Linklaters' Cologne office is a step nearer to closing with the departure of two more partners to breakaway firm Oppenhoff & Partner.

Litigation partner Peter Klappich and environmental law specialist Stephan Mueller are the latest to join Oppenhoff, which launched at the beginning of this year.

The arrival of the pair means the new firm now has around 40 lawyers in total, including 21 partners, among them founding partner Michael Oppenhoff and seven former Linklaters managing associates.