IMG-7264Herbert Smith Freehills has strengthened its global finance practice with the recruitment of Kai Liebrich as a partner in the Frankfurt office. Liebrich joins the firm from Mayer Brown where he has been a partner since 2011.

A general finance specialist, Liebrich’s practice covers a wide spectrum of products and transaction types including structured financings, restructurings, corporate loans and derivatives. He also advises financial institutions on regulatory issues.

It is Herbert Smith Freehills’ fifth partner hire in Germany since opening in April 2013. Liebrich joins corporate and M&A lawyers Ralf Thaeter and Nico Abel, real estate specialist Hans Thomas Kessler and disputes expert Mathias Wittinghofer.

“Establishing a presence in Frankfurt, which sits at the heart of the pan-European economy, is a significant milestone in the development of our global finance practice,” said Malcolm Hitching, Head of Finance – UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa. “In Kai we have found someone with the reputation, quality and drive to build our German capability, and his arrival will enhance Herbert Smith Freehills’ reputation as one of the few firms that is able to provide clients with seamless advice when they require capital in multiple currencies and jurisdictions.”

Ralf Thaeter, who is leading the firm’s development in Germany, adds: “Germany is a critical market for the firm: over the last ten years 12 percent of global cross-border M&A deals and a third in Western Europe have involved a German party, whilst Frankfurt is also mainland Europe’s most important center for supra-national financial regulation and policy. Kai’s arrival therefore enhances both our corporate transactional and regulatory expertise, and takes us a step closer towards our goal of achieving a full-service capability in Germany. We are very pleased to welcome him to the firm.”