Orrick announced today that Christine Kaniak has joined the firm as a partner in our Munich office. Formerly with Kirkland & Ellis, Christine is the 31st partner to join Orrick this year.
“Germany has become an increasingly attractive market for private equity sponsors, who are drawn to the country’s relative economic stability. Christine brings exceptional financing capabilities in the private equity space that are critical to our clients on their acquisitions and leveraged finance transactions,” said Wilhelm Nolting-Hauff, a corporate partner in Orrick’s Düsseldorf office and co-leader of Orrick’s German offices, along with Oliver Duys.
“We’re thrilled to grow our practice with a practitioner of Christine’s caliber. She is a clear strategic fit, greatly complementing our German corporate and finance practices, as well as demonstrating our continued commitment and investment in Germany,” added Christoph Brenner, a member of Orrick’s European Private Equity team based in Munich. In 2017, Orrick was nominated by JUVE, Germany’s leading legal directory, for the Law Firm of the Year Award for Private Equity and Venture Capital and the firm ranked #5 for European Private Equity, according to Pitchbook.
Christine advises on complex national and international financings in private equity transactions, as well as on acquisition financings, refinancings and restructurings. Most recently, she advised Bain Capital and Cinven on their €5.4 billion takeover offer of German pharmaceutical group Stada, counseled the lenders on the restructuring of Jack Wolfskin and represented Tele Columbus AG in its recent financings. IFLR1000 recognized Christine as a “notable practitioner” in their 2018 edition for her banking and finance work.
Christine is the most recent of several partner additions to Orrick’s German offices since 2016. Last year, Christoph Brenner joined the firm from King & Wood Mallesons, while Fabian von Samson-Himmelstjerna, joined from Ashurst in 2016. In addition, Orrick has promoted three lawyers in Germany to its partnership over the past 18 months.
“I am excited to join Orrick and work alongside the dynamic team of lawyers it has brought together in Germany. The firm has developed a well-respected private equity practice in the German market, and I am looking forward to further strengthening the team’s capabilities with my financing experience,” said Christine.
Source: www.orrick.com
