Global top 100 law firm Gowling WLG is further accelerating its growth in Germany. As part of the firm's wider growth strategy in key global markets, the next stage of expansion is about to see five senior lawyers joining the team in Frankfurt, including four partners, across finance, intellectual property (IP), employment and dispute resolution.
Gowling WLG's Frankfurt launch earlier this year included the hiring of five partners and a significant team of associates and counsel. They were joined by key business services and strategic functions, and strong office support staff putting the firm in Germany in a position to advise on corporate/M&A, capital markets and real estate transactions of any size and scope.
The next stage of the expansion in Germany, will now see four new partners and a counsel join, thereby adding significant breadth and reputation to the practice and implementing the next stage of the firm's growth plan ahead of time.
Carolin Glänzel will join as a partner responsible for building the finance team, and Miray Kavruk for transactional IP. Annette Knoth is joining as head of a larger team to establish the firm's employment practice in Germany. Annette will be followed by counsel Thomas Hartmann. Dr. Mathias Wittinghofer joins as head of the dispute resolution team in Germany.
As of 1 January 2024, the Frankfurt team will have nine partners and around 16 further lawyers (of which four are counsel) as well as business services and staff at the firm's office at Main Tower at the centre of the city's financial district.
Carolin Glänzel is a financing specialist who will support and grow the firm's corporate, finance and tax (CFT) and real estate practices. She is joining Gowling WLG from Norton Rose Fulbright.
Miray Kavruk is an experienced IP lawyer who will bolster the firm's global IP practice, after joining from DLA Piper, having previously been with Allen & Overy.
Annette Knoth, Thomas Hartmann and their team will provide employment and labour law advice both stand-alone and in the context of transactions, strengthening the firm's CFT practice. They join from Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein. Annette was previously with Mayer Brown.
Dr. Mathias Wittinghofer is one of the leading commercial litigation and arbitration lawyers – both in Germany and internationally. He is also a solicitor registered at the Law Society of England and Wales, a listed arbitrator at many international arbitration centres and institutes, and specifically focusses on the financial services, automotive and tech sectors. Mathias' career spans 15 years as partner at Baker McKenzie and Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was the first partner to join and found the firm's German disputes team. He will lead the dispute resolution practice group in Germany as part of the firm's global international arbitration and litigation strategy.
David Fennell, chief executive and co-chair of the international board, said: "We're excited to be delivering the next stage of our growth strategy in Germany. Our launch in Frankfurt has provided a great foundation to open up significant growth opportunities for the firm and our clients and it's fantastic to be strengthening our growing team with these highly talented and respected lawyers."
Dr. Lars-Gerrit Luessmann, co-lead of Gowling WLG Germany, added: "We have significant growth plans in Germany and to be strengthening our practice again so soon after our launch in Frankfurt is extremely positive. We are really pleased with the integration of our teams in Germany and into our international platform over the last six months and excited to be broadening our offering to clients even further. It is a very strong signal that the firm continues to execute its ambitions for growth as planned."
Dr. Daniel Perlzweig, director of International Development at Gowling WLG, added: "We are delighted to continue our growth and to develop our team in Germany across Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich. We now have bench strength across multi practice areas and sectors, and together with our teams in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia we have built a solid platform for further growth. We are in a prime position to become a full service firm in Germany for all our clients in the short term. With this we are on plan as part of our wider European and international growth initiative. We are committed to continue developing our international platform to better serve our clients. It is exciting to deliver on this important next stage of growth and already shape the coming steps".