Willkie Farr & Gallagher is undertaking a significant expansion in Germany, having headhunted two of Latham & Watkins’ bankruptcy and restructuring partners, Jörn Kowalewski and Ulrich Klockenbrink, along with their nine-lawyer team. This move follows closely on the heels of Willkie’s establishment of a new office in Munich, signaling a major strategic push into Europe’s largest economy.
Kowalewski’s team will continue their legal practice in Hamburg but will be formally based in Willkie’s Frankfurt office. Over the coming weeks, Kowalewski, Klockenbrink, and newly minted Willkie partner Hendrik Hauke—who previously served as counsel at Latham—will be transitioning to work from Frankfurt, bringing with them a number of Latham clients. Details about this strategic recruitment can be found here.