Noerr focuses on Europe

The European law firm Noerr has opened its new office in Brussels. Initially, there will be six lawyers in the Brussels Office, including Noerr partner Dr. Dominik Wendel heading the new office. Further expansion is already being planned.

By opening the new office, Noerr is reacting to the increasing demand for advice from clients; not only in the area of antitrust and competition including state aid, but also in markets impacted by European law-making. The range of expertise available in Brussels reflects Noerr’s focused advisory approach.

Dominik Wendel, the Brussels Office Head, previously based in Noerr’s Frankfurt office, explains: “The expertise of the Noerr Brussels team ensures that, apart from providing comprehensive advice on antitrust and competition, state aid and distribution law, regulatory questions can be dealt within close cooperation with colleagues from the German and Central and Eastern European Noerr offices”.

“Being in Brussels ensures that we are best placed to represent our clients in proceedings before the EU Commission”, said Dr. Alexander Birnstiel, head of Noerr’s Antitrust and Competition Group, who will in future work both from Brussels and Munich.

Partners Alexander Israel and Helge Heinrich are available in Brussels advising on antitrust and competition law as well as state aid law issues. In addition, the Co-Head of Noerr’s China Desk, Hui Zhao, will work both from Frankfurt and Brussels advising Chinese companies on entry to the European market.

“Brussels has great significance for us”, explained Dr. Tobias Bürgers, Co-Speaker of the firm. “We are strengthening our long-term advisory capacity in strategic growth areas of the Firm”. In addition to antitrust and competition law, the importance of advising companies in regulated industries such as aviation, banking, energy, media, telecommunication and insurance has significantly increased in recent years for Noerr. “We are also improving our service in M&A transactions in the regulated industries”, Bürgers said.

Trade and distribution law will also be part of the advice offered by the Brussels team. “Distribution law advice is today more international and important developments are coming from Brussels”, said Dominik Wendel, who advises automotive manufacturers and suppliers and is among the leading European experts in distribution law. Wendel announced further expansion of the office.

“All of our offices are integrated and Brussels will also work seamlessly with our German practice and our offices in London, New York, Central and Eastern Europe including Noerr’s China Desk”, added Co-Speaker Dr. Alexander Ritvay. “Since Brussels is increasingly important as a regulatory centre, Asian investors in particular see the provision of advice from the jurisdiction as vital.”

Noerr, among the ten law firms with the highest turnover in continental Europe (The Lawyer European 100), most recently opened offices in London and Alicante. Alongside five offices in Germany, the Firm has six offices in Central and Eastern Europe and is also represented in New York.