Dr. Thomas Hornberger

Kirkland & Ellis advised O2 Investment Partners, a private equity firm investing in growth-oriented, privately-held businesses in the North American lower middle market, on the fundraising for O2 Investment Partners Fund V (Fund V) with $670 million in capital commitments. Read O2 Investment Partners’ press release The Kirkland team included investment funds lawyers Dan McQuade, Michael Black, William Ballentine, Kendall Kilberger and Allie Sopp; investment funds regulatory lawyers Nicholas Hemmingsen, Danielle Sartain and Matt Davis; investment funds ERISA lawyer Christine Matott; tax lawyers Dan Meehan and Florian Schütte; and financial services regulatory lawyers Albert Weatherill, Sky Kim and Matt Dixon-Ward.

Mar 3

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis has bolstered its European corporate practice with the hire of Sebastian Heim, who joins as partner across its Munich and London offices. Heim, a Milbank London partner, has advised on deals including Carlyle’s €7.7 billion ($8.9 billion) acquisition of BASF’s coating business and General Atlantic’s $5.7 billion public offering of SMG Swiss Marketing Group, at the time the largest European IPO of the year. Heim joined Milbank in 2011 as an associate, according to his LinkedIn. “Sebastian is one of the go-to private equity lawyers in Germany,” said Jon A. Ballis, chairman of Kirkland’s executive committee. Heim’s regularly advises clients on corporate law, M&A, and growth equity matters. “Sebastian is an extraordinary lawyer with a stellar reputation,” said Benjamin Leyendecker, a corporate partner in Kirkland’s Munich office. The move comes just 18 months after Kirkland opened its Frankfurt office in August 2024. The hub cooperates closely with Kirkland's Munich office, which has been described by Leyendecker as “key pillar of our strategy”. Heim is joining the Munich office, which has 17 partners listed on Kirkland’s website. Kirkland saw record lateral hires and partner promotions globally in 2025 alongside seven lateral hires in Germany since opening in Frankfurt. Kirkland’s German partners have also been in demand elsewhere, however, with former restructuring partner Leo Plank moving to Gibson Dunn in February. Milbank has been contacted for comment.

Mar 3

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis has advised funds advised by Triton (“Triton”) on the agreement to acquire the security and communications technology product business (“BSCT”) from Bosch Group (“Bosch”). The transaction is subject to the fulfillment of customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed by the end of H1 2025. BSCT offers solutions in the areas of video surveillance, access and intrusion control as well as professional communication. The company has around 4,300 employees worldwide and generates more than €1 billion in revenues. Read Triton’s press release The Kirkland team included corporate lawyers Tobias Larisch, Benjamin Leyendecker, Sebastian Häfele, Tom Bartram, Andrew McAlpine, Tamara Zehentbauer, Philipp Poitiers, Merle Müller, Michael Dunton, Dov Seifman, Jamie Manson, Charles Hébert and Simran Johal; tax lawyers Michael Ehret and Florian Schütte; debt finance lawyer Alexander Längsfeld; technology & IP transactions lawyers Emma Flett, Jenny Wilson, Stephen Coudounaris and Calum Parfitt; antitrust & competition lawyers Sally Evans and Jessica Ouchai; litigation lawyer Patrick Navein; and environmental lawyers Jonathan Kidwell, Mary-Michael Robertson and Thomas Boynton.

Dec 12

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis advised Charlesbank Capital Partners on its acquisition of Maltego Technologies GmbH, based in Munich, Germany. Charlesbank has acquired the company through its Charlesbank Technology Opportunities Fund from Maxburg Beteiligungen III GmbH & Co. KG, a German investment company advised by Maxburg Capital Partners. Maltego’s software is used for data visualization and link analysis by companies worldwide, including half of the DOW 30. Founded in 2008, Maltego Technologies GmbH has grown to over 100 employees. Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank Capital Partners is a middle-market private investment firm with more than $15 billion of capital raised since inception. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings and also engages in opportunistic credit and technology investments. The Kirkland team advising Charlesbank was led by corporate partner Hendrik Braun and included corporate partners Dave Gusella, Michael Movsovich and Larissa Cespedes-Yaffar, as well as corporate associates Thomas Hornberger and Julia Jung.

Apr 26

1 min

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) is advising plastics manufacturer Borealis on a binding offer from AGROFERT. The fertiliser producer intends to acquire Borealis' nitrogen business, which includes plant nutrients, melamine and technical nitrogen products and is valued at €810 million under the terms of the offer. Borealis will initiate the mandatory information and consultation procedures with employee representatives imminently. The transaction is also subject to certain closing conditions and regulatory approvals, with Closing is expected for the second half of 2022. Borealis is one of the world's leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions and a European market leader in base chemicals, fertilisers and the mechanical recycling of plastics. AGROFERT is one of the leading European manufacturers of plant nutrients with production facilities in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Freshfields is advising Borealis' group legal department, led by (interim) General Counsel Sandra Müller. The team comprises Partners: Farid Sigari-Majd (Vienna), Barbara Keil (Munich, both lead, both Corporate), Karin Buzanich-Sommeregger (Vienna), Gwen Senlanne (Paris, both Employment), Thomas Wessely (Antitrust, Brussels), Stephan Denk (Public Law) and Katharina Kubik (Tax, both Vienna) Counsel: Gernot Fritz (TMT, Vienna), Sascha Arnold (Hamburg), Tanguy Bardet (Paris, both Public Law) Principal Associates: Daniel Lungenschmid, Noel Zamani (both Corporate), Leonhard Prasser (Employment), Kathrin Wildmoser-Zeller (Public Law), Anna Binder-Gutwinski, (Tax, all Vienna), Jan Jeram (Antitrust, Brussels) Associates: Maria Tumpel (Vienna), Thomas Hornberger, Jan Postweiler (both Munich, all Corporate), Estella Dannhausen (TMT), Luca Mischensky (Public Law), Can-Michael Nural (Real Estate, all Vienna)

Jun 3

1 min