Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has sealed the hire of SJ Berwin Germany real estate chief Hans Thomas Kessler in a boost for its recently launched German operation.

Kessler, who joined SJ Berwin from Beiten Burkhardt in 2008, will work alongside HSF's Frankfurt head Ralf Thaeter – who launched the German offering after joining from former Herbert Smith ally Gleiss Lutz earlier this year – and former Norton Rose corporate partner Nico Abel.

Kessler sat on SJ Berwin's partnership board as Germany representative until last October.

HSF UK and EMEA real estate head Don Rowlands said: "Thomas will be a valuable addition to our European real estate team. His expertise across a range of real estate transactions for a diverse client base, in one of Europe's most active real estate markets, will prove attractive to foreign investors looking to move into the German real estate market."

Meanwhile Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has sealed the hire of highly-rated Shearman & Sterling Frankfurt arbitration partner Richard Kreindler.

Kreindler joined Shearman in 2001 from Jones Day, then known as Jones Day Reavis & Pogue, where he was head of Jones Day's Europe and Middle East disputes practice. He moved with a team of five assistants to launch Shearman's Frankfurt offering.

Cleary managing partner Mark Leddy said: "Richard brings nearly three decades of arbitration experience as an advocate and arbitrator in some of the world's most significant commercial and investment treaty disputes, including extensive experience in Germany and in German-language matters."

The news comes after Shearman confirmed in April that the firm is set to close its Munich and Duesseldorf offerings by the end of 2013, resulting in a number of partners relocating to its remaining Germany base in Frankfurt – including Duesseldorf senior partner Georg Thoma.

At the same time Allen & Overy hired Shearman Duesseldorf corporate partner Hans Diekmann, who had been a partner at the US firm since 1999. Since then Shearman has seen a four-partner team move to Latham & Watkins to launch an offering in Duesseldorf.