International firm Salans has branched out into the German market by snapping up a 35-strong team of Berlin lawyers - and has secured its links with the UK by taking the unusual step of registering the new office as a limited liability partnership (LLP) in London.

The moves sees all the Berlin-based staff at German independent firm Haarmann Hemmelrath - including 12 partners - transfer to the new office, which brings Salans' total number of offices to 16 globally.


The practice will concentrate on corporate, banking and finance, real estate, tax, insolvency, employment, litigation and public sector work.


Salans partner Johannes Jonas said the arrival of the Berlin team presented a 'strategic fit' that would enable it not only to get a foothold into the German market but also to strengthen the firm's client base across Europe generally.


'One of Salans' principal strategic priorities has been the establishment of a presence in Germany,' he said. 'This gave us the chance to implement this in a visible and credible manner with a highly respected practice. We have similar strengths and a number of common clients.'


Mr Jonas said any new offices would also be registered as LLPs in the UK. 'From an organisational and implementation perspective, doing it in the UK seemed most efficient, particularly as our regulatory partner, who works closely with the Law Society is based here,' he explained. He did not rule out more German offices or other branches across Europe in the future but said the priority at the moment was fully integrating the Berlin branch into the rest of the firm.


The Haarmann Hemmelrath hires come a matter of days after Salans announced that it had recruited a 15-lawyer strong team from Paris firm Rambaud Martel.