 (1) sentence 2 StPO). Silence must not be held against you.
- 04
The file decides, not the hearing
There is no pre-trial discovery between the parties. Your defence lawyer inspects the prosecution file (section 147 StPO), and the file is what the court reads before the main hearing begins.
This information is general in nature and does not replace advice on an individual case.
Two defence lawyers. One standard.
Virginia von Burgsdorff
Owner of the firm, she defends in German, English and French and can be reached directly at v.burgsdorff@hanse-strafrecht.de.
Read the profile
Charlotte Elger-Günther
Since June 2022 she works in an office-sharing arrangement (Bürogemeinschaft) at the same address: shared premises, separate practices, separate mandates. She defends in German and English.
Read the profileWhat clients say.
P.T. 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreFrau von Burgsdorff hat mich während meines Anliegens hervorragend begleitet. Von Anfang an hat sie mir meine Nervosität genommen und mir Zuversicht vermittelt. Durch ihre ruhige, kompetente und empathische Art fühlte ich mich jederzeit gut aufgehoben. Besonders hervorheben möchte ich ihre Erreichbarkeit – sie war stets ansprechbar, hat Fragen schnell beantwortet und mich immer über den aktuellen Stand informiert. Ihre professionelle Unterstützung hat mir in einer schwierigen Situation viel Sicherheit gegeben.
Piotr Brzezowski 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreIch kann Frau Rechtsanwältin Virginia von Burgsdorff nur wärmstens empfehlen. Sie überzeugt auf ganzer Linie durch absolute Professionalität, Kompetenz und großes Engagement. Vielen Dank für die hervorragende Unterstützung und mit freundlichen Grüßen!
Luis Felipe Alvarez Vega 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreMs Charlotte Elger Gunther helped me with an incident and I cannot recommend her enough, she was kind, an amazing communicator and always took the time to explain the situation to me in English. I really appreciate the support she provided and I'm happy to recommend her for all matters.
Ilyas Sarwari 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreIch bin Frau Von Burgsdorff unglaublich dankbar! Sie hat mich vom ersten Moment an professionell, ruhig und sehr kompetent vertreten. Man hat sofort gemerkt, dass sie genau weiß, was sie tut und sich wirklich für meine Situation einsetzt. Dank ihrer starken Verteidigung wurde das Verfahren eingestellt – und ich habe meinen Führerschein zurückbekommen! Ich bin wirklich überglücklich und erleichtert. Absolute Empfehlung für jeden, der eine engagierte, zuverlässige und durchsetzungsstarke Anwältin sucht. Vielen, vielen Dank nochmal für alles!
BJ S 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreHanse Strafrecht is an exceptional law office. I worked directly with Ms. Virginia von Burgsdorff, and I can only speak highly of her professionalism and dedication. She was always available, transparent, and precise in her advice. Communication was clear, expectations were realistic, and every step was handled with care and strategic insight. Thanks to her expertise and commitment, the matter was resolved successfully. I truly appreciated her support throughout the entire process. Highly recommended.
Thorsten Niedermann 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreKlasse Anwältin. Frau Elger-Günther hat mich hervoragend vertreten und mich aus der grössten Krise meines Lebens geholt. Vielen Dank 👍
Soheil Mavaji 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreIch kann Frau von Burgsdorff nicht genug empfehlen. Sie hat mich kompetent vertreten und strategisch das beste Ergebnis erzielt. Bin begeistert! 💯 Vielen Dank nochmal und Viele Grüße SM
Sir Lamine 5 out of 5 stars
Read moreHervorragende Verteidigung und sehr kompetente Beratung. Hanse Strafrecht hat mich in einer schwierigen Zeit professionell unterstützt und ein sehr positives Ergebnis erzielt. Ich bin äußerst dankbar für die menschliche und fachliche Unterstützung. Absolut empfehlenswert!
- Read all client experiences
These reviews are taken from the firm's public Google Business Profile. We do not carry out our own checks on whether they come from actual clients. As at 8 August 2026. All reviews in full.
From the first suspicion to the judgment.
- 01
Investigation stage
Access to the file, contact with the police and the public prosecution office, protection against hasty statements. Often the point is that no charge arises in the first place.
- 02
Intermediate stage
Written submissions on the indictment and work against the opening of the main hearing.
- 03
Main hearing
Applications for evidence, questioning of witnesses, closing argument.
- 04
Appeal on facts and on law
Review of the judgment for errors of law and representation before the next instance.
From the guide
Explanations of the questions that arise at the start of a case.
What a defence costs is agreed in advance.
- Statutory fees
- Billing under the German Lawyers' Remuneration Act (RVG).
- Fee agreement
- As a fixed sum or by the hour, discussed before the mandate is accepted.
- Court-appointed defence
- In cases of mandatory defence under section 140 StPO.
A fee agreement secures the time a case actually requires: for the file, for conversations and for applications.
More on feesFrequently asked questions
I received a summons from the German police, do I have to go?
No. If you are summoned by the police as a suspect, you are not obliged to attend and not obliged to say anything about the allegation; section 136 (1) sentence 2 in conjunction with section 163a (4) of the German Code of Criminal Procedure gives you that right. A summons from the public prosecutor or the court is different: there you must appear, but you may still remain silent on the matter. Call us before the date instead of cancelling it yourself.
Do I need a lawyer for a criminal case in Germany?
In the cases listed in section 140 of the German Code of Criminal Procedure defence is mandatory, for instance where a serious offence is charged or where you are in custody. Outside those cases you may act without counsel, but only a defence lawyer has access to the case file under section 147 of the Code. Without the file, neither you nor anyone else can tell what the investigation actually contains.
What does a criminal defence lawyer in Germany cost?
There are three routes. Statutory fees follow the German Lawyers' Remuneration Act (RVG) as a flat amount per stage of the proceedings. A fee agreement sets either a fixed sum or an hourly rate, usually against an advance payment. Where defence is mandatory under section 140 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the state treasury pays the statutory fees first and reclaims them upon conviction. Which route fits your case we discuss openly before you instruct us.
When should I instruct a defence lawyer?
As early as possible, ideally as soon as the police or the public prosecution office contact you and before you say anything about the allegation. The investigation stage sets the course: whatever enters the record stays in the file. After an arrest or a search you can reach us around the clock.
This information is general in nature and does not replace advice on an individual case.
The first step is a phone call.
Getting here
Großmannstraße 12920539 Hamburg
District Rothenburgsort
- Nine minutes from Hamburg central station.
- Free parking at the vehicle entrance.
- From Berliner Tor take bus 160 to Gustav-Kunst-Straße.