Cleary Gottlieb Adds Leading German Antitrust Partner to its European Practice

Cleary Gottlieb is welcoming leading German antitrust lawyer Wolfgang Deselaers to the firm as a partner.

While principally based in the Cologne office, Wolfgang will maintain a presence in the Brussels office in support of the European antitrust practice.

“We are very fortunate to welcome Wolfgang, an accomplished lawyer with a strong record of success,” said Cleary Gottlieb Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang. “Cleary is counsel of choice to leading corporations around the world on complex antitrust matters, and Wolfgang will add to our already formidable depth and breadth in this important area of the firm’s international practice.”

Wolfgang comes to Cleary from Linklaters, where his practice focuses on cartel damage litigation, EU and German merger control, joint ventures, cartels, monopolies, and State aid. He represents clients before the European Commission, the German Federal Cartel Office, the European courts and German courts. His experience extends to a broad range of industries, including the steel, automotive, media, sport, transport, health care, chemical and financial services sectors.

Wolfgang worked in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Brussels, where he started his career at Oppenhoff & Rädler (the Alliance of European Lawyers) in 1991. He is a member of the Board of the German competition law association (Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht) and advisor to the International Competition Network, which comprises more than 100 competition authorities worldwide, on German and European competition law.

“We are delighted that Wolfgang will join our ranks. He will be the fourth competition partner in the Cologne office, where he will notably reinforce our antitrust litigation practice.” said Cleary partner Dirk Schroeder in Cologne.