Six-person team led by partner Bettina Mertgen strengthens GvW's foreign trade law practice

GvW Graf von Westphalen strengthens its foreign trade law practice: Bettina Mertgen joined the firm as an equity partner on 1 March, together with Philipp Hamann (counsel) and Christopher Blank (associate), and will be based in the Frankfurt office. Jan-Michael Mergler (senior associate) will follow in mid-April, with two further colleagues joining at the beginning of July.

Bettina Mertgen and her team focus on customs law, excise tax law and foreign trade law (export control law, sanctions law, reporting and FDI) as well as green trade. Bettina Mertgen built up these practice areas at Deloitte Legal over the past ten years after moving from Baker McKenzie, where she headed the German practice. The well-known specialist lawyer for tax law, tax advisor and expert advisor for customs and excise duties also has extensive experience in litigation, compliance and tax audits.

‘We are delighted to further strengthen our market-leading foreign trade team with the experienced Bettina Mertgen and her well-coordinated team,’ explain Christof Kleinmann and Dr Robert Theissen, both managing partners at GvW. ‘With her comprehensive expertise in corporate processes and compliance management systems, GvW is gaining even more clout in the areas of foreign trade and green trade – not only in Hamburg, Berlin and Düsseldorf, but now also in Frankfurt.’

With these new additions, the renowned GvW foreign trade practice group, headed by Hamburg partner Dr. Gerd Schwendinger, now comprises a total of 17 lawyers. The practice group also includes the Green Trade Team led by Dr. Annika Bleier and Tanja Galander, an expert in sanctions and Eastern Europe who was appointed equity partner on 1 January. With its supra-regional expertise and strong team, the firm is ideally positioned to provide companies and organisations with expert advice in all areas of foreign trade law, including green trade. ‘Bettina Mertgen and her team are the perfect addition to our practice group – we are very happy about this valuable addition,’ says practice group head Dr. Gerd Schwendinger.

Bettina Mertgen: ‘GvW has an excellent reputation in the field of foreign trade law. We are delighted to be strengthening the team with such a capable and effective addition and to be able to further expand the advisory portfolio together.’