Hogan Lovells has recruited a two-partner team from Benelux firm NautaDutilh to launch its new Luxembourg office.

Investment funds partner Pierre Reuter, and corporate partner Jean-Michel Schmit – both of whom formerly worked at Linklaters – are joining Hogan Lovells along with four Nauta associates.

The Luxembourg base, the firm's 19th in Europe, will focus on investment funds and will open on 1 August.

Hogan Lovells global co-CEO David Harris said: "Luxembourg is an increasingly important jurisdiction for investment funds. Our new office will allow us to offer a much fuller funds capability to our clients and it will also be a key to a number of our other practice areas such as corporate, real estate, private equity and tax."

Reuter said: "Luxembourg offers a stable yet flexible legal and regulatory environment, a skilled workforce and a strategic location. With the passing of the EU's Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive in Luxembourg it will be even more attractive for alternative investment fund managers to expand or set up their products in Luxembourg and to thrive here."

Christoph Kueppers, regional managing partner for Continental Europe added that the firm had previously worked with Schmit and Reuter on a number of client matters.

Last year Hogan Lovells worked with Luxembourg firm Bonn Steichen & Partners, with which it has an informal referral relationship, on French asset manager Amundi's multibillion-euro asset-backed note programmes issued on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.