-- Preeminent Global M&A Firm Morrison & Foerster is joined by the Berlin partners of Hogan Lovells
NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Morrison & Foerster today announced the addition of a market-leading transactional team in Germany. By joining forces with the former Berlin partners of Hogan Lovells, Morrison & Foerster, known for high-profile Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) deals such as the recent acquisition of Sprint by longtime client SoftBank, further strengthens its position as a global leader in TMT transactions. The team consists of nine partners who are currently working with more than 20 associates and counsel. It has a first-tier transactional and regulatory practice in the TMT area as well as highly ranked practices in tax, corporate, M&A, litigation, employment, real estate, privacy and data security as well as antitrust.
"The German team, a widely recognized force for complex transactions, is the perfect fit for us," said Larren Nashelsky, chair of Morrison & Foerster. "Our reputation as a global leader in technology mergers, acquisitions and other transactions is well-established. Our clients across the United States, Japan, China and Europe are doing the deals that are driving the fast-paced convergence in the TMT sector. The addition of the Berlin team enhances our ability to help our clients advance their business objectives in Germany and other key European markets."
The office is MoFo's third in Europe. The firm opened in London more than 30 years ago, and has extensive corporate, litigation and capital markets experience and strong transactional capabilities. The firm also has a significant presence in Brussels, which provides, in addition to other capabilities, regulatory support for global transactions. The Berlin addition complements those capabilities and will help fuel growth in Europe and globally.
"We are delighted to become partners of Morrison & Foerster," said Christoph Wagner, a leading media, M&A and regulatory lawyer. "We believe this combination will deliver many benefits to our clients and to MoFo's well-known TMT clients across its offices in Tokyo, London, New York, Northern California and elsewhere. With MoFo, we build a bridge from Berlin to Silicon Valley to carry our clients at high speed in both directions."
"At MoFo we found great lawyers and, equally important, good people," added Dirk Besse, a leading German corporate M&A expert. "It's a winning combination for both of us."
The partners joining Morrison & Foerster are: Karin Arnold (corporate), Dirk Besse (corporate M&A), Eckhard Bremer (competition), Andreas Grunwald (TMT regulatory, antitrust), Jens-Uwe Hinder (tax, real estate), Thomas Keul (litigation), Jorg Meissner (corporate M&A) and Hanno Timner (employment, data privacy) and Christoph Wagner (M&A, TMT regulatory and media). Their practices regularly have garnered high rankings from leading independent directories such as Juve and Chambers in areas that include high-end corporate/M&A, TMT, tax, corporate litigation, competition/European law and employment law. The office managing partners will be Jens-Uwe Hinder and Hanno Timner.
According to Robert Townsend, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster's Global M&A Group and a member of the firm's Executive Committee, the addition in Berlin aligns with the firm's long-term strategy of building its M&A practice in key technology and finance markets around the world and bolstering its historic position as a leader in the representation of the world's most innovative and successful tech companies.
"One of our most important strategic objectives as a firm is to continue growing our global M&A practice. In recent years, we have done that with key additions in London, New York, Tokyo, China, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Singapore and Washington, D.C.," said Mr. Townsend. "Our goal in Germany is to be nothing less than the leading TMT transactional practice in the country. The addition of Christoph together with the entire team of first-class lawyers is a giant step in that direction."
In joining Morrison & Foerster, the Berlin group becomes part of a firm that was named Information Technology Law Firm of the Year by U.S. News/Best Lawyers, and regularly receives top-tier rankings in Chambers USA, Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, Chambers UK, Legal 500 US and Legal 500 UK for the firm's work in technology transactions, telecommunications, outsourcing and information technology law. The firm has received numerous high-profile accolades over the past year, including being named Chambers Global's 2013 USA Law Firm of the Year and receiving The American Lawyer's 2013 Global M&A Deal of the Year (U.S.) award for the firm's representation of SoftBank in its $21.6 billion acquisition of Sprint.
The addition of Morrison & Foerster's Berlin office marks the firm's second office opening this year, following the January launch of an office in Singapore, its fifth in Asia. The Berlin office is the firm's 17th office worldwide.
