International law firm Shearman & Sterling has hired White & Case finance partner Florian Ziegler in Germany, marking the firm’s fifth lateral hire in continental Europe this year.
Ziegler brings experience in a wide range of domestic and cross-border debt transactions and specializes in general corporate finance. He is experienced in project financing as well as restructuring and advises banks and other financial institutions, private equity investors and corporates under German law.
“Our finance practice continues to grow rapidly, and Florian’s hire highlights our ambition to continue to expand and develop our global capabilities in this area,” said David Beveridge, senior partner at Shearman & Sterling.
Ziegler was a partner at White & Case in Frankfurt for the last six years, and prior to that a lawyer at Allen & Overy for almost a decade.
White & Case has been contacted for comment.
Ziegler will split his time between the Frankfurt and Munich offices. The firm opened its Frankfurt office in 1991, and launched its Munich office in January 2021. That office formally opened its doors just last week, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Florian Harder, head of the firm’s German offices, called Ziegler’s appointment an important part of Shearman’s strategy to develop and strengthen its finance offering in Germany.
“His expertise in leveraged and acquisition finance deepens the range of services we can offer to both our international and domestic clients, and he will work closely with our existing team to continue to drive the practice forward,” he said.
When Shearman opened the Munich office in 2021, it brought on partners Florian Harder and Jann Jetter. The hire of Ziegler is the firm’s fifth lateral hire in mainland Europe this year, following the arrival of partners Xavier Norlain, Jeremy Scemama, Maud Manon and Matthieu Lampel in Paris. Together they significantly expand the firm’s European M&A, private equity and finance capabilities, the firm said.
Shearman has also recently expanded in London, bringing on M&A partner Maegen Morrison from Hogan Lovells in February of this year.
But Shearman has also lost people in Europe. Earlier this year, senior associate, Benjamin Marché jumped to Squire Patton Boggs, joining as a financial services partner.
White & Case also recently lost another partner in Brussels, when long-time competition partner Alexandra Rogers left for Norton Rose Fulbright.
