Gibson Dunn set to open second German office with hire of Latham's Frankfurt head

Gibson Dunn is set to launch in Frankfurt with the hire of two Latham & Watkins’ Frankfurt partners, including office managing partner Dirk Oberbracht.

The office, which is expected to open by September, will be Gibson Dunn’s second base in Germany alongside Munich, and its fifth in Europe alongside London, Paris and Brussels.

Corporate partner Oberbracht joined Latham in Frankfurt in 2006 from Baker & McKenzie. His clients include Dubai International Capital, Fresenius, Goldman Sachs, Nordic Capital, One Equity Partners and Triton.

Corporate partner Wilhelm Reinhardt is joining alongside Oberbracht. He has been a partner at Latham since 2008.

He specialises in mergers and acquisitions including public M&A, private equity transactions and joint ventures.

Ken Doran, chairman and managing partner of Gibson Dunn, said: “We see great potential for our firm in Germany.  With a strong office in Frankfurt, Germany’s financial and banking center, we are well positioned to serve the needs of our German and international clients.”

The hires come after Gibson Dunn beefed up its German operations earlier this year with the hire of Munich corporate partner Ferdinand Fromholzer from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. His departure from Freshfields was followed by competition partner Michael Esser, who joined Latham’s Duesseldorf office in May.

The firm has been bolstering its European presence significantly during the past few years. Earlier this year, it hired partner James Perry from Ashurst, reuniting him with former Ashurst colleagues including Charlie Geffen, Jonny Earle and Nigel Stacey.

The German legal market has seen significant change in recent months. In December last year, Freshfields opted to close its Cologne office with all 18 partners transferring to other offices.

Meanwhile, last July Greenberg Traurig launched in Germany with the hire of Olswang’s entire Berlin team.

Earlier changes in the market saw King & Wood Mallesons close in Berlin in 2014, leaving it with two German bases in Munich and Frankfurt.

In 2013, Shearman & Sterling withdrew from both Duesseldorf and Munich, and now has just one Germany office in Frankfurt. In the same year, Hogan Lovells closed its base in Berlin after its entire local team departed to Morrison & Foerster.

Gibson Dunn and Latham declined to comment.