- Team consists of six lawyers – three partners, one counsel, and two associates
April 28, 2026 – Global law firm Reed Smith today announced the appointment of a six-lawyer corporate team, including three partners, in its Global Corporate Group and Munich office.
The highly experienced team has strong capabilities across M&A, private equity, venture capital, corporate restructurings, and complex cross-border transactions.
They advise a diverse client base, with particular focus on the transportation, defence, tech, and life sciences sectors, and bring significant opportunities for cross-border collaboration with Reed Smith’s corporate, finance, private equity, tax, real estate, and sector-focused teams globally.
The new partners include:
- Thomas Strassner, who advises a broad range of clients, including domestic and international investors, family offices, emerging and high-growth companies, as well as privately held and listed companies across sectors such as technology, health care, life sciences, and defence. Tom has a specific focus on transactions, particularly domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital.
- Richard Fagerer, who represents European and other international clients on U.S. and cross-border corporate and M&A, venture capital, private equity, and transportation transactions and projects. His clients include international funds, public and privately owned corporates, multinational airport companies, original equipment manufacturers, Tier-1 automotive suppliers, and companies in the defence industry.
- Christopher Mayston, whose practice spans venture capital, private equity, M&A, banking, and capital markets transactions. He advises international investors, start-ups and scale-ups, and both listed and privately held companies, particularly in health care, life sciences, and technology, and advises banks and financial services providers on aspects of banking and capital markets law.
Counsel Michael Rebholz and associates Jeff Nelson and Edi Baqaie complete the team and join the firm along with the three partners. Together, the team has assisted European companies on going public in the United States, led multi-jurisdictional and transatlantic mergers and acquisitions, and guided European companies in their expansion to the United States.
Mike Young, EME co-chair of Reed Smith’s Global Corporate Group, said: “The arrival of Thomas, Richard, and Christopher represents another major step forward for our corporate practice in Europe. Together, they bring transactional strength, international experience, and deep client relationships that align perfectly with our strategic priorities.”
Michaela Westrup, Munich co-office managing partner, added: “Their arrival significantly enhances our corporate offering and opens up new opportunities for collaboration across Reed Smith’s global platform. With deep experience advising high-growth and international clients, they will be a major asset to both our local and global client base.”
Andreas Splittgerber, Munich co-office managing partner, said: “The team brings an exceptional blend of corporate, cross-border, and sector-specific expertise. This, plus the personal fit of this team into our Munich office, is a great addition to our Munich office.”
Thomas Strassner said: “Reed Smith’s enviable global platform, collaborative culture, and commitment to growth in Germany made this an exciting next step for our team. Our clients’ needs are increasingly international, and Reed Smith provides the depth, geographic reach, and sector focus needed to support them across borders. We look forward to building the practice in Munich and working closely with colleagues across the firm.”
The new team joins from Dentons’ Munich office. With their arrival, Reed Smith’s Global Corporate Group is now made up of 359 lawyers, including 157 partners.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions and regulatory matters.
