Gleiss Lutz hires Akin Gump's restructuring partner in London

Gleiss Lutz hires Akin Gump's restructuring partner in London

An international law firm with a German base opened in London in November 2021 to take on more EU law and antitrust litigation work

A partner from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in London was hired by German independent Gleiss Lutz to strengthen its restructuring practice.

In London and Frankfurt, Christian Halász was a partner in Akin Gump's financial restructuring and distressed assets practice for seven years, thereafter joins the Stuttgart-headquartered firm.

Gleiss Lutz has opened its office in London where Halász will primarily work in his new role. The firm opened the office in November to more effectively handle antitrust litigation and EU law-related work. According to the firm, Halász will also spend some time in Frankfurt advising clients.

Having recently relocated to London from Frankfurt, he will join Gleiss Lutz former senior partner Wolfgang Bosch, who led the official launch in January 2022. Presently, the office has a core team of six attorneys handling transactions, restructuring, and antitrust matters, with additional partners expected to join as needed in the City.

As part of its broader international strategy, Halász's hiring reinforces the firm's focus on developing its restructuring practices to better serve investment fund clients, many of whom are headquartered in London.

Gleiss Lutz' co-managing partner, Michael Arnold, said Halász's "long-standing experience" will contribute significantly to the London office. He said the new presence will strengthen the firm's relationships with overseas funds and distressed debt investors.

Halász said that he couldn't make the decision to leave Akin Gump easily due to his "close connection" with the London and New York restructuring teams.

In a spirit of friendship, I am leaving my former firm and look forward to working with my former colleagues in the future. However, I also look forward to contributing to the further development of Gleiss Lutz's restructuring practice and moreover to helping establish the new London office in the market," he added.

Akin Gump presented Halász a position in 2014 later on he worked at Bingham McCutchen in London. According to his LinkedIn profile, he started his career at Smeets Haas Wolff in 2004, thereafter worked at Paul Hastings for two years between 2008 and 2010.

Halász was thanked by an Akin Gump representative for his contribution to the firm, who also conveyed good wishes for his new position.

The firm, in particular its financial restructuring team, looks forward to continuing its relationship with Christian and Gleiss Lutz, the spokesperson said.

Following Noerr in 2010 and Hengeler Mueller in 2007, Gleiss Lutz is the third major German independent law firm to successfully establish a presence in London. The firm was founded in 1949 and has six offices in Germany, one in Brussels opened as well since 1962.

After Halász' departure from Akin Gump, George Cannon became the head of the firm's energy regulation, markets and enforcement practice Allen & Overy in Washington DC last week. Together, Cannon and Halász were part of the 21-strong renewable energy and project finance team from Akin Group that signed on to the Magic Circle firm in Los Angeles in March 2021.

Another move on September 2021 was Akin Gump adding partner Naboth van den Broek from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to its international trade practice. It reinforced its investment funds practice with the joining of Baker Botts' New York office chief Terence Rozier-Byrd in July 2021.