Waterkant Legal is a virtual law firm specialized in providing legal advice to Founders, Startups, Clinical Research Organisations, and other Life Science & Healthcare Organisations operating in the complex and highly regulated Biotech, Medtech, and Healthtech sectors.
With comprehensive Operational Framework & On-Demand Corporate Counsel Services, Waterkant Legal offers tailored legal support in a one-stop shop and assists innovators at every stage – whether launching a new venture or scaling existing operations.
Services include company formation, selecting the appropriate legal structure, and preparing formation documents, as well as developing and maintaining Operational Frameworks that enable scalable and compliant growth. These frameworks cover internal policies and employment agreements, along with industry-standard key contracts such as Material Transfer Agreements, Master Service Agreements, License Agreements, Collaboration Agreements, and other essential agreements for R&D and operational activities.
Beyond initial setup, Waterkant Legal provides flexible On-Demand Corporate Counsel Services, offering guidance on governance, including data protection and regulatory compliance, but also contract negotiations, and day-to-day legal operations – ensuring smooth workflows even when internal legal teams are at full stretch.
With deep sector knowledge and practical legal expertise, Waterkant Legal empowers Startups, CROs, and Life Science & Healthcare Organisations to focus on innovation, growth, and turning science into medicines and medtech products – supported by reliable, high-quality legal expertise at every step.
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Innovation made easy.
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Services
Comprehensive Legal Support
Operational Framework Services
Waterkant Legal develops lean, reusable contract and policy frameworks that give Life Science & Healthcare Organisations a consistent and compliant foundation for recurring R&D and operational activities. For early-stage ventures, this includes incorporation documents, essential internal policies, and employment structures. For growing and established teams, frameworks cover core templates such as CDAs, MTAs, MSAs, License and Collaboration Agreements, and other key agreements aligned with scientific workflows and industry standards.
On-Demand Corporate Counsel Services
Waterkant Legal provides flexible, sector-specific legal support for Life Science & Healthcare Organisations that need additional expertise or temporary in-house capacity. This includes ongoing guidance on governance, day-to-day operational matters, negotiating commercial and research-related agreements, and the legal aspects of strategic initiatives such as partnerships or funding processes. Designed for teams facing rapid growth, capacity constraints, or specialised regulatory questions, On-Demand Corporate Counsel ensures continuity, compliance, and informed decision-making – exactly when and where it is needed.
Why Waterkant Legal?
Industry Expertise Meets Personalized Service
- Tailored to Biotech & (Med and Health) Tech: With nearly a decade of experience working directly with Biotech and (Medical and Health) Technology companies, focusing on the specific legal and regulatory requirements of founders and companies in the Life Sciences sector, we use our in-depth industry knowledge to give you a competitive edge.
- Comprehensive One-Stop Legal Service: From founding to growth – we cover the full spectrum of legal needs, so you don’t have to juggle multiple advisors.
- Dynamic, Flexible & Transparent: As a virtual/flexible law firm, Waterkant Legal offers modern, efficient and transparent support – no bureaucracy, no unnecessary overhead, just high-quality legal guidance with business sense and practical, actionable advice.
Competent. Transparent. Fair.
Dr. Nikolaus Marek
Attorney-at-Law/ Counsel
Hi, I’m Nikolaus and the founder of Waterkant Legal. In addition to my work at Waterkant Legal, I am Senior Legal Counsel at a biotech company in the field of drug research and development and already have several years of in-house experience as well as experience in an international law firm in the Life Science/Healthcare sector.
I specialize in providing advice in the areas of Corporate Law, Commercial Law and Financing & Grants. Based on my experience and specialization, I appreciate the interests of my clients from the internal perspective of a company and offer creative, customized and feasible solutions that also adequately consider and protect economic interests.
In recent years, I was involved in numerous complex projects and supported my clients not only legally, but also strategically and conceptually in related non-legal matters.
I am admitted to practice as attorney in Hamburg since 2016 and speak German, English and Polish.
“It’s not the big that eat the small, but the fast that eat the slow.”
Eberhard von Kuenheim
Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG (1970 – 1993)
Client Success Stories
Helping Biotech Startups Thrive
“Dr. Marek’s insights and guidance were instrumental in navigating the complexities of our startup’s formation and initial funding rounds. His understanding of both the legal and commercial aspects of the biotech industry gave us confidence on our journey forward.” – Client Testimonial
Trusted Legal Partner for Startups
“Working with Waterkant Legal has been a game-changer for our startup. From incorporation to navigating complex agreements, the legal guidance has been clear, strategic, and always tailored to our needs. Having a trusted legal partner who truly understands the challenges of startups – especially in biotech – gives us the peace of mind to focus on growth. Highly recommended!” – Client Testimonial
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