A team of arbitrators has left Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Germany to set up their own independent firm.

Partner Christian Borris who is based in the firm's Cologne office, is leaving the magic circle firm to set up the boutique along with Frankfurt-based partner Sebastian Kneisel and associate Rudolf Hennecke. The new firm – Borris Hennecke Kneisel – will open in May.

In a statement Boris Kasolowsky, Frankfurt arbitration partner said: "Christian's departure has long been agreed. He leaves with the firm's best wishes for his future career."

The departures mark the second time this year that Freshfields has lost a group of senior arbitrators looking to start up their own firm. Only last month its London head of arbitration Constantine Partasides announced he was leaving to set up an independent firm with Paris-based disputes partner Georgios Petrochilos.

The pair will be joined by former Freshfields international arbitration head Jan Paulsson who exited last year after spending 20 years at the firm, along with three senior disputes partners from Shearman & Sterling, Jones Day and Covington & Burling. The new firm, which is yet to be named, will be run from three offices – Washington, London and Paris.

Freshfields announced its partner promotions yesterday, with disputes gaining the largest share with five promotions, one of which was in Germany – Patrick Schroeder.