Allen & Overy (A&O) has secured a key European litigation hire with the addition of Field Fisher Waterhouse Germany managing partner Joachim Feldges, less than two years after he joined the firm from Howrey.

Feldges, who oversees Field Fisher's Germany practice across Munich, Duesseldorf and Hamburg, joined the firm in January 2011 from Howrey, leading a four-partner team that transferred Howrey's Munich and Duesseldorf bases in their entirety to Field Fisher.

He is top-rated by Chambers for patent litigation in Germany, with a particular focus on pharma and biotechnology, and was also previously managing partner of Clifford Chance's Munich arm until 2003. His start date at A&O is as yet unconfirmed.