Orrick loses nine-strong team to Germany's Heuking

Orrick partners Michael Alberts and Peter Zimmerman along with Orrick of counsel Peter Vocke will all join Heuking as equity partners in Düsseldorf, accompanied by four associates. In Frankfurt, partner Christoph Wetzler is moving along with one associate.

The team brings experience across a full range of real estate projects, including development and financing, for domestic and international clients.

Heuking managing partner Andreas Urban said the hires were testament to the firm’s attractiveness and business model. “We want to continue growing in the future with talented own and attractive external partners,” he added in a statement.

Orrick launched in Germany in 2008 through a merger with Hölters & Elsing (15 September 2008). It followed up with a Munich office in early 2011 when it picked up the German team of US firm Holme Robert & Owen (4 January 2011).

Meanwhile, Heuking has added several new partners through lateral hires in the course of the last year, and promoted four equity and five salaried partners as of 1 January 2013 (6 December 2012).