Ashurst has lost a second senior partner in Germany as Nikolaus von Jacobs leaves to head up McDermott Will & Emery’s Munich private equity practice, citing a growing interest among US private equity funds in European investment opportunities.
Von Jacobs, who previously headed Ashurst’s local private equity team, specialises in venture capital, public and private M&A as well as private equity. One of his main clients is independent Luxembourg-based fund Palero Capital.
‘With Dr. von Jacobs we continue implementing our international growth strategy in Europe and within our three offices in Germany. Further growth is planned as we continue our strategic expansion,’ said David Goldman, head of McDermott’s international corporate advisory practice group.
McDermott has been bolstering its German presence this year, including hiring restructuring partner Matthias Kampshoff from Taylor Wessing to its Dusseldorf office in January.
‘I am very pleased to be joining McDermott in Munich,’ said von Jacobs, ‘McDermott’s growth in Germany and the quality of its lawyers has impressed me greatly.
‘McDermott’s combined strategy around private equity and industry-specific legal consulting is particularly compelling given the growing interest by US PE-funds to engage in European investment opportunities.’
The move comes after 1800-lawyer Ashurst’s corporate strength in Germany was weakened earlier this year with the loss of head of corporate Lutz Englisch, who left for Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in May.
The departures on the Continent at the newly-merged firm, which achieved full financial integration with Australian merger partner Blake Dawson in October, also follow a series of UK resignations, including that of head of corporate Stephen Lloyd, who is set to join Allen & Overy subject to an imminent vote by the Magic Circle partnership.
david.stevenson@legalease.co.uk
For detailed commentary on post-merger Ashurst read After Charlie’s War – can Ashurst achieve post-merger prosperity under a new leader?
