Shearman Brussels left partnerless by Arnold & Porter hires
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Shearman & Sterling’s European network has been hit by the defection of two Brussels antitrust partners to Arnold & Porter.
Shearman’s Brussels office has been left with no permanent partner presence with Annette Schild and Silvio Cappellari leaving to join Arnold & Porter. Counsel Stephanie Birmann has also joined Arnold & Porter.
Shearman’s Brussels office now has just two associates, with competition partner Hans Jurgen Meyer-Lindemann splitting his time between Düsseldorf and Brussels.
A statement issued by the firm said: “Shearman & Sterling plans to maintain its competition law practice in Brussels, with partner Hans Jurgen Meyer-Lindemann covering from Düsseldorf, as he has done in the past, and partner Matthew Reading in London.”
The departures come after Shearman’s German practice suffered numerous departures. In January last year high-profile M&A star Rolf Koerfer left for Allen & Overy in Düsseldorf (10 January 2008).
In April last year the firm’s entire 30-lawyer Mannheim office splitting off to for an independent firm (22 April 2008).
In September Munich-based partner Gottfried Breuninger, who was Shearman’s co-head of tax, left for A&O along with local M&A partner Astrid Krüger (17 September 2008).
Schild has played a prominent role in building up Shearman’s Brussels office, advising on a number of high profile deals including acting for Siemens on its acquisition of Austrian company VA Tech in 2005.
Cappellari’s practice focuses on energy, pharmaceuticals, transport and media industries. He advised CVC Capital Partners in its acquisition of DSI Holding.
Arnold & Porter chairman Clair Thomas Milch said: “Annette, Silvio and Stephanie will strengthen the breadth and depth of our competition practice in Europe for our clients who have complex and demanding international business needs.”
