One year at gunnercooke: Dr Heiko Plassmeier on freedom and a change of perspective 

Dr Heiko Plassmeier is a German dispute resolution lawyer with over 25 years of experience, advising companies on complex commercial disputes. After his first year at gunnercooke, Heiko reflects on his move from a large traditional law firm to a flexible model, his personal learning processes and on what he enjoys most about his work today.

For him, one thing is clear: making the move was absolutely worth it.

Could you give us a brief overview of your practice?

I’m a disputes lawyer. I argue cases before state courts and national as well as international arbitral tribunals across all areas of commercial law. I also specialise in recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in Germany. My key areas of focus include private international law, international civil procedure, and insolvency law. I also act as an arbitrator. 

What was your personal highlight at gunnercooke so far?

Besides the regular German partner meetings, definitely the international partner meeting, also known as The Symposium, in Oxford. It’s a unique opportunity to meet partners from other countries in a relaxed setting and expand your network. At my very first Symposium, I had the chance to introduce myself to the full audience, which was both a highlight and a challenge.

Did you have to overcome any challenges during your time at gunnercooke?

After more than 25 years at large law firms, I initially found it unusual to organise myself independently and actively seek out where my client work would come from. Sometimes, I also had to ‘reinvent the wheel’ at work because I no longer had access to templates from previous cases.

The biggest challenge, however, was negotiating my own client engagement terms and, above all, finding the right balance when it came to pricing. I learned a great deal from internal gunnercooke workshops, things that I would’ve never come up with on my own. By now, I know where the limits of economic viability lie and at what price level it is better for me to refrain from taking on a new client.

How did you experience the transition to a more flexible model like gunnercooke?

As a huge relief. I’m now fully responsible for myself, and no one cares about whether, how much, when, or where I work. That said, it took me a while to grasp that I’m allowed to spend my so-called “core working hours” on non-work-related activities, provided my client work allows for it.

As someone who also works as an arbitrator, I particularly appreciate the fact that I rarely have to decline arbitral appointments due to conflicts of interest. I also enjoy being able to keep the fees I earn from that work, rather than having to pass on part or all of them to someone else.

gunnercooke has been established in the UK for 15 years but its model is relatively new in Germany. How do you think the perception of the model is changing?

Until recently, the gunnercooke model was hardly known in Germany. In fact, I first heard of it in April 2024. When I joined in August 2024 and informed my German colleagues about my move, the reaction of most of them was something like “gunnerwho?”.  Since then, the perception has changed significantly. Nowadays, most German lawyers in private practice at least appear to have heard about the model, many have a rough idea of how it works, and some are really curious to find out what it’s like to be a gunnercooke partner.

The increasing awareness of the gunnercooke model in the community certainly contributed to the growth of the German partnership from 29 to 49 in the past year – and counting. In turn, the intake of new experienced partners with large existing networks increased the firm’s visibility, manifested among others in a higher number of recognitions in rankings such as “Best Lawyers”. gunnercooke Germany will thus continue to establish itself as a real alternative to “traditional” law firms for colleagues seeking to set up their own practice in a truly international environment.

What advice would you give to colleagues considering joining gunnercooke?

Just do it, if (1) you want to work independently, (2) your practice area lends itself to working solo or in small teams, (3) you have enough contacts to potential clients, and (4) you’re financially secure enough to get through occasional leaner periods.

Lawyers who have previously been employees will find that at gunnercooke, they can often maintain (or even exceed) their previous income levels with considerably less effort.

What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?

Going forward, I’m excited for the continued positive collaboration with the partners and team at gunnercooke, both in Germany and internationally, as well as welcoming many new partners. When I joined, the German partnership needed to become younger and more female, but it has since achieved this thanks to sustained strong growth.

Beyond that, I’m looking forward to new mandates, including at least one from a DAX-listed company to further arbitration work, and to continuing to have enough time to pursue things I enjoy in my private life.

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