Ashurst has enhanced its European equity capital markets (ECM) team with the hire of a Dewey & LeBoeuf partner in Frankfurt.

Matthias Von Oppen, who will join the firm next month (1 December), has spent three years as a corporate partner at the US firm's Frankfurt base.

After qualifying at White & Case in Frankfurt in 1999, he was seconded to Swiss banking giant UBS, as well as the firm's London office. He made partner in 2004 and moved to Dewey in 2007.

Von Oppen is a corporate finance lawyer with a particular emphasis on equity capital markets work, advising on transactions both for domestic German companies and for international companies accessing the German markets. His experience also covers high yield bonds and corporate takeovers, as well as company law and the compliance sector.

Germany managing partner Peter Junghaenel said: "Matthias has an excellent track record in capital markets transactions having worked on numerous initial public offerings, rights offerings and share placements for underwriters as well as domestic and international issuers."

The hire reflects the continued investment Ashurst is making in its capital markets practice. Most recently, the firm boosted its debt capital markets practice with the appointment of former Linklaters partner Stephen Edlmann in London.