K&L Gates has launched an office in Munich with the hire of a team including one partner from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM).

Banking and finance partner Hilger von Livonius has joined K&L Gates along with counsel Philipp Riedl and senior transaction lawyer Michael Harris.

Rudiger von Hulst, administrative partner of K&L Gates' German offices, said: "With the addition of his highly skilled team, we take an important step in the continued expansion of both of our German and broader European investment management practices."

The Munich base is K&L Gates' third German office, following its launch of an office in Berlin in 2007. This was followed by an opening in Frankfurt two years later.

The departures from KWM follow a review of the firm's European arm, which kicked off in March this year.

Senior partner Stephen Kon told Legal Week that London and Germany would be the areas most heavily affected by the review.

Von Livonius and team follow fellow tax partner Till Fock, who joined K&L Gates' Berlin office from KWM in 2014.

At the end of last month Gibson Dunn also opened an office in Munich with the hire of two Latham & Watkins' Frankfurt partners, including office managing partner Dirk Oberbracht.