We're proudly announcing a substantial number of senior promotions for the firm with 18 lawyers being appointed as partners across the Taylor Wessing network. All promotions take effect from 1 May 2024*.
Our UK Managing Partner and Co-chair of Global Board, Shane Gleghorn said: "I am delighted to announce our new class of senior lawyers. These talented lawyers reflect the breadth of substantive expertise and geographic presence that our clients seek and have demonstrated their commitment to our firm’s values and culture. We have seen strong client demand in each of the areas these individuals have been promoted in and I look forward to seeing the valuable contribution they make to our business."
Our German Managing Partner and Co-chair of Global Board, Olaf Kranz said: "We are proud to welcome such a talented group of lawyers to our partnership. Their appointments reflect Taylor Wessing's ongoing commitment to excellence and our ambition to provide world-class legal advice to the dynamic and forward-thinking industries which we serve. Congratulations to all the new partners."
As of 1 May 2024, our new partners are:
- Emma Allen, Disputes and Investigations (UK)
- Dr Robert Bauer, Employment, Pensions and Mobility (Germany)
- Rhys Bufton, Real Estate (UK)
- Luke Callaghan, Private Client (UK)
- Sarah Cole, Corporate (USA)
- Louis Dewfall, Banking and Finance (UK)
- Jan Feuerhake, Technology, Media & Telecoms (Germany)
- Dr Amir-Said Ghassabeh, Corporate (Germany)
- Allan Hahn, Corporate and Banking (Austria)
- Elizabeth Montpetit, Disputes and Investigations (UK)
- Xiaowen Paulus-Ye, Corporate (Germany)
- Elinor Picton, Corporate (UK)
- Maike Schöber, Banking and Finance (Germany)
- Dr Christian Tenkhoff, Trademarks, Advertising & Design (Germany)
- Jonas Warnken, Employment, Pensions & Mobility (Germany)
- Xuyang Zhu, Technology, IP and Information (UK).
As of 1 January 2024, our new partners are:
- Mark Goorts, Disputes and Investigations (Netherlands)
- Roos Seesing, Disputes and Investigations (Netherlands).
As of 1 May 2024, our new senior counsel are:
- Josh Boughton, Private Client (UK)
- David Franklin, Real Estate (UK)
- Rachel George, Private Client (UK)
- James Minshull, Real Estate (UK)
- Andrew Payne, Patents (UK)
- Harriet Revington, Tax (UK)
- Lucy Lyons, Technology, IP and Information (USA)
- Bridget Winters, Tax (UK).
*Promotions in Netherlands take effect 1 January 2024
Notes on individuals:
Emma is a Partner in our Disputes and Investigations team who specialises in complex, cross-border litigation, often involving serious allegations of civil fraud. Emma advises a wide-range of clients including corporate entities, financial institutions, high net worth individuals and insolvency practitioners, as well as C-suite executives requiring independent legal advice. Emma also has significant investigations experience in relation to both internal and regulatory investigations, including those involving the Serious Fraud Office.
Dr Robert Bauer began his career at Taylor Wessing in 2011 as an associate in the practice area employment and was appointed salary partner in 2017. Most recently, he has increasingly focussed on the development of legal tech tools. In addition to his work as a lawyer, he leads a team of four software developers and creates in-house tools for the efficient, smooth management and processing of large individual mandates as well as legal tech solutions that will, in the future, be able to offer clients digital legal advice at the touch of a button.
Rhys is a Partner in the Real Estate team and specialises in all areas of commercial real estate, including investment acquisitions and disposals, development and landlord-tenant matters. Rhys is an expert in real estate finance and acts for a wide range of funders and investors on the financing of all asset classes, including office, hotels, logistics, living and life sciences.
Luke Callaghan is a Partner in the Private Client group, providing specialist advice on the various property issues that affect our landed estate and family office clients. Luke provides tailored counsel to principals in financial services and tech entrepreneurs on residential and rural property matters, including emerging natural capital markets.
Sarah is a dual-qualified (UK/US) Partner based in our San Francisco office. Sarah provides advisory services for North American technology and life sciences firms on UK and European investment, launch strategies, M&As, and growth funding - coordinating with our regional experts throughout their key development stages.
Louis is a Partner in the Banking and Finance group, specialising in real estate finance. Louis advises banks, debt funds and private equity sponsors on a range of asset classes and structures in the UK and across Europe. He has experience of acting for lenders and sponsors across the capital structure and full spectrum of real estate sectors, including student accommodation, logistics, the private rented sector, hotels, retail schemes and large-scale developments. Louis has particularly strong experience in cross-border financings having spent a year on secondment with a real estate debt fund. Louis has advised on transactions across Europe, including Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Finland and Denmark.
