Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr has secured a Frankfurt launch with the hire of four high-profile partners from Mayer Brown, including two practice group heads.

The firm has recruited Mayer Brown's co-head of corporate Ruediger Herrmann, intellectual property (IP) head Reinhart Lange, litigation partner Christofer Eggers and regulatory partner Hans-Georg Kamann and will also relocate Berlin corporate partner Christian Crones for the office launch.

The new office will focus on corporate, IP, litigation and antitrust in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, energy and cleantech sectors.

The firm was the first US player to open a Berlin office in 1993 but had not expanded its German coverage until now.

WilmerHale co-managing partner William Perlstein described the move as a "logical strategic step" based on German client demand.

He added: "When we opened our initial German practice in Berlin we were primarily focused on our regulatory practices. Since then, we have equally successfully expanded our corporate and IP practices in Germany."

The four Mayer Brown partners are set to bring a group of associates with them but the numbers are as yet unconfirmed .

Mayer Brown has a sizeable presence in Frankfurt with 27 partners remaining following the departures. Daniel Marschollek will take over as head of IP, while co-head of corporate Christof Gaudig will become the sole leader of the group.