Fieldfisher has emerged as a contender to take over Olswang’s Munich office after the three-way merger with CMS Cameron McKenna and Nabarro, The Lawyer understands.
The Munich team was initially tipped to move over to US firm Cooley, which would set up an office on the back of the hires.
A conclusion for the discussions to take over the office is understood to have been set for Q2 2017.
Fieldfisher’s Munich office, which has a total of three partners and two associates, specialises in commercial, corporate, dispute resolution, energy and natural resources, IP and life sciences.
Additions from Olswang’s cohort would bring headcount up to eight partners and 12 associates.
Last year, The Lawyer reported that Cooley was in talks to take over the 15-strong team in Munich to set up its first foothold in continental Europe. The talks were never formally confirmed by either party.
Last year, Cooley Boston partner Michael McGrail relocated to Frankfurt and was tasked with building up the firm’s capability through group lateral hires, with a future base planned in Munich.
The Lawyer revealed last year that Olswang’s continental offices were warned they would not be automatically included in the CMS Cameron McKenna/Nabarro merger and should hold their own discussions with CMS’s local offices.
As a result of this action, The Lawyer reported that Olswang’s Paris office was shut out of the merger negotiations with CMS and Nabarro. It is understood that several international firms have entered into negotiations to take on the partners.
Both Fieldfisher and Cooley declined to comment.
The post Fieldfisher muscles in on Cooley to take Olswang Munich office appeared first on The Lawyer | Legal News and Jobs | Advancing the business of law.