Herbert Smith Freehills strengthens Corporate practice with three-partner hire in Germany

Oliver specialises in complex, cross-border corporate M&A with a focus on strategic and private equity clients. Wilhelm advises on company acquisitions and sales, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, and Nikita acts for clients on cross-border corporate transactions, restructuring, corporate law and liability issues. Together, they bring a wealth of corporate M&A and private equity experience.

Oliver, Wilhelm and Nikita join Herbert Smith Freehills from Orrick where they are currently partners and where Oliver was for over a decade Orrick's managing partner for Germany.

Kai Liebrich, Managing Partner, Germany, Herbert Smith Freehills, commented:

"We welcome Oliver, Wilhelm, Nikita and their team to the firm and look forward to working with them. They are seasoned, respected and well-known practitioners in the German market and their appointments mark a significant addition to our Corporate platform in Germany and our pan-European offering for clients."

Dr Sönke Becker, Head of Corporate/M&A Germany, said:

"Oliver, Wilhelm and Nikita with their longstanding and wide experience broaden the already substantial German offering in Corporate/M&A and Private Equity, facilitating additional opportunities to further and jointly develop our practice."

Mike Flockhart, Global Co-Head of Corporate, Herbert Smith Freehills, said:

"The arrival of Oliver, Wilhelm, Nikita and their team is testament to our ongoing investment in our transactional practice and is aligned to our private capital strategic priority. Their collective wealth of experience gives our global Corporate M&A practice a stronger foothold from which we will be able to unlock more cross-border opportunities."

The three-partner team hire marks Herbert Smith Freehills' commitment to growing its Corporate team in Germany. Private capital specialist Gregor Klenk was hired as a partner in the Corporate practice in February 2024 while Christian Johnen was promoted to partner in 2023. Other recent hires in Germany include Thorsten Matthies and Timo Buhler in the Disputes practice and Fritz Kleweta in the Finance practice.

Further demonstrating its commitment to private capital as a strategic growth area and to strengthening its capability and quality in the world's key markets, the firm announced plans to open an office in Luxembourg¹ and to combine² with Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel in the US.

About Oliver Duys, Wilhelm Nolting-Hauff and Nikita Tkatchenko

Oliver Duys specialises in the execution of complex, often cross-border corporate transactions and focuses on the areas of M&A and private equity.

Oliver has extensive experience advising on complex cross-border transactions including real estate portfolio deals, the formation of joint ventures as well as the establishment of funds and restructurings. He advises both national and international private equity firms, companies and fund managers and offers solutions for management participation programmes and liability issues.

Oliver's expertise extends particularly to advising companies from the Middle East and India, whom he supports in a variety of international M&A projects.

Wilhelm Nolting-Hauff primarily advises on company acquisitions and sales, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and strategic partnerships as well as on general corporate law issues. Wilhelm advises global companies and investors on complex, cross-border M&A transactions. He has a strong focus on advising clients from the China region on their investments in Germany.

Nikita Tkatchenko focuses on advising on cross-border corporate transactions, restructuring, corporate law and liability issues. Nikita has extensive experience advising a variety of industry sectors with a focus on energy & infrastructure and technology companies.