Linklaters secures its present with pension specialist

Linklaters secures its present with pension specialist

The law firm has successfully poached on Magic Circle rival Freshfields with pension specialist René Döring joining Linklaters Frankfurt office

Linklaters has dealt yet another blow on Magic Circle rival Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer by hiring a second senior professional from it within a month.

Pension specialist René Döring has moved over from Freshfields to Linklaters at its Frankfurt office to bolster its employment law practice in Germany.

Döring, an occupational pension scheme specialist, has joined Linklaters as a partner. He was associated with Freshfields for 15 long years in Germany, the last 11 years as a partner.

Döring brings along the experience of acting on corporations and pension funds to Linklaters. He has a glittering track record of successfully advising on outsourcing pension liabilities, designing pension schemes and looking after post-transactional restructurings. He has a background in tax law and has advised on a number of M&A transactions on employment and pension during his stint with Freshfields.

Döring work includes advising Airbus on its €1.1bn sale of its defense electronics business to global investment firm KKR and acting in Chinese chemical company ChemChina's acquisition of German machine manufacturer Kraussmaffei for €925m.

"Not least in economically more difficult times for companies, the enormous importance of pension schemes becomes apparent. With René, we will strengthen and further expand our proven expertise in employment law by adding the area of pensions, which is important for our clients," Linklaters' German senior partner, Andreas Steck, said.

Döring moving to Linklaters from Freshfields in Germany has happened two weeks after the firm had added/promoted 35 partners across its international offices earlier this month.

Matthew Devey, head of Linklaters' German employment law practice, termed Döring is the perfect addition to the firm's growing Germany-based employment team.

"With him, we now see ourselves even more optimally positioned to advise on all factors of high-end employment law, both nationally and internationally," Devey said in a statement.