Latham & Watkins is pleased to announce that Ingo Strauss and Heiko Gotsche will join the Düsseldorf office as partners in the Corporate Department and members of the Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions Practices. Highly regarded in their field, Strauss and Gotsche have significant experience advising public and private companies, private equity firms, financial institutions, and other investors in a variety of complex, cross-border M&A and carve-out transactions.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ingo and Heiko to the firm,” said Burc Hesse, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Germany. “Their practices and experience will add tremendous additional firepower to our market-leading M&A capabilities in Europe.”
Strauss and Gotsche advise clients across the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border transactions, including public and private M&A, joint ventures, divestments, take-privates, and reorganizations, and regularly counsel DAX and international companies and boards of directors on a variety of governance and general corporate law matters. Their broad experience spans a range of global industries, including energy, life sciences, industrials, and entertainment, sports and media, a sector in which Strauss has particular expertise having previously enjoyed a career as an international handball player.
“Germany is a key market for the firm and a critical financial and business hub in Europe and globally,” added Oliver Felsenstein, Frankfurt-based partner and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Ingo and Heiko have established impressive track records advising domestic and international companies and PE firms on a range of high-stakes, transformational matters. We are excited to welcome them to the team.”
“Ingo and Heiko are seasoned M&A practitioners with formidable technical skills, strong commercial judgement, and deep knowledge in a number of dynamic global industries that only comes with years at the forefront of the practice,” said London-based partner Ed Barnett, who serves as Global Co-Chair of the firm’s M&A Practice. “Their arrival represents another step forward for the firm as we look to further establish the premier transactional practice.”
Strauss and Gotsche join Latham & Watkins from Baker McKenzie. Strauss passed his First State Examination at the University of Cologne before completing his Referendariat at the Oberlandesgericht Cologne. Gotsche passed his First State Examination at the University of Münster before completing his Referendariat at the Oberlandesgericht Cologne. He received an LL.M. from the London School of Economics. Prior to joining Baker McKenzie, both Strauss and Gotsche worked at Hengeler Mueller.
About Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.
