German independent law firm Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partners (FGvW) has expanded its real estate practice in Frankfurt with a twin partner hire from Reed Smith, while A&O Shearman’s German head of international arbitration has left the firm to co-found a disputes boutique in Hamburg.
The incoming duo at FGvW are Martin Meissner and Cihangir Agdemir, who bring extensive German real estate law experience, while A&O has lost Anna Masser, who has established Manner Masser alongside disputes specialist Simon Manner.
Meissner, who was a founding partner of Reed Smith’s Frankfurt office, advises national and international clients on real estate transactions, project development and asset management. His expertise covers shopping centres and retail parks, logistics and hotel properties, office buildings, residential portfolios and data centres.
He is also experienced in real estate financing, PPP projects, drug approval procedures and aviation law issues, as well as being familiar with related compliance issues, particularly risk management and associated regulatory requirements.
Agdemir, meanwhile, advises national and international clients on real estate law, with a focus on transactions, project development, commercial tenancy law and public and private construction law. His focus is on individual and portfolio transactions across various asset classes, including retail, logistics, residential, hotels, data centres and office buildings. Additionally, he represents clients in real estate litigation.
Carsten Laschet, an FGvW partner and management team spokesperson, said: “With their comprehensive expertise in real estate law and their excellent network in the market, they will make a valuable contribution to the successful expansion of our real estate law practice both in the Rhine-Main area and throughout Germany, while at the same time ensuring its long-term and sustainable development thanks to its healthy age structure.”
Meissner leaves Reed Smith after a decade as a partner, having previously served as a partner at Orrick for five years and at Latham & Watkins for seven years. Alongside his work as a lawyer, he is a professor of business law at Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
Agdemir also worked with Meissner at both Reed Smith and Orrick, having also previously been at Simmons & Simmons. He is involved with the German-Turkish Lawyers’ Association, as well as pro bono projects for Lawyers Without Borders.
Masser, meanwhile, exits A&O after five years, having previously been a partner at Jones Day. She teams up with Manner, who had set up his own independent boutique Manner Disputes in 2024, which he is merging with the new firm.
In a post on LinkedIn, Masser said: “We are onto new horizons, step by step,” adding that she is “super proud and excited to be starting this journey with Simon. I could not have done it without him, and I am glad that we trust each other”.
Masser is not the first A&O partner to quit the firm to set up in independent practice; former A&O German dispute resolution head Daniel Busse left to launch his own boutique in 2019, while former global head of arbitration Matthew Gearing KC left to join Fountain Court in 2021, before moving to the London annexe of Duxton Hill Chambers earlier this year.
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