Fee levels see Lovells IP ace defect to Graf

Lovells’ Hamburg office has lost competition and intellectual property (IP)/technology, media and telecoms (TMT) partner Walter Scheuerl to Wragges’ German best friend Graf von Westphalen Bappert & Modest. Scheuerl pointed to the fee structure at Lovells and other international law firms as a key reason behind his move.

Scheuerl told The Lawyer: “It’s an obvious and logical thing for me to move away from an international firm under English management to an excellent German law firm.

“When advising clients on intellectual property, I can therefore offer them the extra that they expect from the legal practice of a large law firm with international connections, without paying the high fees charged by international law firms.”

Lovells partner Volker Meinburg, who heads the TMT group in Hamburg, claimed: “We’re confident that no relevant client will leave the firm, although you never know.”

He added that Lovells’ fee structure for TMT and IP work is flexible and tailored to individual clients.

“We had a very good relationship with Scheuerl and he was a valued partner, but these things happen,” said Meinburg.

Scheuerl, who works primarily in the food and film industries, will join Graf’s Hamburg office.