Berwin Leighton Paisner’s (BLP’s) former French ally UGGC & Associes has launched a German desk after hiring the head of EY Law’s local German legal department in a rare move for a Paris-based practice.

The appointment in September of Christian Klein, who had been the partner leading the accountancy-tied firm’s local German desk since 1999, is part of a push by UGGC to broaden its practice following the collapse of its alliance with BLP last year.