Clifford Chance (CC) is set to lose a partner in Frankfurt with the departure of IT specialist Joachim Schrey to Noerr Stiefenhofer Lutz this summer (1 June).

Schrey has been at CC since 1990 and became partner in 1995. His practice focuses on distribution, licensing and competition law.

He will become the sixth partner in Noerr's 11-strong IT team which is led by Peter Braeutigam. Only Schrey and Braeutigam are equity partners.

Schrey said he was attracted by the "one-for-all" partnership culture at Noerr. He said: "At Noerr, IT law is part of the operative and strategic frontline advice. That will benefit my clients."

Braeutigam said: "Together with Joachim, we will continue to consolidate our position as one of the leading IT law firms in Germany."

It is the second major addition for the German firm this month, having last week announced that it has recruited the entire tax team of Duesseldorf firm Schmidt Schuran & Partner.

The team, which will join 1 May, includes equity partner Lutz Schmidt, three salaried partners and one associate.

The firm has five German offices – in Frankfurt, Duesseldorf, Munich, Berlin and Dresden – and an international network with bases in Bratislava, Budapest, Bucharest, Kiev, Moscow, New York, Prague and Warsaw.