Kirkland & Ellis International LLP to Open a German Office
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP today announced its plan to open a German office. The new office is the Firm’s seventh worldwide and second in Europe. Located in Munich, Kirkland intends to move into its permanent office space by early 2005.
This expansion to Germany is in response to current client needs and to support future growth plans. The new office will focus on private equity/M&A work, an area of international experience for the Firm.
Volker Kullmann, a partner at Clifford Chance, has joined Kirkland effective Nov. 9. A qualified German corporate lawyer, Kullmann has been a leading member of Clifford Chance’s private equity practice in Germany. He has been with Clifford Chance since 1998. Prior to that, the 43-year-old Kullmann was an associate at Beiten Burkhardt Mittl & Wegener.
Kirkland’s current German practice is led by Dr. Thomas Verhoeven, a partner who is doing German legal work through the Firm’s London office. Verhoeven will be relocating to Munich. Kirkland’s new Munich office will be led by Kullmann and Verhoeven.
"We are delighted to add a lawyer as skilled as Volker," said Thomas D. Yannucci, chairman of Kirkland's Management Committee. "He will enhance our growing European practice."
“Kirkland's franchise in private equity is unique in the industry and it will be a great pleasure helping to expand Kirkland's German practice,” Kullmann said.
In addition to Verhoeven who has been with Kirkland since 2000, another German lawyer from the Firm’s London office -- partner Ivo Posluschny will relocate to the Munich office. Kirkland anticipates that approximately 10 additional attorneys will be moving to Munich from Kirkland’s other offices or arriving laterally from other German and international firms.
Some of the clients that the Firm works for in Germany are Bain Capital, Bank of America Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners, MidOcean Capital Partners and Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec.
“With major clients in Europe and our experience in private equity/M&A, there is a strong business case for opening a Munich office,” said James L. Learner, partner in the London office.
“A presence in Germany will enhance the service we provide to all of our clients with business in Europe,” Verhoeven added.
About Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkland & Ellis is an international law firm with 1,000 lawyers located in Munich, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC. Kirkland & Ellis ranks among the top 25 global law firms according to The American Lawyer’s 2003 Global 100 survey.
The London office has a reputation as a leading European private equity practice together with experience in Insolvency and Restructuring, M&A and Capital Markets, Intellectual Property, Banking and Finance, International Litigation and Dispute Resolution.