Lovells

PARTNER SVEN BRANDT JOINS LOVELLS FROM ERNST & YOUNG'S ASSOCIATED LAW FIRM, LUTHER RECHTSANWALTSGESELLSCHAFT, WITH ISABELLE KNOCHÉ-HESS JOINING AS OF COUNSEL

Lovells has strengthened its capital markets capability in Germany with the recruitment in Frankfurt of Luther partner Sven Brandt and Isabelle Knoché-Hess, who joins as Of Counsel plus one associate, Richard Reimer. Sven has a very strong track record in receivables financing, advising banking clients such as IKB Deutsche Industriebank, DZ Bank, European Investment Bank and Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen. Isabelle is a structured finance specialist advising French and German companies on German and French corporate, commercial and financial law respectively. Since 2003 Sven and his team has advised on securitisation transactions involving more than Euros 8 billion of receivables and other financial instruments.   The team is expected to join Lovells during the summer.

Sven started his career with Deutsche Bank where he helped develop structured finance solutions for the bank's larger clients.  In 2000 he joined Commerzbank as a director to develop their securitisation  business and the bank rapidly established itself as among the market leaders in Germany for the securitisation of loan portfolios.  He joined Ernst & Young's associated law firm, Luther, in 2004 to develop a sizeable practice based on the securitisation of trade receivables. 

Isabelle started her career with Bayerische Hypotheken und Wechselbank,  Siemens AG and more recently Clifford Chance before joining Luther in 2003 as a structured finance specialist as well as being responsible for the German-French business practice and advising clients in both Frankfurt and Paris.  She is qualified in both German and French law.

Commenting on Sven's arrival, Lovells' managing partner David Harris, said:

“Sven has built a very strong securitisation business in Germany.  We are committed to strengthening our banking and capital markets capabilities in Frankfurt and the recruitment of Sven, Isabelle and one other member of the team is very much part of that process.  They bring with them a strong track record, with considerable experience, of working with both French and German companies.  We are looking forward to them joining the firm shortly."
 
Sven Brandt said:

"I was attracted to Lovells because of the depth of resource it has in the securitisation area around the world while also having a strong presence in the German market.  There is a large appetite among German and other banks for innovative securitisation products and that requires an in-depth knowledge of the securitisation market and emerging trends around the world."

Harald Seisler, Lovells' continental Europe regional managing partner said:

"No one should doubt the commitment we have to growing and developing our German capital markets capability.  Sven and his team have built a first-class securitisation business, acting for some of the best names in the German market on multi-billion Euro deals. With their relationships and in-depth knowledge we are looking forward very much to reinforcing this part of our practice and growing it in Germany, France and other markets."