Germany's Noerr to open London base after converting to English LLP

Munich corporate and media partner Hans Radau will head the new office, which is set to open later this year and will focus on M&A, banking, restructuring, media, insurance, and international litigation.

Thomas Heitzer, an insurance expert at the firm’s Düsseldorf office, will be the office’s second partner. Three associates will also relocate to London.

The launch is part of the Noerr’s internationalisation, with the firm becoming an English LLP and changing its name from Nörr Stiefenhofer Lutz to Noerr on 31 December 2009.

The London office will advise clients from the UK, US, China, India, Russia and CEE, but will not advise on English law.

It will be a similar set-up to what the firm has in New York, which also does not provide domestic legal advice. According to partner Tobias Bürgers, the London office will go even further than New York does.

“We’ll offer advice on our markets more directly than in New York”, said Bürgers. “London’s been important for our clients and ourselves and will remain so for the foreseeable future. That’s certain.”