Linklaters' longstanding German managing partner, Markus Hartung, has stepped down from the management role.

Hartung had led Linklaters' German operation since 2001. He will return to full-time client work in the litigation and arbitration team, having described his tenure as "a privilege, as well as a considerable challenge".

Hartung will not be replaced as local managing partner, with Linklaters having last year appointed commercial lawyer Wolfgang Weiss in the new role of head of management for Germany.

Weiss was installed in the role in October, joining the German executive team and taking on responsibility for all business services in the jurisdiction, including finance and marketing.

The news comes with Linklaters in the throes of reshaping its German offering, with the City giant set to close its Cologne branch in the coming months and opening a new office in Duesseldorf.

Litigation partner Peter Klappich and environmental partner Stephan Mueller last week became the latest departures from Linklaters' Cologne office, joining breakaway firm Oppenhoff & Partner, which launched at the beginning of this year with a number of former Linklaters lawyers.

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