Jan Feuerhake, LL.M., is a specialist lawyer for information technology law. He specialises in IT contract law, data protection law and gambling law. He supports domestic and foreign companies in the software and online entertainment sectors in overcoming the regulatory, contractual and IP law challenges of the German market. Jan Feuerhake has a particular focus on clients from Israel and the Nordics. In 2014, Jan Feuerhake joined Taylor Wessing as an Associate and was appointed Salary Partner in 2019.
Dr Amir-Said Ghassabeh is a proven expert in complex and multinational M&A transactions, joint ventures and carve-outs, with his advisory work often having links to the USA. Amir Ghassabeh's clients are mainly global industrial groups and private equity investors. His deep understanding of different legal systems and cultures is particularly appreciated by his clients. With a long M&A track record in regulated industries, particularly in the life sciences & healthcare and ESG sectors, he has established himself as a reliable partner for his clients. Amir Ghassabeh joined Taylor Wessing as a Salary Partner in 2020.
Allan is a Partner in our Corporate and Banking and Finance groups. He advises national and international clients in all areas of corporate and banking law, particularly being involved in due diligences and the foundation/incorporation of legal entities and branches of foreign legal entities. In addition, he supports in restructurings and liquidations as well as in general advice in corporate law.
Elizabeth is a Partner in the Disputes and Investigations team, specialising in international arbitration, including both investor-state and commercial arbitration. She has been involved in numerous arbitrations governed by the ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ICSID, as well as ad hoc arbitrations. Elizabeth also advises on the structuring of investments to obtain maximum treaty protection, allowing investors to take advantage of the available protection before a dispute arises.
Xiaowen Paulus-Ye advises on M&A transactions and corporate structuring for international and national companies and investors. She focuses on the Healthcare & Lifesciences sector and has particular expertise in the area of healthcare law-related corporate transactions and structuring. Due to her many years of experience in this industry, she is very familiar with the specifics and players in the highly regulated healthcare sector. With over 100 individual transactions in the area of consolidation in the ambulatory sector (buy & build market activity), around 15 transactions in the inpatient sector (clinics, rehab) and around eight transactions on the product side (HealthTech / Digital Health, MedTech and BioTech) for various companies and investors, she is an experienced transaction lawyer who offers her clients not only excellent transaction advice but also in-depth industry know-how and knowledge of market standards. As a native Chinese, native Mandarin speaker and member of the China Group, she also advises Chinese companies and investors on their outbound activities in Germany and Europe. Xiaowen Paulus-Ye joined Taylor Wessing as an Associate in 2012 and was appointed Salary Partner in 2017.
Elinor is a Partner in the Corporate group and is part of the Corporate Technology and Life Sciences team. Elinor specialises in venture capital, supporting high-growth companies in the technology sector. She advises on every stage of the life-cycle, from early-stage funding, through growth capital, international expansion, and to M&A. Elinor also advises institutional, corporate and individual investors on their investments into fast-growth companies. In addition, Elinor advises on buy and sell-side M&A transactions, restructurings and joint ventures, particularly within the technology sector.
Maike Schöber is a lawyer and notary. As a transaction notary, she specialises particularly in supporting financing, real estate and M&A transactions. In addition, Maike Schöber also advises her clients on general notarial issues in the areas of commercial and corporate law, reorganisation law, real estate law and family and inheritance law. As a lawyer, she advises German and international banks, financial institutions, private equity investors and corporate groups on complex national and cross-border financing. She has particular expertise in acquisition financing, restructuring and corporate financing. Maike Schöber joined Taylor Wessing as a salary partner in 2017.
Dr Christian Tenkhoff advises clients in matters of trademark and competition law. One focus of his work is cross-border litigation, often relating to consumer perception and unconventional trademarks - in particular product shape and colour marks. He manages several global trademark portfolios and is also regularly active before the DPMA and Federal Patent Court as well as the EUIPO and Court of Justice of the EU. He also regularly deals with IP rights in connection with blockchain technology and the metaverse. Christian Tenkhoff started his career at Taylor Wessing in 2014 as an Associate. He was appointed Salary Partner in 2019.
Jonas Warnken is a specialist lawyer for labour law. He has been advising global and US companies for many years, primarily in the IT and technology sector. He also advises German companies and executives in all areas of individual and collective labour law. He additionally specialises in advising on issues relating to visas and residence permits for the employment of foreign workers in Germany. He represents his clients in court disputes and in negotiations with works councils. He also specialises in advising European stock corporations (Societas Europaea - SE) – from the formation of the special negotiating body of European employees to the negotiation of the SE's participation agreement. Jonas Warnken is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA). Jonas Warnken started his career at Taylor Wessing in 2012 as an Associate before being promoted to Salary Partner in 2017.
Xuyang is a Partner in our Technology, IP and Information group. Xuyang specialises in IP rights exploitation and enforcement in the technology and media sectors, covering transactions, advisory matters, disputes and litigation, digital content regulation, monetisation, and the intersection between IP and competition law.
