# Versorgungswerk der Rechtsanwälte NRW Versorgungswerk der Rechtsanwälte NRW is a Pension Fund based in Düsseldorf, Germany. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Pension Fund - **Headquarters:** Düsseldorf, Germany - **Region:** Europe - **Address:** Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany - **Founded:** 1984 - **Assets under management:** $10B - $15B USD (Altss estimate) - **Website:** vsw-ra-nw.de - **LinkedIn:** https://de.linkedin.com/company/versorgungswerk-der-rechtsanw%C3%A4lte-im-lande-nrw ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About Founded in 1984, the Versorgungswerk der Rechtsanwälte im Lande Nordrhein-Westfalen is the statutory pension fund for attorneys in Germany’s most populous state. It operates under public charter but functions as a fully funded, stand-alone pool of capital — not a taxpayer-backed pay-as-you-go system. Membership is compulsory for practicing lawyers in the region, creating a steadily accumulating balance sheet that President Dr. Christoph Meyer-Rahe and Managing Director Susanne Prossliner deploy to service a predefined benefits package. The portfolio is built primarily on real estate and private markets. Directly held assets include commercial properties such as Europa-Allee 92-94 in Frankfurt and Kennedydamm 15-17 in Düsseldorf, alongside a mixed-use development at Gut Hirschberg. The fund extends its real-estate reach through joint ventures with Art-Invest Real Estate and participates in blind-pool vehicles like the Asia Property Fund II out of Munich. On the private-equity side, its stated Altss strategy flag includes buyout allocations, positioning the fund as a long-term, price-insensitive capital provider to managers and direct co-investment consortiums across Germany. With roughly 45,000 active and retired members, the Versorgungswerk is a significant domestic institutional investor. It shares back-office and investment-management responsibilities with related entities, specifically acting as the asset manager for the Notarversorgung Köln, the equivalent pension scheme for notaries. The organization is a member of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft berufsständischer Versorgungseinrichtungen (ABV), the national umbrella group for German professional pension schemes. In 2024, the fund marked its 40th anniversary. The architecture anchors a closed, captive liability pool — there is no redemption risk or external marketing requirement, which allows for a highly illiquid, yield-driven asset mix without the duration-matching gymnastics of an open-ended insurer. Its scale and regulatory status generate steady fund-commitment pacing that general partners in Düsseldorf and Munich rely on, while the outsourced property-development partnerships serve as its primary mechanism for deploying capital into the built environment. ## Sectors - Real Estate - Private Equity - Infrastructure ## People - Dr. Christoph Meyer-Rahe — President - Susanne Prossliner — Managing Director ## Questions ### Who oversees the investment strategy at Versorgungswerk der Rechtsanwälte NRW? Dr. Christoph Meyer-Rahe serves as President of the Versorgungswerk, with Managing Director Susanne Prossliner overseeing day-to-day operations. The institution’s investment activities are supported by a team that devises a broadly diversified strategy, reported annually to members through its published circular. Ultimate governance rests with the self-governing bodies of the public corporation. ### How does the fund source its direct real estate exposure? A substantial portion of the direct real estate book is built through joint ventures with partners like Art-Invest Real Estate. Known properties include the Gut Hirschberg mixed-use development and commercial assets on Kennedydamm in Düsseldorf and Europa-Allee in Frankfurt. The fund also commits to third-party real estate vehicles such as the Asia Property Fund II. ### Is the capital pool open to new members or outside investors? No. Membership is legally compulsory for every practicing attorney in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia who is a member of the bar. It is a closed, self-governing public body, meaning its capital base consists solely of mandatory contributions and accumulated returns — outside institutional investors cannot commit capital. ### Does the Versorgungswerk invest in private equity, and in what form? Yes, its Altss strategy classification includes buyout allocations. The fund engages in private-market investments primarily through commitments to buyout funds rather than direct startup or venture-stage deals, aligning its illiquid posture with the long-duration liabilities of its mandatory pension obligations. ### What benefit obligations does the portfolio need to fund? Asset returns must cover old-age pensions, occupational disability benefits, and survivor’s pensions for approximately 45,000 members and their dependents. The scheme also provides death grants, all calculated according to a published formula that adjusts annually with legally defined contribution ceilings and benchmarks. ### Where does the underlying capital come from? The capital originates from mandatory membership dues levied on all practicing attorneys in North Rhine-Westphalia. Unlike voluntary retirement accounts, these contributions are a professional requirement enforced by the regional bar system, creating a predictable, non-correlated flow of assets that is reinvested to match the fund’s actuarial liabilities. ## Related profiles - [Versorgungswerk der Landesärztekammer Hessen](https://altss.com/profile/versorgungswerk-der-landesarztekammer-hessen) - [Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein](https://altss.com/profile/versorgungswerk-der-zahnarztekammer-schleswig-holstein) --- Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/versorgungswerk-der-rechtsanwalte-im-lande-nordrhein-westfalen Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology