Willkie Farr Hires Frankfurt Heavyweight as European Growth Continues
The hire is the latest in the U.S. firm's European push.
August 06, 2019 at 05:00 AM
2 minute read
Frankfurt, Germany
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has boosted its Frankfurt office finance practice with the hire of partner Ralf Defren.
Defren was previously a partner at German heavyweight firm Hengeler Muller, where he worked for 18 years, including 12 years as partner.
Defren's practice includes advising banks, financial institutions and borrowers on various types of financings and related corporate and regulatory issues. He has particular experience in corporate finance, real estate finance and securitisations.
"The addition of another finance partner will enable us to continue our work on substantial finance mandates and at the same time support more transactions in our core practices of private equity and M&A," George Linde, managing partner of Willkie's Frankfurt office, said in a statement. "His addition will also strengthen the base for further growth in these practices."
Jan Wilms, partner and head of the German finance practice group, added the firm has worked with Defren on opposite sides of matters and got to know him "as a great lawyer. We look forward to working on deals together," he said.
Defren told Law.com that he sees increasing private equity business in the German market and that Willkie is well placed to take advantage of it.
"Private equity [activity] has increased tremendously," he said. "Willkie operates at the highest levels in Frankfurt and internationally, with an integrated cross-border and sophisticated PE practice into which our finance team play an important role. I am delighted to be a part of the team."
He added that although Willkie is relatively small in the German market, it is an important player with opportunities for growth.
Willkie's German expansion follows its recent poaching of two heavyweight private equity lawyers from U.S. rival Kirkland & Ellis in London. The firm hired private equity partners Gavin Gordon and David Arnold in May.
The firm's most recent financial results showed Willkie reporting a gross revenue of $817 million, placing it 50th on The American Lawyer's 2019 Am Law 200 ranking. On the 2018 Global 200 survey, Willkie Farr & Gallagher ranked as the 57th highest-grossing law firm in the world.
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