Latham & Watkins added four prominent private equity and M&A partners, Markus Paul, Wessel Heukamp, Verena Nosch and Carsten Haak, in Germany. The partners join from Freshfields, bringing decades of advisory experience on cutting-edge transactions.
Widely recognized among Europe’s most experienced private equity lawyers, they bring extensive expertise advising a broad range of private equity and other financial sponsors, as well as corporates, including in the financial institutions sector, on a variety of transactions, with a particular focus on leveraged buyouts and complex domestic and cross-border M&A.
“Markus, Wessel, Verena and Carsten are highly accomplished lawyers with outstanding reputations in the market. They bring deep relationships, top-notch skills and an exceptional track record in sophisticated transactions, further enhancing our ability to deliver the highest level of service to clients,” Rich Trobman, chair and managing partner of Latham & Watkins, said. “Their arrival represents an important milestone in the continued growth of our private equity and M&A practices in Germany and Europe and further enhances our position as one of the elite M&A law firms globally.”
Oliver Felsenstein, private equity partner in Germany, said, “We have built one of the preeminent private equity and M&A practices in Germany, across Europe, and globally. The firm is already operating at the very top of the German market, and the addition of these exceptional lawyers raises the bar even higher. Their stellar market reputation and extensive industry networks are a perfect fit for our practice and further enhance our ability to deliver on our clients’ most consequential matters. As we approach our 25th anniversary in Germany in 2026, their arrival marks another major step in the continued growth and success of our practice in Europe and globally.”
Paul and Haak will join the Frankfurt office, while Heukamp and Nosch will join in Munich, strengthening Latham’s presence in Germany’s key financial and private equity centers. They will provide clients with integrated, cross-border advice across all major markets.
“We are thrilled to welcome Markus, Wessel, Verena and Carsten to the firm,” Burc Hesse, managing partner of Latham’s German offices, said. “Their arrival is a testament to the exceptional growth we have achieved in recent years and our preeminent position in the market. The team not only strengthens our practice in Germany but also reinforces our commitment to delivering outstanding results for our clients, both in Europe and worldwide.”
Charles Ruck, global chair of Latham’s corporate department, added, “Private equity has long been a core pillar of our global strategy and the arrival of this fantastic team of dealmakers further strengthens our practice in every major market globally. As the only premier top-ranked firm globally across capital markets, private equity, M&A, banking, private credit, high yield, restructuring and more, we have a unique offering for our client base and are well-positioned to meet their evolving needs, leveraging the breadth of our practice to move quickly and deliver excellence at scale.”
