Latham and Watkins is expanding its private equity and mergers and acquisitions capabilities in Europe with the addition of four high-profile partners in Germany, marking one of the firm’s most significant lateral hiring moves in recent years. The incoming partners, Markus Paul, Wessel Heukamp, Verena Nosch, and Carsten Haak, are set to join from Freshfields, bringing decades of advisory experience across leveraged buyouts, complex domestic and cross border transactions, and financial sponsor mandates.
The move represents a major milestone in the firm’s strategy to deepen its position in Germany, bolster its already top ranked European private equity practice, and reinforce its global leadership in buyout and M&A transactions. Latham and Watkins highlighted that the team’s arrival directly supports its momentum in a market where the firm achieved number one global rankings for M&A by both value and volume in the first three quarters of twenty twenty five, alongside top rankings in private equity deal count across Europe.
The four partners will join across Germany’s two principal financial and private equity hubs. Paul and Haak will be based in Frankfurt while Heukamp and Nosch will join in Munich, expanding the firm’s ability to connect German and European clients to an integrated global platform offering cross border capabilities in every major financial market. Senior leaders across the firm emphasized that the new partners bring deep relationships, industry knowledge, and a track record of delivering on complex, high value transactions for private equity firms, corporates, and financial institutions.
The expansion coincides with a period of strong performance and growth for Latham and Watkins’ private equity and M&A practices. The firm has built a leading position in Germany over several decades, with its upcoming twenty fifth anniversary in the country expected to underscore continued investment and strategic growth across the region. The new team is expected to elevate the firm’s ability to execute consequential transactions as demand for sophisticated, global legal advisory services continues to rise.
KEY QUOTES
“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. 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.”
Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner of Latham and Watkins
“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.”
Oliver Felsenstein, Private Equity Partner in Germany
“We are thrilled to welcome Markus, Wessel, Verena, and Carsten to the firm. 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.”
Burc Hesse, Managing Partner of Latham’s German Offices
“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.”
Charles Ruck, Global Chair of Latham’s Corporate Department
