GvW Graf von Westphalen expands further: Team of three partners strengthens Frankfurt office

The Frankfurt office of GvW Graf von Westphalen will be further strengthened by a well-established team of three lawyers. Employment lawyer Anja Dombrowsky and the two M&A specialists, Till Liebau and Dr. Markus Rasner join GvW as partners.

Anja Dombrowsky (44) has worked at CMS Frankfurt since 2001, since 2009 as Senior Counsel. She advises domestic and international companies and investors with respect to individual and collective labour law and has gained particular expertise in the chemical, energy and finance industries. Anja Dombrowsky specializes in complex restructurings and turn-arounds of businesses. Further, she advises on all eployment law aspects of M&A transactions. Anja Dombrowsky will join GvW as of 1 November 2015.

Transactions lawyer Dr Markus Rasner (41) already joined GvW as of 1 October 2015. He has longstanding expertise in advising on all aspects of M&A transactions. Dr Markus Rasner further specializes in private equity transactions and has built a significant track record in the mid cap market. Since working in Singapore in 2009, Dr Markus Rasner has put particular emphasis on advising in the German-Asian market, in particular with regard to investments of German businesses in Southeast Asia and China, and investments of Asian investors in Europe. Further, he advises in Distressed M&A situations. Dr Markus Rasner started his career at CMS in Frankfurt in 2003 before joining GSK as a partner in 2012.

Till Liebau (44) was admitted to the German bar in 2002 and has been working at CMS since 2003, since 2012 as an Associated Partner. He specializes in advising international, in particular North American investors at M&A transactions. Till Liebau is very experienced in private equity transactions, venture capital financings and succession issues of Mittelstand businesses. Further, he advises on distressed M&A transactions and with respect to corporate restructuring measures. Till Liebau will complete the team at GvW shortly.

„Offering a strong and well established brand but still having substantial upside potential, GvW is an ideal new set-up“, say the new partners. „The international focus and the full service approach which GvW offers both as regards the breadth of service lines and the overall capacities, lead to ideal conditions for our business.“ Dr Markus Rasner states: „GvW's strong presence in Asia with the well-respected office in Shanghai offers added value for our clients in Asian-European cross-border transactions.“  

With the new team and the recent lateral hires of Helmut Kempf (Dusseldorf), Jens Suhrbier and Dr Ulf Liebelt-Westphal (both Hamburg) over the last few months, the firm's M&A offering has been strengthened significantly. Similarly, the expanding restructuring unit benefits from the additional employment and restructuring expertise – only a few weeks ago Dr Wolfram Desch, LL.M. joined GvW Munich (more).
 
„The M&A and restructuring units are key for us as a full service firm. Our new partners will be supported by our firm-wide specialists with their respective expertise – be it employment and pensions, or tariffs and duties law.“, say Christof Kleinmann and Dr Robert Theissen, the firm's Managing Partners. „We welcome Anja Dombrowsky, Till Liebau und Dr Markus Rasner and look forward to their contributions to further developing both the Frankfurt office and the overall firm.“