GÖRG provided comprehensive legal advice to the Main-Kinzig district on the legal framework and implementation of the city of Hanau’s separation from the district. Following the city’s withdrawal from the district on 1 January 2026, Hanau will hold the status of an independent district-free city.

The withdrawal is the result of a negotiation process spanning several years between the Main-Kinzig district and the city of Hanau, which has been supported by GÖRG since 2018. A key focus of this process was the drafting of a boundary amendment agreement between the district and the city, which sets out the organisational, financial and administrative consequences of the city of Hanau’s withdrawal from the Main-Kinzig district.

The agreement covers key administrative functions, including waste management, emergency services, transport infrastructure, consumer protection and healthcare. The contractual provisions ensure that residents continue to receive transparent, efficient and citizen-focused administrative services and processes in Hanau and the district area. Particular emphasis is placed on managing the separation in is socially responsible manner, especially with regards to the employees affected within the municipal administrations.

The agreement was signed by the parties on 20/25 July 2023. A further prerequisite for the implementation of the separation was the passing of a corresponding state law. The Hessian State Parliament approved this law on the separation of Hanau from the Main-Kinzig district on 25 February 2025. Upon the law entering into force on 1 January 2026, the city of Hanau officially acquired the status of an independent city.

The process is regarded as unprecedented in Germany to date. The commercial law firm GÖRG provided legal advice to the Main-Kinzig district throughout the entire process, played a key role in drafting the boundary amendment agreement, and assisted with coordination with the relevant state ministries and the supervisory authority. An interdisciplinary team led by Frankfurt-based partners Dr Heiko Hofmann and Dr Matthias Menke supported the district with expertise in local government law, administrative law, contract law, public procurement law, company law, employment law, property law and tax law.

Advisors Main-Kinzig district 

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB
Dr Heiko Hofmann (Lead, Partner, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Dr Matthias Menke (Lead, Partner, Corporate/M&A, Frankfurt am Main)
Burkhard Fabritius, MBA (Partner, Labour and Employment Law, Hamburg)
Dr Tobias Riethmüller (Partner, Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Dr Adalbert Rödding, LL.M. (Partner, Tax Law, Corporate/M&A, Cologne)
Dr Lars Weber, M.C.L. (Partner, Corporate/M&A, Frankfurt am Main)
Petra Keckemeti (Counsel, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Karl-Georg Küsters, LL.M. (Counsel, Tax Law, Corporate/M&A, Cologne)
Alexander Pustal (Counsel, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Prof Dr Lutz Horn (Of Counsel, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Dr Lena Güldenstein (Associated Partner, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Sandra Schramm (Associated Partner, Labour and Employment Law, Hamburg)
Verena Aach (Associate, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Ann-Kristin Hüttner (Associate, Public Procurement Law, Frankfurt am Main)
Alessio Saponaro (Associate, Corporate/M&A, Frankfurt am Main)