gunnercooke makes 14 global appointments in first quarter

The start of 2026 has seen gunnercooke continue with its momentum of growth, making 18 fee earner appointments across the UK, DACH region and the US. 

The beginning of the year has seen expansion across a range of practice areas, with particular growth in real estate, regulatory and dispute resolution. 

UK 

The UK team welcomed a further four lawyers. Real Estate remains a key growth area, with Martin Thomas joining as Partner in Real Estate and Commercial and Dan Lyon joining as a Construction Partner, 

Matthew Coles joined as Regulatory Partner based in Manchester, Leonid Komov as Operating Partner specialising in Compliance, Licensing and Financial Crime in London, and Ed Meikle as Intellectual Property Partner in Leeds. 

Germany 

New Germany-based Partners include Annina Fittkau (Berlin), specialising in Technology Compliance, Data Protection and Cybersecurity, Annette Bödeker (Frankfurt), who focuses on Corporate Law, M&A and Notary work, and Tim Heitmann (Dusseldorf), who specialises in Intellectual Property and IT. 

The team is further strengthened by the recruitment of Florian Roetzer (Munich), M&A, Corporate and Commercial Partner, Lambertus Fuhrmann (Dusselforf), Corporate and Dispute Resolution Partner, Daniel Vos (Dusselford) Insolvency, Litigation and D&O Partner, and Igsaan Varachia (Munich) Corporate, M&A and Tax Partner, after nine years as a Partner at Dentons.  

US 

Across the Atlantic in the US, the firm welcomed three new partners in its Chicago and New York offices. 

Natascia Taken joined as an Advertising & Marketing, FDA and Consumer Protection Partner in Chicago. In New York, Jake Prudhomme was appointed as a Commercial and Financial Services Partner, and Kunbi Odubogun as Partner specialising in Business Law, Corporate Law and Intellectual Property Law. 

Syed Nasser, newly appointed Talent Director, commented: “We are pleased to begin 2026 with strong international growth, welcoming talented professionals across the UK, DACH region and the US. High-quality experts are joining gunnercooke, valuing our culture, flexibility, collaboration and the opportunity to grow their practices globally.” 

Syed joins the firm with over 20 years’ experience in legal recruitment. As Director of Talent, he will drive gunnercooke’s recruitment strategy, focusing on attracting specialist lawyers in key growth areas and supporting the firm’s continued international expansion across the US and Europe.  

His appointment comes during a period of significant growth for the firm, which now has around 600 fee earners, including 500 lawyers and 400 partners, and he will continue to drive the growth of the firm.