Linklaters has hired Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Timon Grau to join its German practice.

Grau will join the firm in March and split his time between its Düsseldorf and Frankfurt offices.

He began his career in 2006 with Freshfields in Cologne before moving to Frankfurt. He made partner in 2014.

Meanwhile, Frankfurt-based British partner Matthew Devey has been appointed head of Linklaters’ German employment group. Devey trained at Linklaters and will take up the role in May.

“Dr Timon Grau will be a great asset to our practice group, both professionally and personally”, Devey said. “His expertise in fields that are of crucial importance to our German clients in particular – such as dealing with trade unions and works councils, matters concerning corporate bodies, compliance and crisis management as well as restructurings – will add to our strengths in the field of providing strategic advice to international clients and dealing with cross-border matters.”

Last week The Lawyer reported that Linklaters is to open its fifth German office, in Hamburg, in the first quarter of this year to capitalise on an increase in banking work for German clients.

The firm has made no lateral hires with the launch, instead transferring eight corporate and tax lawyers from Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.