Osborne Clarke announces two counsel appointments and expands its corporate and venture capital team

International legal practice Osborne Clarke has appointed two new counsels in Germany with effect from 1 January 2019. Dr Tina Gausling is specialised on all matters of IT and data protection law, whereas Christoph Pitzer focuses on competition and product liability matters. Overall eight senior associates have been appointed counsels in 2018/2019.

Dr Tina Gausling has been an attorney for Osborne Clarke in the Munich office since 2016. She advises on all legal matters regarding IT and data protection law, online marketing as well as e-commerce. Tina supports domestic and foreign businesses on cross-border issues in IT and data protection law and with special focus on the interface to online marketing and ad tech including new technological developments in the area of artificial intelligence.

Christoph Pitzer has worked as an attorney for Osborne Clarke in the Cologne office since 2013. He is specialised on competition and product liability issues in the service and the spare parts market, out-of-court and in court proceedings. He provides legal guidance to automotive parts manufactures, parts dealers and corresponding associations; among others on operational requirements in product-orientated quality management processes.

Osborne Clarke's German Managing Partner, Carsten Schneider, said: “We place great emphasis on advancement and promotions.. Our aim is to strengthen our teams with committed colleagues with whom we can accomplish further sustainable growth and opportunities..”

Osborne Clarke recently expanded its Berlin office, which has moved on to the premises at Schinkelplatz in April 2018. The practice has strengthened its position earlier this year with venture capital specialist Robin Eyben (formerly employed at Morrison Forster) as a new partner. Since then the team has grown, most recently with Dr Hans-Christian Woger (Counsel; formerly employed at CMS Hasche Sigle) and Benjamin Schaum (Associate; coming from EY Law).

As of 1 January 2019, Maximilian Vocke joins the Berlin office as an associate in the corporate and venture capital team coming from legal practice Lutz Abel . He has vast experience in venture capital as well as M&A with main focus on legal structuring of financing rounds and exit transactions.

Altogether Osborne Clarke Germany has 52 partners, 16 counsel and more than 150 attorneys in its offices in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. Worldwide the firm has over 1000 lawyers across 21 further offices in Europe, Asia and the United States.