DLA Piper has recruited a seventeen-strong team to its office in Hamburg. The team comprises five partners, four counsels, one of counsel and seven associates across Intellectual Property & Technology (IPT), Corporate and Regulatory. They will join the firm as of 1 December.

The firm's IPT practice group will be boosted by the addition of partners Dr Stefan Engels and Dr Ulrike Grübler. Stefan Engels is one of Germany’s leading and most respected media and competition lawyers. Ulrike Grübler's practice focuses on trademark and design law, including brand portfolio management.

Three counsels will also be joining DLA Piper's IPT team. Dr Beatrice Brunn and Verena Haisch have many years of experience in the fields of media and competition law whilst Verena Grentzenberg specialises in data protection law. The IPT team's expertise is primarily focused on the media, technology, life sciences and luxury goods sectors.

The Litigation & Regulatory practice group will be gaining support from respected partner Dr Michael Stulz-Herrnstadt, who specialises in regulatory law as well as administrative procedural law and penalty fines. Michael Stulz-Herrnstadt’s main area of work is in regulated industries, particularly media, gambling and postal services.

Joining the firm's Corporate team is Dr Jörg Paura who has particular expertise in the steel, automotive and media industries and Dr Daniel Weiss, who focuses on media, aviation and steel. Counsel Dr Mirjam Rüve will be contributing her expertise in corporate litigation and insolvency law.

“DLA Piper is an extremely dynamic law firm with a tremendous team spirit, while the international network offers outstanding opportunities for development,” said Dr Stefan Engels. “We look forward to working with our new colleagues and to the challenge of expanding the practice even further,” added Dr Jörg Paura.

Bernd Borgmann and Dr Benjamin Parameswaran. Managing Partners of DLA Piper in Germany, commented: “DLA Piper continues on a systematic growth course. The addition of this large and market-leading team is a significant reinforcement for our German practice and the Hamburg office. We are delighted to be enlarging the firm with such well respected partners and we extend a cordial welcome to the entire team.”

Simon Levine, Global Co-CEO of DLA Piper, added: "The team is well-known in the market for its outstanding expertise. We are very pleased they are joining us as it will significantly strengthen our existing competencies in these practice areas as well as adding to our market-leading Sport, Media & Entertainment sector expertise.“