18 Partners Bolt Hogan Prior to Merger with Lovells

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Just nine days before the mega transatlantic merger of Hogan & Hartson and Lovells, 18 Hogan partners have pulled up stakes to create their own German firm, dubbed Rau. With 22 other lawyers in the fold, the firm will begin operations on May 1, merger day.

According to LegalWeek, Rau practice areas will include energy, real estate, media and telecommunications, life sciences and health care, and arts and entertainment sectors.

Energy and regulatory partner Christian von Hammerstein will manage the firm.  He cited the desire of clients to work with a “focused, medium-sized firm” as the reason for the split.

  

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“Over the last weeks and months we have received the clear message from the market that our clients would like to work in close partnership with a focused, medium-sized firm,” von Hammerstein told LegalWeek.

“It was not an easy decision – in the end the key factor was to keep together our excellent team and to continue our successful collaboration with each other and our clients in an independent, entrepreneurial group.”

The pending merger of Hogan and Lovells will instantly make that firm one of the world’s largest with over 2,500 attorneys around the globe and revenues in the range of $2 billion. The departures will leave Hogan Lovells with more than 350 lawyers in five cities in Germany, according to LegalWeek.

Christopher Wagner will be the managing partner of the firm’s Berlin office. He replaces Gernod Meinel, who is leaving for Rau.

Said Wagner:  “We wish every success to our long-term friends and partners who are now choosing another professional future. Our close friendships will not be affected by this professional separation.”

This move follows news earlier this month that Hogan’s Warsaw office would not take part in the merger and instead would join K & L Gates.