Freshfields hires new COO from Hogan Lovells

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired Axel Koelsch as its new chief operating officer for Germany and Austria. Koelsch – who joins the firm from Hogan Lovells – will report to regional managing partner Klaus-Stefan Hohenstatt. The role will see Koelsch acting as the interface between lawyers and central business services across the firm's seven German offices and heading up the region's administration. Hohenstatt said: "It is my aim to spend at least 50% of my time on client work, which will only be possible with the help of an experienced COO. With around 25% of the firm's people working in the region, it is one of the key markets in which Freshfields operates. Our size and ambition to be the number one international law firm here requires top quality business support."

Freshfields hires new COO from Hogan Lovells legalweek.com legalweek.com Fri, Oct 15, 2010