Mayer Brown Grows Antitrust Group In Germany

Mayer Brown has bolstered its antitrust and banking capabilities in Germany with the addition of two new counsel, Sarwenaz Kiani and Odilo Wallner, who will work from the firm’s Düsseldorf/London and Frankfurt offices, respectively. Sarwenaz joins the firm’s Antitrust & Competition practice and Odilo joins the Banking & Finance practice.

“Sarwenaz and Odilo are talented lawyers whose skills and experience will complement our offering across the region,” said Dr. Guido Zeppenfeld, partner-in-charge of Mayer Brown’s German offices. “Their arrival reinforces our commitment to provide our clients with the depth of experience that they have come to expect across our practices.”

Sarwenaz advises on EU, German and UK antitrust law, covering merger control, antitrust proceedings, vertical agreements and questions on market dominance. She has considerable experience advising on in antitrust questions regarding distribution agreements including regulatory investigations with a particular focus on online retailing, where she has advised on several landmark cases. Sarwenaz, who is a dual-qualified and admitted in Germany and England and Wales, joins Mayer Brown from Baker McKenzie, where she worked in the London and Frankfurt offices.

“We are pleased to expand our antitrust team with a highly experienced lawyer who has proven herself in many groundbreaking mandates and perfectly complements our German practice,” said Christian Horstkotte, co-head of Mayer Brown’s European Antitrust & Competition practice, who joined the firm from Baker McKenzie in January 2021, alongside Dr. Johannes Weichbrodt and a team of associates. “Additional hires are planned in our Brussels office, which will further the expansion of our European antitrust practice.”

Odilo has broad experience in banking law, credit financing and capital market transactions for debt financing, with a particular focus on acquisition and leveraged financing, factoring, asset-based financing and high-yield bonds. His clients include borrowers, issuers, sponsors and financial institutions. Odilo joins the firm from Milbank.

“Odilo’s broad experience in acquisition finance will be an asset to our credit finance practice, which is expanding in response to increasing demand from our clients,” said Dr. Martin Heuber, who leads Mayer Brown’s credit finance practice in Germany.

“Financial institutions face new and emerging challenges in response to climate change, digitalization and their regulatory requirements,” said Dr. Guido Zeppenfeld. We are committed to adding outstanding lawyers to our German practice who can help our clients navigate this change and uncertainty.”

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