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The capital markets practice at German independent Luther is headed by Jörgen Tielmann who was part of the team advising Intershop Communications on establishing a joint venture with GSI Commerce which necessitated a capital increase.

The firm has also been providing continuing advice to a Chinese issuer, which includes due diligence in China and Hong Kong and a capital increase by way of a contribution in kind.

Long-standing client Deutsche Postbank Group has kept the banking and finance team at Luther occupied in the last 12 months. The firm has advised the bank on several acquisition financings in the real estate sector, financing of open-ended funds a large €100 million restructuring transaction.

The firm has also assisted new client NordLB with three acquisition financings.

Public-private partnership (PPP) projects have made up the bulk of Luther's mandates in the last 12 months.

One deal saw the firm advise the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry for Education and Research) on its PPP project to erect a new building at the Kapelle-Ufer in Berlin.

Another matter sees joint practice head Achim Meier advising PTC Euregio a subsidiary of the University Hospital Aachen and the Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht in the Netherlands, on the construction of a €350 million particle radiotherapy centre which will also be completed through a PPP project.

In autumn of 2010, the firm was negotiating on behalf of a German-speaking community in Belgium on the tender process for a pilot PPP project for the construction, restoration and modernisation of six schools including financing and operating costs for 25 years.