Linklaters lands duo from German authorities

Linklaters has expanded its media regulation practice with the hire of in-house counsel Karen Sokoll from the German Commission on Concentration in the Media (KEK).

Sokoll, who has spent eight years specialising in media regulation, will join the magic circle firm's Berlin office.

Christian Hey, head of the German office's technology, media & telecommunications group, said Sokoll's appointment will "very much benefit" the firm thanks to her "unrivalled experience of regulatory procedures".

"In Berlin we concentrate our regulatory expertise with close ties to our regulated markets team, as well as to authorities and political decision-makers," added Hey.

Sokoll has been involved in all the mergers that have taken place between national German television stations and their parent companies, including the announced takeover of ProSiebenSAT.1 Media AG by Axel Springer AG.

The firm has also taken Michael Baron, until recently head of the antitrust/competition department at the German Federal Ministry for Economics.

Baron joins as of counsel. He was involved in some of the most controversial merger control proceedings before the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office.