Latham & Watkins LLP advises major German corporations from the technology, energy and infrastructure, life sciences and healthcare sectors on transatlantic transactions and is particularly experienced in public M&A, P2P deals, carve-outs as well as distressed M&A and restructuring. Since Nikolaos Paschos (general meetings and corporate governance) joined Paul Hastings LLP in February 2024, Heiko Gotsche (joint ventures, reorganisations and carve-outs) has been the sole practice head. He is supported, among others, by Tobias Larisch, who regularly assists with transactions in the energy and infrastructure sector, and Rainer Traugott, who advises international companies, private equity houses and infrastructure investors on complex transactions. M&A and private equity transaction specialist Stephan Hufnagel made partner in January 2023 and Carsten Loll, who focuses on real estate and private equity transactions, joined from Linklaters in October 2022, as did Alexander Stefan Rieger, who specialises in M&A transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors and came from Hogan Lovells International LLP in May 2023. In September 2023, Stefan Widder (cross-border transactions) joined Gleiss Lutz.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'High energy level. Deep expertise. Outstanding implementation speed. Plus it's highly precise.'
  • 'Broad and deep coverage of relevant subject areas on a global basis! Full commitment; commercial and pragmatic view.'
  • 'Henning Schneider: Very experienced, combines legal excellence with commercial flair in transactions, maintains focus, technically excellent, broad wealth of experience, very results-driven approach to win deals!'
  • 'Ingo Strauss: Strategic mind combined with clear, creative and entrepreneurial thinking. Also craftsmanship excellence. Strong transaction partner.'

Key clients

  • Advent International
  • Antin Infrastructure Partners
  • Aareal Bank AG
  • Apollo Global Management
  • Cheplapharm
  • CVC
  • Digital Realty
  • DB Schenker
  • Deutsche Bank AG/Orchard Global Asset Management LLP
  • Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)/Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (KKR)
  • IKB Deutsche Industriekreditbank AG
  • Körber Supply Chain Software Management GmbH
  • Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft (Münchener Rück)/MEAG MUNICH ERGO AssetManagement GmbH (MEAG)
  • Siemens Smart Infrastructure
  • Swiss Life Asset Management AG and Vauban Infrastructure Partners
  • Worth Capital Holdings

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Latham & Watkins LLP
Dr. Rainer Traugott advises German and international companies, private equity firms, and infrastructure investors on complex transactions and general corporate issues, often in a multijurisdictional context. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Traugott delivers pragmatic and creative counsel to clients in a range of corporate matters. He handles both public and private transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, public takeover offers, and mergers. Mr. Traugott also regularly advises executive and supervisory boards on critical corporate governance issues. His comprehensive corporate guidance extends to business transformations, including spin-offs, separations, and carve-outs. Mr. Traugott harnesses his sophisticated understanding of the needs of corporate, private equity, and infrastructure clients to help parties negotiate successfully and execute transactions efficiently. A versatile practitioner, he advises on transactions across industries and jurisdictions. His distinguished deal work includes a number of precedent-setting matters involving novel structures. Mr. Traugott previously served as Global Co-Chair of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice and on the firm’s Strategic Client Committee.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Latham & Watkins LLP
Dr. Heiko Gotsche, partner in the Düsseldorf office of Latham & Watkins, has considerable experience advising international clients on cross-border M&A transactions (both public and private) as well as on corporate law matters (including joint ventures, reorganizations, and carve-outs). Heiko serves an international client base, including listed as well as family-owned companies, private equity investors, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals. Leading legal publications rank him as frequently recommended lawyer for M&A. He is a member of several associations, including the German Association for Corporate and Company Law (VGR).
Latham & Watkins LLP
Dr. Alexander Stefan Rieger is widely recognized for advising clients on complex M&A transactions and projects in the international infrastructure and energy sector. The Legal 500 ranks him in 2022 and 2023 as one of the leading partners of the next generation for M&A in Germany. JUVE lists him as frequently recommended for M&A. Mr. Rieger’s clients include leading infrastructure funds, pension funds, insurances, private equity investors, and corporates from around the globe. By utilizing his background as a straight-forward infrastructure lawyer, Mr. Rieger adds value rarely available in the market at the interface between infrastructure and M&A. What Mr. Rieger does best: understanding complex industry specific issues and translating them into legal or commercial solutions. In advising his clients, Mr. Rieger emphasizes practicality, striving to achieve his clients’ business objectives by leveraging his “perfect understanding of the market and related transaction dynamics” (The Legal 500 2023).

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Heiko Gotsche

Other key lawyers

Tobias Larisch, Rainer Traugott, Ingo Strauss, Henning Schneider, Stephan Hufnagel, Carsten Loll, Alexander Stefan Rieger