In a week which saw multiple departures from Ashurst, the firm sought to reverse the trend with a hire in its German tax practice, while DLA Piper and Shoosmiths made national hires and White & Case bulked up in London.
Ashurst has hired partner Martin Bünning from Jones Day in Frankfurt, where he was a partner since 2011. His practice focuses on tax advice for investors in real estate and other alternative investments, as well as on tax structures for open-ended and closed funds.
Commenting on the hire, Tobias Krug, managing partner of Ashurst in Germany said: ‘Martin Bünning is exceptionally experienced in advising on the tax aspects of national and cross-border real estate, private equity and corporate transactions. He is ideally suited to Ashurst given the firm’s strength in these areas and we are confident he will make a significant contribution to the team.’
Meanwhile Shoosmiths boosted its national regulatory practice with the appointment of two partners, Roy Tozer in Birmingham and Charles Arrand in Milton Keynes from DLA Piper.
Arrand was also previously at Pinsent Masons and has experience in advising both individuals and well-known brands on a range of regulatory issues including investigations and prosecutions in relation to regulatory offences while Tozer has been involved in high-profile health, safety and environmental cases as well as multi-jurisdictional product liability cases.
Stuart Little, commercial practice group head at Shoosmiths, commented: ‘The addition of Roy and Charles’ expertise will further grow our highly successful regulatory practice, allowing all our clients to benefit from first class regulatory and compliance advice alongside our award winning client experience.’
DLA has also made a hire in Birmingham, strengthening its real estate team with the appointment of Monique Sutherland from Squire Patton Boggs. Sutherland has been involved in a number of landmark developments in the Midlands including Paradise Circus.
In London, White & Case expanded its global tax practice with the addition of Michael Wistow as co-head of the firm’s tax practice in EMEA from Berwin Leighton Paisner. His practice is focused on corporate, finance and real estate industry-based transactions and clients, including real estate finance, property and debt funds, securitisation, leasing and structured financings and corporate
The firm’s London office executive partner Oliver Brettle said: ‘With our recent expansion across our practices in London, and continued focus on profitable growth, we believe a larger tax team is appropriate and necessary here in London. The team will continue to focus on both high value tax advice-driven mandates and supporting our transactional practices. Our tax lawyers will play a particularly strategic role in the ongoing development of our real estate, private equity, finance and infrastructure industry practices.’
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk
