Pinsent Masons is the latest UK firm to announce expansion in Germany, bolstering its Munich office with the hire of competition partner Michael Reich and corporate partner Tobias Rodehau from local firm Arqis.
The appointments, brought in to extend Pinsents’ local reputation particularly in the technology sector, come shortly after the arrival of Sidley Austin tax partner Werner Geisselmeier at the UK top 20 firm’s Munich office in December, the first lateral hire for the base since its launch in 2012.
Reich will provide advice to German speaking clients on a range of litigation and compliance matters and support the firm’s multi-jurisdictional team on pan-European antitrust cases, while Rodehau will add to the existing corporate team and boost the firm’s offering in the technology investment field where he will specialise primarily in technology-focused private equity and venture capital.
Ulrich Lohmann, partner and head of Pinsent Masons’ Munich office, said: ‘We are delighted that Michael and Tobias have agreed to join Pinsent Masons. Their arrival will strengthen Pinsent Masons’ reputation in the German market – in the technology sector in particular – and mark another step in our journey toward becoming a law firm of truly international reach.’
This comes as the firm also announced the launch of its ‘global task force’ to target global work from German businesses operating internationally after identifying a large number of German-qualified lawyers operating throughout its international offices.
The task force is being led by Björn Gehle, head of the German desk in Dubai, Carsten Rumberg, head of the German desk in London, Christoph Maurer, head of the Paris office, Bernd Uwe-Stucken, head of the German desk in Shanghai, and Munich office head, Lohmann.
Lohmann said: ‘Something that has become increasingly clear over the past two years is that we amassed a remarkable number of fully qualified German Rechtsanwälte who are also dual-qualified in their “host” country.
‘This network is proving extremely popular among our client base in Germany, Austria and Switzerland who are increasingly seeking advice on global issues linked to export, supply, distribution and purchasing of goods. This has meant more work around the acquisition of undertakings, entering into joint-ventures and establishment of subsidiaries and branches throughout the world.’
The development at Pinsents comes shortly after rival top 20 firm Eversheds confirmed it is in talks over a full merger with its German partner Heisse Kursawe Eversheds, which recently launched its third German office in Berlin, an ‘obligatory location for commercial law firms.’
The new Berlin office of Heisse Kursawe Eversheds will be headed by senior office partner and employment partner Stefan Kursawe and will cover all areas of commercial law, with a particular emphasis on public law, procurement law and real estate law.
francesca.fanshawe@legalease.co.uk
