Watson Farley & Williams is launching a Frankfurt office in the New Year, with the hire of a regulatory team from Salans led by partner Ivana Mikesic.

The new office will open in January 2013 and marks Watson Farley's third base in Germany, alongside existing bases in Hamburg and Munich.

Mikesic will join with two associates from Salans, with another associate in Watson Farley's Hamburg office relocating to Frankfurt.

Mikesic's practice focuses on the energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors. She has been a partner at Salans since 2009, prior to which she was an associate at both Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Watson Farley Germany head Lothar Wegener said: "Development of our regulatory practice has become a strategic priority as our energy, infrastructure and real estate practices go from strength to strength; in addition we have been considering for some time the opportunities which exist for the firm in Frankfurt and, whilst we have been cautious in how we approach that market, this combination makes good sense for us in a number of respects."

The new base will take Watson Farley's total office count to 14. The firm also launched a Hong Kong litigation practice this month with the hire of dispute resolution partner Richard Wilmot from Holman Fenwick Willan.

News of the office launch comes after partners from SNR Denton, Salans and Canada's Fraser Milner Casgrain voted through a three-way tie-up at the close of last month.
The merged firm, which will be known globally as Dentons, is set to fully combine in the first quarter of 2013, and will be structured as a Swiss Verein.

Two Salans Germany partners have also left the firm to join DLA Piper since the merger was announced, with DLA adding Dietmar Schulz and Mike Danielewsky to its Frankfurt restructuring group.

Both Schulz and Danielewsky are expected to take up their new roles at DLA Piper at the start of the New Year, with their arrivals doubling the number of partners within the firm's German restructuring practice to four.