QD Legal will become the first legal recruitment consultant to offer its services in Germany when it opens a Frankfurt office next month.
QD has recruited Christof Aha, formerly an assistant at leading German law firm Puender Volhard Weber & Axster, to head the office.
QD consultant Nick Shilton said: "This is client driven. We do a lot of work with the major UK and US firms that have a presence in Germany."
Clifford Chance, Linklaters & Alliance, Freshfields and Allen & Overy – and the leading US firms and big five accountants – are all rapidly expanding their local law capabilities in the country.
"The German market is becoming more fluid after the influx of UK and US firms," Shilton said. "We anticipate much of our work being for German firms. At the moment German firms are thinking about how to compete with firms that are targeting their lawyers."
Rival recruitment consultants Michael Page already has offices in Frankfurt and Duesseldorf, but does not have legal consultants on the ground.
Peter Thompson, head of legal at Michael Page, said: "In terms of a legal arm, it's under consideration but we are waiting to see what amount of work Frankfurt will offer."
QD has several offices in other jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto, but Frankfurt will be the company's first full-service office in Continental Europe.