International law firm Dechert LLP announced today that Sven Schulte-Hillen, 49, has joined the firm’s Corporate and Securities group as a partner in Frankfurt. Prior to joining Dechert, he was founding and managing partner of Fried Frank’s German branch in Frankfurt.

Sven focuses on complex multi-jurisdictional M&A and corporate finance transactions for clients ranging from family offices to private equity firms, both domestic and global, as well as on capital fund formation and corporate restructurings. His clients include numerous large and mid-sized German entities, notably Europe’s second largest retail group, which he advises in relation to its tourism business.

“I’m excited to be joining Dechert’s prestigious corporate practice and to be able to help build up its new Frankfurt capability. I especially look forward to working closely with our highly regarded Munich corporate team”, said Sven.

He has been recognized as a leading corporate lawyer by independent legal directories, including JUVE, The Legal 500 (Germany) and Chambers Europe, which notes in its 2011 edition that clients praise his “understanding of industries” and consider him “like a business entrepreneur”.

“Expanding our corporate practice to Frankfurt – one of the world’s leading financial centres – has always been one of our key priorities”, said Dechert CEO Daniel O’Donnell. “Sven’s entrepreneurial spirit and diverse client base will play a significant role in achieving this and in making our German practice even stronger”.

Federico Pappalardo, head of the firm’s German corporate practice and Dechert Munich managing partner, concurred: “Strong synergies exist between Sven’s practice and our existing corporate group in Munich, especially in the private equity sphere. That and the strong cross-border nature of his work make him an ideal partner to kick start our corporate practice in Frankfurt”.

Dechert has more than 20 lawyers in Germany who focus on private equity and venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, financial services and asset management, securities, banking, capital markets, leveraged finance and acquisition finance, employment, litigation, tax, finance (including Islamic Finance) and real estate.