International law firm Gowling WLG is to open a further office in Germany with a launch in Frankfurt. As part of the firm's wider growth strategy in key global markets, including Germany, a strong team of lawyers will be joining the firm, including five partners, an experienced team of associates and support staff.

The Frankfurt team will become an integral part of Gowling WLG's global Corporate, Finance and Tax, and Real Estate practice groups, focussing on corporate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and capital markets, including equity capital markets (ECM), private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC), as well as real estate. 

The Frankfurt office builds upon Gowling WLG's existing presence in Stuttgart and Munich to form a fully integrated team in Germany – one that is strategically positioned to serve domestic and global clients, and to drive growth throughout Europe. The office launch underscores the firm's commitment to developing its international platform, which currently includes offices in the UK, Canada, Continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The Frankfurt team will launch with five partners, a significant team of associates, key business services and strategic functions, and strong office support staff and be able to advise on corporate/M&A and real estate transactions of any size and scope from day one.

The partners include Dr. Lars-Gerrit Lüßmann and Ulrich Reers who will lead the Gowling WLG capital markets team in Germany. Michael Sinhart and Dr. Michael Lamsa are to lead the M&A, PE and VC team and a further partner is joining in Frankfurt to lead the firm's real estate offering across Germany.

Lars-Gerrit Lüßmann, Ulrich Reers, Michael Sinhart and Michael Lamsa join the firm from Taylor Wessing. Lars-Gerrit Lüßmann, who led Taylor Wessing's corporate and capital markets sub-group, and Ulrich Reers previously worked with Linklaters in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf. Michael Sinhart was a corporate partner in Hogan Lovells' Frankfurt office, while Michael Lamsa was with Clifford Chance and Weil, Gotshal & Manges before they each joined Taylor Wessing.

David Fennell, chief executive at Gowling WLG (UK) LLP and co-chair of the International Board, said: "Expansion in Germany is an important part of our growth strategy, so we are excited to be welcoming these outstanding lawyers to the firm and opening in Frankfurt - a key hub for legal services in Continental Europe.

"We are constantly looking at ways to strengthen all areas of our business and have ambitious plans to grow our presence in Germany and bolster our existing international platform. It is important to us to have a strong core platform across the three largest economies in Europe, in the UK, France and Germany. This launch will build on our existing corporate, IP and regulatory offerings, enabling us to better serve our German and cross-border clients, and will open up significant new growth opportunities for the firm."

Dr. Daniel Perlzweig, director of international development at Gowling WLG, added: "The firm has exceptional potential to realise its international growth ambitions and this is a major milestone and the next step in our plans to strengthen our presence in Germany and our European offering.

"The partners and lawyers joining us are experienced transactional specialists and extremely highly regarded in their respective fields. They will not only add further strength in depth across multiple practice areas but they will work to ensure Gowling WLG remains competitive globally and, additionally, deliver what makes the firm strong as a brand - namely client experience and success, trustful co-operation and innovation. The new Frankfurt team gives us instant scale in this important market and allows us to start delivering high-end work straight away."

Gowling WLG is an international sector focused law firm with more than 1,500 legal professionals worldwide in cities across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.